Greens announce council endorsements
THE Green Party has announced the candidates it will endorse for election to the Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council.
Twoterm city councillor Marie Laufiso will stand again, seeking reelection alongside Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins, who is also backed by the party and who had previously announced he would stand again.
The party has endorsed Alan Somerville for the Otago Regional Council and described him as having had an extensive career in the Playcentre movement across Otago and as an early childhood teacher.
Cr Laufiso (Samoan/ Tongan) was the first Pasifika elected member in the city’s history.
Her background includes working as a community organiser and activist.
The Labour Party endorsed
Cr Steve Walker and Mosgiel Taieri Community Board chairwoman Joy Davis for the city council, and Bill Southworth and Helen Beattie for the regional council.
Mr Southworth is chairman of the Port Chalmers Foundry Society and Ms Beattie is a veterinarian and managing director of Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa.
A group ticket for the city council called Team Dunedin, led by Cr Jules Radich, has yet to announce its lineup.
Cr Radich said the ticket was preparing its campaign material for the electorate, ahead of an announcement about candidates ‘‘in due course’’.
Candidate nominations open in July and the elections are in October.