Talkback host Marcus Lush is to stand for the Invercargill mayoralty.
Newstalk ZB announcer Marcus Lush believes he can combine his radio job with being mayor of Invercargill. Photo: Invercargill City Council / Supplied
He has announced he will stand in the 8 October election which incumbent Sir Tim Shadbolt is also contesting.
Lush, who is a current Invercargill City councillor, said he has a vision for the city.
"It's about making Invercargill the most attractive place for people to move to and establish families and lives, and then actually telling that story to New Zealand.
"We've been OK with the first one. We haven't been great at the second one and that's because the communications have become confused."
Lush said he would continue his job as a talkback host on Newstalk ZB if he became Invercargill's mayor.
"With the role of broadcasting for the campaign, I won't be talking about it on there. I mean it's the fair thing to do, isn't it, from a legal point-of-view and also from a fair play point-of-view."
He said his role as a broadcaster and councillor meant he had much more involvement in the direction of the city already, and he hoped he could continue that if he became mayor.
Sir Tim has been Invercargill's mayor for all but three of the past 29 years and before that was Waitemata's mayor for six years.
Deputy mayor Nobby Clark announced in May that he was also chasing the top job.
Clark said he did not believe Sir Tim had the support that he had enjoyed in the past after a tumultuous past two terms, including three deputy mayors in a three-year period.
Lush said he was confident about his chances.
A split vote between the many candidates vying for the mayoralty was a factor in his decision, but he believed he would be a fresh alternative.
