Epitome of Coolness

Where do I even start?

The event was called “Meet the Candidates”, but it felt more like “Meet Whoever Showed Up and Wasn’t Sick or Avoiding Eye Contact.” To be fair, most candidates made the effort — but Turangi, Mangakino-Pouakani and Taupo rural ward were missing entirely, and five known faces sent their apologies.

It’s 2025. Surely we can get a basic livestream going? Or even a stitched-together reel of video intros… Just something. It’s not the 80s, and we’re not still running town hall meetings by candlelight.

Despite the patchy attendance, mic issues, and chairs that looked borrowed from a preschool, the night had its moments; some strong, some shocking, and some straight out of a sitcom.

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What Actually Went Well

• The room was packed. People cared enough to show up. That matters.
• Some candidates came prepared and clear. Wahine Murch, Ann Tweedie, Duncan Campbell, Richard Cade — all came across solid, real, and not just repeating lines.
• Moments of comedy (intentional or not). Between wobbly mics, time limits, and candidates squished like a sandwich platter, there were genuine laughs.

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What Definitely Didn’t

• The two-minute time limit.
  Two minutes for intro and question response? That’s half a sentence and two breaths. Some managed three. It wasn’t enough to get to the good stuff, and it rushed people who actually had something to say.
• Mic roulette.
  Tech issues came and went like Taupō weather. John Funnell gave it his best but eventually just shrugged and surrendered to the sound system gods. Can’t blame him.
• The seating.
  Candidates were packed in tight — like rugby-bench tight. And David Trewavas? Stuck in what looked like a child’s chair. I genuinely expected a group topple moment. Missed opportunity…
• No Turangi or Mangakino.
  No representation. No workaround. No explanation. That’s not okay, are they not in Taupo district?

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The “Quick-Fire” Chaos (a.k.a. The Duncan Clause)

Then came the infamous yes/no question round, projected big on screen. One stood out:

“Do you think it’s OK to release public-excluded information before the embargo is lifted?”

Let’s be real. That question was aimed squarely at Duncan Campbell. Why? Because he writes a blog that actually explains what goes on behind closed council doors. He’s not leaking. He’s unpacking the process.

And clearly, some people aren’t thrilled about the public having context.

To his credit, Duncan didn’t flinch. Gave a clean answer. No drama. Just held his ground. Gum in cheek. Mic intact (for once).

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“I Didn’t Get the Questions”, That’s on You

At least one candidate, (maybe a few) said they didn’t get the prep questions.

Honestly? That’s your responsibility.

You want to be on council? You check your email. You follow up. If you miss the prep, don’t play the “I didn’t know” card on stage. That’s not leadership, that’s a missed notification.

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Candidate Highlights – The Good, the Predictable, and the AWOL

• Wahine Murch – Strong, sincere, and grounded in community. Didn’t over-perform. Just honest.
• Ann Tweedie – Direct and passionate. You could tell she meant what she said.
• Duncan Campbell – Gave clear, sharp answers. Spoke with conviction. No stuttering this time. Really great clean delivery.
• John Funnell – Calm, clear, and delivered the best one-liner: “I’ll be using David’s credit card if I get elected.” Crowd laughed. John wins that round.
• Richard Cade – Genuinely impressive. Confident, knowledgeable, and handled himself like someone who actually understands council work. Unexpected standout.
• Rachel Shepherd – Polished and well-rehearsed. Answered questions clearly. Still light on track record, but she turned up and handled the heat.
• Zane Cozens – Got told off repeatedly during the yes/no round for trying to clarify questions. Still managed to get his points across. You could tell he wasn’t there to play it safe.
• Danny Loughlin – Came in hot with a full-blown personal story arc. Less “here’s my policy” and more “here’s my journey.” Like watching a localised reboot of The Voice. Passion: high. Focus: questionable.
• Kevin Taylor – Same as always. Delivered his usual answers. Not bad, just predictable. Doesn’t seem to be updating the playlist anytime soon.
• David Trewavas – The usual “why change it, it works” line made another appearance. But as the mic cracked and the chair shrunk under him, you couldn’t help wondering if it really is still working.
• Ngahuia Foreman – Listed as an official apology on the night. A shame, many were looking forward to hearing her speak. Hopefully we’ll get a chance before the campaign’s over.
• Christine Rankin – Absent due to illness. Get well soon — hopefully you can make an appearance at some stage, because the public would actually like to see you. Cough cough…
• Yvonne Westerman – AWOL. Again. This is the second public forum she’s skipped.
  Either she’s avoiding the conflict of interest question, had a bad hair day, or got lost on the way to the Great Lake Centre.
  If she keeps ghosting public events, the real question becomes:
  What are you hiding, Yvonne?
• David Freeman – Apology listed. No explanation provided. Still noticeably absent in person and campaign presence.
• Katrin Wilson – Also listed as an apology. Two public absences in a row — not ideal if you’re hoping to earn public trust. Infact who is she?

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Some had valid reasons (Christine was reportedly unwell), others gave no explanation but when multiple events go by without a single appearance, it starts to look less like scheduling conflict and more like strategy, Or avoidance.

At this point, it’s hard to know if they’re real candidates — or just five possums in a trench coat trying to form a quorum.

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Final Thoughts

Could the night have been better run? Yes, most def.
Could the sound have worked? Definitely.
Could more candidates have shown up or said something meaningful? 100%.

But was it boring? To some yes, It dragged on for 2 hours and 49 mins or so… which was like long lunch long.

The crowd came. The questions were spicy. Some answers were honest. Some dodged. Some didn’t even show up.

And at the end of it all?

That was Taupō’s 2025 election — in two minutes or less.

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Disclaimer:

These are my personal observations from the night, written with humour, honesty, and a decent dose of civic engagement.
I’ve been following this election closely, and while I’m not exactly a neutral bystander, this post reflects my own take, not anyone else’s campaign or PR.

No one asked me to write this. No one signed off on it.
And yes ; I was genuinely waiting for the moment one candidate tipped too far and they all fell off their chairs like dominoes.

Still disappointed… it didn’t happen.

Like this kind of local chaos reporting? Want to see more, even after the election’s over?

If you’ve laughed, sighed, or rage-nodded your way through this post, consider shouting me a hot chocolate (or two). It’s fuel for more council chaos coverage, political roast recaps, and keeping things just the right amount of spicy.

Because democracy is tiring… and I write better when I’m warm and mildly caffeinated.