Attendees at a Māngere candidates forum say they want clearer answers from those seeking to represent the electorate, particularly on issues affecting local communities.

With New Zealand heading to the polls for its general election in less than a month, the panel on Monday brought together candidates vying for the Māngere seat.

It included Lemauga Lydia Sosene (Labour), Michel Mulipola (Greens), Rosemary Bourke (National), Vicky Hau (NZ First), Dr Timoti Te Moke (Independent), Kelvyn Alp (NZ Loyal), Hine Afeaki (NZ Outdoors & Freedom Party), Ben Lane (The Opportunity Party), and Alani Fisher Taione (People’s Party).

They tackled questions on a number of issues ranging from the cost of living and healthcare to climate change, immigration and Pacific development.

But many Māngere residents said they left “wanting more” from the candidates.

Zane Wedding said more “direct debate” between candidates as well as more insightful discussion around policy details would have been beneficial.

“I felt like I was getting sold the same thing from all of the different parties,” he told RNZ Pacific.

‘Discussion’ important
“Discussion is one of the most important things, not just being talked at. And there was a lot of talking at tonight (Monday).

“It’s really easy for people to say ‘we’re addressing the cost of living’, but it was really the ‘how’ that didn’t get discussed enough.”

He also felt some candidates did not quite capture the complexity of South Auckland communities.

“There was a little bit of, just tagging South Auckland with this brush of — and I know that we are a part of an impoverished demographic — we’re part of the lower decile areas.

“But South Auckland is very diverse. We have to remember that,” he said.

“It is good to speak to Pacific issues, but Pasifika people are not just people on the benefit. Pasifika are people who are holding amazing jobs, running small businesses, all of those types of things.

“Sometimes I think the discussion focused on the lower decile demographic that only represents some of us, an important some of us, but only some of us.”

Māngere candidates: Alani Fisher Taione (from left), Lemauga Lydia Sosene, Vicky Hau, Rosemary Bourke, Hine Afeaki, Ben Lane, Dr Timoti Te Moke, and Michel Mulipola
Māngere candidates: Alani Fisher Taione (from left), Lemauga Lydia Sosene, Vicky Hau, Rosemary Bourke, Hine Afeaki, Ben Lane, Dr Timoti Te Moke, and Michel Mulipola . . . “What I wanted more from the candidates was a reality check. Do they really understand their constituents?” Image: Coco Lance/RNZ Pacific

Concrete proposals
Teisa Unga shared similar concerns, saying she hoped to hear more concrete proposals from candidates.

“I wanted policy answers from these candidates and what they actually want to do, and tangible answers,” she said.

“What I wanted more from the candidates was a reality check. Do they really understand their constituents? Do they really understand the reality of the people who live in Māngere?”

Unga attended on behalf of Living Wage Aotearoa, pressing candidates on whether they would continue supporting the Living Wage for government-contracted cleaners, caterers, and security guards.

She said the issue was particularly significant for working families in the Māngere electorate.

“A lot of cleaners and security guards depend on that to make bread and butter and put petrol in the car to take people to school,” Unga said.

She said most candidates supported continuing the policy.

“I only counted the no’s, which was New Zealand First and National, which was no surprise because if you go on our website, they have shown that they don’t commit to it,” Unga explained.

Teisa Unga
Living Wage Aotearoa’s Teisa Unga . . . “A lot of cleaners and security guards depend on that to make bread and butter and put petrol in the car to take people to school.” Image: Coco Lance/RNZ Pacific

Doctor a ‘standout’
Despite general criticism, Independent candidate Dr Timoti Te Moke was repeatedly mentioned by attendees as one of the “standout” candidates.

“I think the only person that I was really impressed with was the doctor, just because of the way he spoke and what he actually spoke about, what resonated with, I guess, our experiences as Pacific people here, and also in our healthcare,” Unga said.

Māngere newcomer Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai said the forum was a useful introduction to the candidates, but many of her questions went unanswered.

She was disappointed candidates did not directly address concerns she raised during the panel, about the government stripping away Pacific initiatives and programmes.

“My main concern was that Pacific initiatives have been completely tampered with … and so I wanted some answers.”

She accepted candidates would often follow party positions, but insisted there needs to be a greater focus on genuinely addressing local community concerns.

“There should be a good awareness of Māngere, what matters and how it could be improved,” Kirifi-Alai said.

Lack of transparency
Youth climate advocate, Nele Kalolo-Curricus, agreed that there was a lack of transparency and clear-cut answers from candidates.

During the panel, she asked candidates whether they would support community-led renewable energy projects, phase out fossil fuels and commit to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

She said voters were looking for more than “values-based” messaging.

“People want to hear actual actions,” Kalolo-Curricus said.

“We have spent so much time hearing politicians talk about what they believe in. We want to know what they do.”

She noted that climate change and the cost of living were closely connected for many Pacific families, particularly those supporting relatives living overseas.

“Whatever impacts our home over there also impacts Māngere,” she said.

Backing up values
She said that while she is “non partisan,” the standout candidates were those who backed up their values with specific policy proposals.

“The thing that made candidates stand out the most to me was candidates who answered with actual policies,” she said.

“There’s so many politicians who come to political debates and start attacking each other or start virtue signalling, saying what they believe in.”