The Nation this morning is having a debate between the candidates standing for the Wellington mayoralty.

@TheNationTV3
Tomorrow, the fight for the future of Wellington. We talk to the mayoral contenders #nationtv3

@justin_lester @JoForMayor @nickoleggett @nmjyoung, Helene Ritchie and Andy Foster

Absent from that list is Celia Wade-Brown who announced yesterday that she wouldn’t be standing for re-election. I wonder if her decision was prompted by the debate as she would have been lined up for that.

Candidates are:

• Jo Coughlan
  http://joformayor.co.nz/
  First elected as Councillor for the Onslow-Western ward in 2007.  Running as an independent candidate, but was a press secretary for Sir Don McKinnon while he was serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. She is the sister-in-law to the current Deputy Prime Minister, Bill English.
• Andy Foster
  http://www.andyfoster.org.nz/
  Has been serving the Wellington City Council since last century.
• Keith Johnson
  http://kjohnsonnz.blogspot.co.nz/2016/04/dr-keith-johnson-enters-race-to-be.html
  Not a current councillor and seems to be omitted from the debate.
• Nick Leggett
  http://www.nickformayor.co.nz/
  Mayor of Porirua since 2010. Resigned from Labour Party earlier this year, standing as an independent.
• Justin Lester
  http://www.justinlester.org.nz/
  Elected to council in 2010, currently deputy mayor. The official Labour Party candidate.
• Helene Ritchie
  http://www.heleneritchie.org.nz/
  In her 11th term as councillor. Independent.
• Nicola Young
  http://www.nicolayoung.co.nz/
  Elected to council in 2013 when she also stood for mayor and came fourth. Independent but stood for National in Rongotai in the 2005 general election. Daughter of former national Cabinet Minister Bill Young.