Mayor slated for not attending public debate

Palmerston North mayoralty candidate Mark Bell-Booth is accusing incumbent Jono Naylor of behaving like he has already won the race after the mayor was a no-show at a public debate, choosing to attend a council meeting instead.

But Mr Naylor said he was more focused on doing the job ratepayers had asked him to do than campaigning for votes.

Mr Bell-Booth said Mr Naylor had taken an "arrogant position" after a poll revealed he was heading for a landslide election win. He said Mr Naylor's absence from the debate was humiliating to other candidates.

But Mr Naylor said Monday's policy and planning committee agenda meeting was crucial to the city's future wellbeing.

The committee meeting started at 3pm, but didn't finish until after 10pm, so Mr Naylor got his wife Karen to read out his speech at the mayoral debate that night in the Takaro ward.

On Saturday, the Manawatu Standard published a poll showing Mr Naylor had a huge lead, with 61 per cent support, compared with Mr Bell-Booth on 8 per cent.

Mr Bell-Booth said he believed Mr Naylor was buoyed by the poll result and his decision not to attend the Takaro debate reflected this.

"We don't rate. He's got it won. It's sewn up. It's in the bag," Mr Bell-Booth said yesterday.

Mr Naylor said the poll had no influence on his decision to stay at the council meeting, instead of going to the debate. He said he planned to attend all the other debates.

Mr Bell-Booth said the mayor's absence was a "very dismissive statement" to the Highbury, Takaro and Cloverlea communities who were at Monday night's debate.

He said Mr Naylor had his priorities wrong.

"There were questions from members of the public that he should've been there to answer."

Mr Naylor rejected any suggestion he was taking his re-election for granted. "It would be arrogant to think a result is there before the votes have been cast," he said.

Mr Bell-Booth, who has performed strongly in debates so far, said he wouldn't give up the fight to regain the mayoralty he lost in 2004.

"It's not over," he said, adding his campaign was entering a new phase to spell out why he was having another try for mayor.

The council was operating as if there had not been a recession and he had the business experience to manage that situation, he said.

The council's 10-year plan was "dangerous and foolhardy", he said.

The city council is hosting a series of mayoralty debates and more debates will be staged by the Manawatu Chamber of Commerce, Massey University and the Manawatu Standard. Grey Power has also hosted a debate.

The Chamber of Commerce debate is at the Regent on Broadway Theatre tonight, from 5pm.

MAYORAL DEBATE

The Manawatu Standard will hold a mayoral debate as the election approaches, with incumbent Jono Naylor going head-to-head with main rival Mark Bell-Booth on Wednesday next week.

The debate will be in the Sound and Vision zone of the city library on September 15 – two days before voting papers are due to be delivered to city households.

The debate will be moderated by Standard editor Michael Cummings.

It will start at 6.45pm and is due to finish at 8pm. The public is encouraged to attend.

The two participants were selected on poll results.

- © Fairfax NZ News