A word cloud generated by responses to the Great Place To Be campaign.

Five weeks out from the local body elections, local government reporter GEORGINA STYLIANOU asked Christchurch's mayoral candidates about their vision for the city.

LIANNE DALZIEL - Best for Christchurch

What kind of Christchurch do you want?

I want a city that is brimming with opportunities for people to grow, connect with each other and live life in balance; a city that is inclusive and accessible and a city where people participate in every aspect of civic life.

Our Garden City has taken on a whole new meaning when it comes to sustainability and planning for the future of the residential red zone. I want a city that engages fully in designing that future.

What are you doing to contribute to this?

SUPPLIED Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel wants the city to be "brimming with opportunities".

I support communities leading their own projects and running their own facilities in a true partnership, not have 'The Council' doing it for them.

I am ensuring that community engagement is a meaningful exchange of ideas not just a tick box exercise.

The settlement of our insurance claim and securing our finances has liberated us and will enable us to focus on building community capability in local decision-making and participatory budgeting.

What is your call to action (challenge to others)?

Get involved! Share your ideas with your communities, take action and make it happen!

JOHN MINTO - Keep Our Assets Canterbury

What kind of Christchurch do you want?

A people-focused city rather than the corporate-focused city we have at the moment. Decisions by us, for us, made here!

What are you doing to contribute to this?

ALDEN WILLIAMS/FAIRFAX NZ Christchurch mayoral candidate John Minto during his campaign launch on Saturday.

Our six big policies will be a great start:

Keeping our assets, free public transport which will save money by decongesting our roads so we won't have to build new roads as quickly, stopping the corporate stranglehold on the city rebuild with stiff rate increases on undeveloped land in the CBD, building 1000 new council homes for rent and rent-to-buy, paying the living wage ($19.80 an hour) to all council employees and those employed by council contractors.

We would pay for this over time by lowering senior management salaries at the council and council-controlled organisations.

Swimmable rivers across Canterbury – nothing less is acceptable for our grandchildren and great grandchildren.

What is your call to action (challenge to others)?

Let's start on October 8 with fresh leadership for the city.

SUPPLIED Michael 'Tubby' Hansen is seeking the Christchurch mayoralty and the Spreydon seat of the community board.

MICHAEL 'TUBBY' HANSEN - Economic Euthenics

What kind of Christchurch do you want?

I want all police, psychologists, doctors, dentists, nurses, social workers, fire and ambulance staff, all SIS and GCSB to go on a course on modern electronics, rays, lasers and masers . . . all to sit a paper [and] half to be deliberately failed. The failed half to have their warrants failed and referred to WINZ for a pick and shovel job with the water works.

What are you doing to contribute to this?

I have written with photos to John Key, the SIS, and MI6 London to sort out the NZ left. I only asked for a received note from John Key's secretary – not received, no answer from the SIS and only a code "received" from MI6.

I have written to Police Minister Judith Collins asking that legislation be updated so that people presenting with blisters or rashes,have nearby houses searched by the police . . . and anyone found in possession or the presence of electronics, rays or lasers or masers are committed to an institution to find out why they did it and, more importantly, who put them up to it and, if a political party, that party be banned from the next election.

What is your call to action (challenge to others)?

Because these electronics and rays are a threat to candidates, royal tours and visiting overseas MPs, I have asked Judith Collins to update legislation before this local body election day or the CCC election day on October 8.