Dunedin’s mayoral candidates appeared at the Hutton Theatre to answer questions before a crowd of nearly 300 people.
Public satisfaction scores took centre stage in the conversation, and many of the debaters noted the drop in satisfaction with the performance of mayor and councillors (down 15 points to 25% between 2020-21, listed on the council website).
All candidates addressed the issue and said they would focus on consultation and communication with the public.
Comments about the council’s decision to change George St to a pedestrianised one-way system surfaced throughout the evening as the reason why satisfaction rates were so low.
Mayoral candidate Cr Lee Vandervis said despite a survey of more than 6000 people, the vast majority of whom wanted to retain a two-way system, the council had failed to listen by going ahead with the one-way proposal.
"One hundred and sixty-two submissions on George St, the vast majority against turning George St into a one-way ... None of them wanted it, they went ahead and did it anyway," Cr Vandervis said.
"They went ahead and did it in the face of the biggest petition that we’ve had; 6500 signatures said no. They turned it into a single lane cycleway."
Mr Vandervis doubled down on his comments and said "This Hawkins council has gone again against public wishes."
Mayoral candidate Richard Seager said the one-way street decision was not well communicated.
"I don’t think council has been listening very well and George St is a good example of that," he said.
Mayor and candidate Aaron Hawkins said the George St project was the result of an 18-year-long public consultation process.
"That decision the council took was the same decision that was supported by the chair of the Chamber of Commerce, who you think would know a thing or two about what makes a functioning, successful and vibrant retail quarter."
Mr Hawkins said the statistics showing a drop in satisfaction provided a useful snapshot in time, but there was no reason to defend "results like that".
Mayoral candidate Cr Sophie Barker said she knew a change in the way the statistics were calculated would result in a decrease in satisfaction, indicating the results looked worse than they were.
"So maybe you’re not as unhappy as you think you are," she said.
