“With experience, energy and a deep love for our community, I will continue to lead with purpose, so that our region is not just surviving but flourishing.”
If re-elected, she would focus on recovery, strategic leadership and accountability, climate and environmental action, and smart infrastructure and housing.
Councillors Rob Telfer and Daniel “Teddy” Thompson said it was likely they would run in October.
“It takes 18 months to get your head around everything,” Telfer said. “I think to give it a fair shot and try to get some change, you need to stay in there for a bit longer.”
Debbie Gregory confirmed she would stand again for what will be her third term.
Covid-19, cyclones and recovery work dominated her first and second terms, and she looked forward to a normal term “if that’s possible”.
“I find my skills and ability from being a journalist here for 15 years gives me a great base knowledge to be a good councillor.”
Gregory said she finally felt confident in her role after “floundering” through her first terms.
Councillor Rawinia Parata said the region could benefit from consistency.
“It has taken me this first term to get familiar with the way that council works and how it can work efficiently.”
Parata said it was probably a good thing to have a balance of fresh perspectives and opportunities for diversity at the table.
“The last three years as a Māori ward councillor has been about putting whānau first in our decision-making. And I mean that inclusively — not just whānau Māori but everyone in Te Tairāwhiti. Our decisions have to be about equity.”
Andy Cranston, a councillor for over 20 years, was unsure if he would seek another term, but was leaning towards yes, to keep the experience at the table.
“The shock announcement [of Robinson’s resignation to take up another role at the council] will probably steer me towards standing again.”
Cranston said they were losing two established councillors in Robinson and Wharehinga and “a great contributor in Ani (Pahuru-Huriwai)”.
“At this stage...it is looking like experience is going to be a bit limited because even [with] what we have at the moment, a lot is only catching up [on cyclone recovery].
“The last term has not been a standard process for council,” he said.
Cranston noted anyone seeking to become a councillor should be aware of the workload and whether they were in the position to take it on.
“Having been a long-time councillor, I do feel people go into it without understanding what the job entails.”
Another long-term councillor, Larry Foster, is seeking re-election. If successful, it would be his fifth term (the first of those from 1989 and the last four consecutively).
Foster said keeping rates affordable while balancing recovery work would be a focus if he was re-elected.
Councillors Collin Alder and Nick Tupara are undecided.
Alder, who campaigned for mayor at the last election, said he wanted to consult with close friends and family first. If he decided to run, he was unsure whether that would be for councillor or mayor.
Pahuru-Huriwai, who lives at Wharekahika, a three-hour drive up the Coast — “sometimes 3½ depending on the state of the roads” — said she would not be standing again due to the commute time.
“You’ve got to be able to show up, be fully committed [and] understand... but for me, it’s also having the travel on top of that that makes it challenging.
“I’ve got to go down to Gisborne two, sometimes three, times a month for two to three days... and I also work and have my hapū and iwi responsibilities... it’s a big commitment,”
Zooming was allowed, but it was better to be there in person, she said.
“I think it’s really important to have someone from this end of the coast on the council.
A councillor vehicle would make it easier for councillors who live a long way away, she said.
“There is a lot of wear and tear on my vehicle with the state of our roads.”
Councillors Aubrey Ria and Rhonda Tibble did not get back to Local Democracy Reporting in time for publication.
Wharehinga announced earlier this year he would not be standing again while Robinson resigned last week after successfully applying for the position of key account manager at the council.
