Elections 2010

Any thrill at being the first elected members of the newly formed Southern District Health Board after the elections next month is likely to be short-lived when the reality of the next three years hits.

If anyone knows what people are saying about the Dunedin City Council elections, it is an ever-chatty cabbie. In the first of a series, Stu Oldham talks to taxi driver Jim Coxon.

Smiles rather than spreadsheets were the focus of the latest Dunedin mayoral forum, when candidates were asked yesterday how they might contribute to the happiness of citizens.

Dunedin voters have until the end of next week to decide who they want on their city council. Today, we introduce a panel of Otago Daily Times readers who will consider some of the issues of the election campaign.

A claim by a mayoral and council candidate 400 Dunedin City Council staff should be cut to bring the size of the council closer to that of Tauranga appears to be based on incorrect figures.

Seeing is believing, and in the case of three Dunedin city councillors, it led to understanding.

Dunedin resident Meg Davidson laments opportunities lost and asks if the city could follow Wellington's lead.

Rates was the favourite topic of 22 candidates for the Waitaki District Council who attended an election meeting in Oamaru on Saturday.

At the last local government election, in Dunedin and across most of New Zealand, voter figures dropped below 50% for the first time since the re-organisation of local government in 1989. Dunedin City Council reporter David Loughrey asks why the public is turning away from the action at the very heart of our system of government, what is behind the problem, and how it can be fixed.

Dunedin's local body election candidates have been warned to take extra care, following the discovery of more high-voltage power cables under the Dunedin City Council's designated election advertising sites.

The Waitaki District Council's longest-serving councillor, Struan Munro, has made a last-minute decision not to seek re-election in the Ahuriri ward.

Waitaki mayoral candidates are unanimous - the Waitaki district needs to grow.

The location of Wanaka's proposed sports facilities remains the hottest political potato for Wanaka's 11 local body election candidates.