Photo: RNZ
More people are throwing their hat in the ring for the Lower Hutt mayoralty as local body elections draw nearer.
Lower Hutt will have a new leader after the public vote on 11 October, with current mayor Campbell Barry, who has held the mayoralty for two terms, announced he would not be seeking re-election.
Check out RNZ's list (in alphabetical order) of who's running for the capital's top job, and what they are standing for.
Brady Dyer
Photo: Supplied
Brady Dyer has been running businesses in the Wellington region since 2005 when he turned his high school project into a photography business - Brady Dyer Photography.
Dyer also started other companies such as a Firefly Cinemas, a company which provided the technology to create relocatable drive-in movie theatres, which he has since sold.
He spent six years at Hutt City Council and three years on the Petone Community Board.
Dyer told RNZ his main pillar for standing was to deliver Riverlink.
"It's a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine our city, at the core of it it's about flood protection that's what the project is about but on the side of that we have a really amazing opportunity to reimagine our CBD."
The RiverLink project would include a bridge across the Hutt River, with the aim of improving traffic congestion in Lower Hutt City and improving resilience.
"One of the first things I'll be doing if I become mayor is pushing for a full review of our financial plans so that I can put my hand on my heart and say with absolute certainty that we are delivering value for money," he said.
Building community trust in council's consultation process and boosting businesses was a priority for him, Dyer said.
Ken Laban
Photo: Photo/RNZ/Supplied
Sports commentator, rugby league coach, former police officer and regional councillor Ken Laban announced he would run for the Lower Hutt Mayoralty in July.
Laban said he would demand a line-by-line budget review to get council back to basics - "fixing water infrastructure, maintaining roads, and delivering the core services residents rely on".
He said his experience as a sports player captain and coach would helped him know what it took to build a team that got results.
"You need trust, shared goals, and the discipline to work together. Leading a city is no different. It's not about ego, it's about bringing everyone to the table to serve something bigger than ourselves."
Karen Morgan
Photo: Supplied
Karen Morgan has worked in the education sector for over 30 years and was principal of Taita College for seven years.
Morgan told RNZ that experience meant that she had run a medium sized business managing 60 people.
She also had been a councillor for the past three years.
Morgan told RNZ improved social cohesion would be a critical policy for her campaign particularly in light of the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had.
"We have so many great people doing wonderful things in our city and across our city, so you know we need to value them, we need to better connect with them."
She said her other policies would be to create inclusive leadership by promoting voices in diverse communities and to support businesses.
Morgan said projects such as Riverlink provided an opportunity to create jobs for local people.
The public will cast their votes on 11 October.
Prabha Ravi
Prabha Ravi Photo: Supplied / Prabha Ravi
Prabha Ravi, who is running as an independent candidate, has lived in Lower Hutt for 25 years.
She is the founder and artistic director of Natraj School of Dance, and her governance experience includes sitting on panels for Hutt City Council, Creative New Zealand and the Lotteries Community Fund for Wellington and Wairarapa.
In 2011 she won a Mayoral Civic Honour Award, and in 2017 was a Queen's Service Medal recipient for services to ethnic communities and dance.
"I'm standing for mayor because I believe our city deserves fresh, grounded leadership and a council that puts its people first," she said.
Her priorities if elected would be to conduct an audit of major council projects for effectiveness and accountability, a prioritisation of frontline services and cost of living relief, and commissioning an independent financial review of the council.
She said she would advocate for more frequent and affordable public transport and work to maintain affordable council parking.
She would also champion the arts, sport, and youth participation across the Hutt, ensure all communities, especially rangatahi and ethnic groups, were represented and heard, and work to increase night markets, festivals, arts, and cultural events across the city.
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