Ballot boxes at Greerton Library for voting in the 2019 local elections. Photo / George Novak
Ballot boxes at Greerton Library for voting in the 2019 local elections. Photo / George Novak
A total of 58 people have put their hat in the ring to represent the Western Bay.
Nominations for the 32 positions available in Western Bay of Plenty District Council's 2022 electoral race closed August 12, with a mix of new and incumbent candidates.
The top job of mayor, vacated by outgoing two-term mayor Garry Webber, sees eight candidates vying for the position: John Scrimgeour, James Denyer, Don Thwaites, Paul Haimona, Rodney Joyce, Mark Boyle, Hori BOP Leaming and Suaree Borrell.
Local Government New Zealand's chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene says competition for local government positions "is a sign of a healthy democracy".
"Having a vibrant mayoralty race gives voters more choice, attracts more public interest, and can have a positive impact on voter turnout."
She says incoming elected officials will have several key issues to face.
"With the Future for Local Government review under way, those elected in October will have the chance to influence the role councils will play for the next 30 years ... councils are also being asked to grapple with a significant amount of reform, all while keeping on top of the day-to-day services they provide.
"It's clear that the lion's share of climate change action needs to be carried out at a local level. So the challenge that councils face is preparing for the future, while at the same time responding to the increasing amount of climate-related events we're already experiencing."
She says it is important to not only vote, but to learn about all the candidates before doing so.
"We live in an age now where we don't have to wait for our voting papers to arrive in the mail to find out what our local candidates stand for. Most candidates will have a presence on Facebook and voters can visit policylocal.nz and read their bios."
Local Government New Zealand chief executive Susan Freeman-Greene. Photo / supplied
She says it is up to the individual candidates to "listen to the diverse range of voices present in their communities and run a campaign that focuses on the issues that their constituents care most about".
"As soon as a mayor gets elected, they become the captain of a team, so if they can prove good listeners during the campaign stage, then that will serve them well for their time in office."
Te Puke Economic Development Group chairman Paul Hickson says he wants a council that will stand up for his area.
He emphasises the importance of thinking of Te Puke as not just the town centre, but the area as a whole "east of the Pāpāmoa Hills to Ōtamarākau".
Given that, he feels the biggest issue facing the next council is housing availability in the town and the country areas "to support the big growth we've got in the kiwifruit industry".
"We go on and on about labour shortages, but if you need staff or labour, people to work for you, they need housing."
He says those who wanted to build have been "stifled by the inertia of local government".
He wants future councillors to "say what they think".
"We need to stress the importance of our area and the need for housing out here ... people working out here don't want to live in downtown Tauranga.
"I think it's imperative any new councillors and mayor from our area basically stick up for us ... we've got the economic activity, so we need houses for our workers, and for people who want to come and live here."
Paul Hickson, chair of Te Puke Economic Development Group. Photo / Mead Norton
He wants the new mayor to be a "leader" and "be on the front foot", and work to serve the diverse range of people in Te Puke.
"We want them to recognise the Te Puke area as a great area for economic growth and a lovely place to live.
"A mayor's there for our community, not to kowtow to bureaucrats in Wellington."
His advice for the incoming council is clear: to "stand up for what they think and listen to the community".
Council chief executive John Holyoake says this year's nominations are a win for community representation.
"This year we launched Generation Change to celebrate the mix of people that make the Western Bay so great. We encouraged our people to stand up for their communities and bring their voices to the table.
"We're excited to say they've heard the call, and this year's nominations include the broadest range of candidates that we've seen in a very long time.
"This is exactly what we need to ensure that the decisions made by council suit everyone in the Western Bay. Thank you to all of the candidates for putting your hand up, and good luck."
There will be a Meet the Candidates debate series held from August 29-September 1 at generationchange.nz.
The 12 candidates for the council's four Te Puke / Maketu seats: •Attiya Andrew •Shane Beech •Rewi Boy Corbett •Richard Crawford •Grant Dally •Kassie Ellis •Paul Haimona •Kris Murray •Anish Paudel •John Scrimgeour •Andy Wichers •Kim Williams
Visit the council's website for a full list of all wards' candidates.
