Candidates slow to use voter app
The vast majority of New Plymouth’s mayoral and council candidates are yet to engage with an interactive app designed to make it easier to connect with voters.
Despite being emailed with the details of how to join and use the app almost a week ago, only a handful had taken up the opportunity by yesterday afternoon.
Of the mayoral candidates, only incumbent Neil Holdom and Dinnie Moeahu have answered the questions on the app set up by Len Houwers.
Houwers, a former elected councillor, bought the rights to use the recently developed app which allows users to read candidate bios and ask them questions directly online. While Holdom and Moeahu have given detailed answers on a range of subjects, including governance, leadership, climate change and employment, two candidates have indicated they will not engage on the app.
Sam Bennett said he would prefer to use other trusted media platforms, despite the questions being moderated by the app’s developers to make sure they were appropriate, while Murray Mcdowell said he did not want to use his personal email to respond to questions and would use his own campaign channels.
The remaining mayoral candidates – Murray Chong, Shaun Clare, Greg Mackay and Peter Hardgrave – have not responded to any questions.
Of the council candidates, only Moeahu, Max Brough and Dan Thurston Crow have engaged in the at large ward with councillor Harry Duynhoven declining to get involved.
In the Kaitake Ngāmotu ward, Bryan Vickery and Kevyn Harris have expanded on their biographies while councillor Anneka Carlson answered a question on the challenges facing the council and the community.
Councillor Tony Bedford also refused to get involved, saying his focus was on north ward, and he was available to talk by phone to anyone, however fellow north ward candidate Bill Simpson gave short answers to three questions.
Neither Te Waka Mcleod or Maia Bailey have engaged in the Te Purutanga Mauri Pumanawa Māori ward.
Houwers said he was still hoping the New Plymouth District Council would help promote the app, but the organisation had been non-committal in its correspondence.
The app is free to download at: http:/ /newplymouth.engageme.nz/