Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown. Photo: NZ Herald / Dean Purcell
Auckland voters will have the opportunity to hear from the main mayoral candidates for the city's top job, after uncertainty that any mayoral debates would be held.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has agreed to share the stage with Councillor Kerrin Leoni, who is fighting for his job this local body election.
The two mayoral candidates confirmed to RNZ they would attend Grey Power North Shore's 'Let's Talk About Auckland' event on 19 September in Northcote.
However, organiser and Grey Power president Trish Deans told RNZ their event was not a debate.
Each candidate would have 7 to 10 minutes each to make a speech. Then they would take questions from the floor.
Councillor Kerrin Leoni. Photo: Supplied / NZ Herald
"We want to hear as residents of this local area what the mayor and the other candidate, Kerrin Leoni, the serious contenders, think about Auckland, our problems, and how we solve those things," Deans said.
She said the mayor confirmed he would participate on Friday last week.
"It's just fabulous to get our Mayor and Kerrin. Our audience, we've paid our rates for years, and we just love our city.
"We've got to hear the direction of Auckland, that's the thing that's worrying most of us."
She said they only invited Brown and Leoni due to time restrictions.
"There are just too many candidates for one particular meeting. Our audience wants to hear the main contenders. Kerrin and the mayor just stood out."
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