Preliminary result
12,520 - Julie Hardaker
11,723 - Bob Simcock
4967 - Roger Hennebry
(Final count begins today)
Political novice Julie Hardaker has unseated 'sure thing' incumbent mayor Bob Simcock.
Hamilton's new mayor, Julie Hardaker, was enjoying life as a partner in a law firm when she gave serious thought to running the city - about four months ago.
And in one of the big surprises of the local body elections, she got the job against an incumbent rated an almost sure thing.
Dismissed by some as a political novice, the employment law specialist and partner in legal firm McCaw Lewis Chapman came from nowhere to beat former National MP Bob Simcock by 800 votes.
The other serious mayoral hopeful, Roger Hennebry, ran a distant third, while adult entertainer Lisa Lewis failed to register 1000 votes.
The result could be considered astounding given that Ms Hardaker told the Herald yesterday that she only seriously thought about running for the mayoralty around June.
"I think I sort of encapsulated the mood of a feeling for change ... I think they saw in me a candidate that expressed what they were feeling for some time," she said.
Ms Hardaker said opening the council's books to ratepayers was her first priority. She then plans to hold a business and ideas summit to capture a long-term vision for the city.
"It's common practice throughout the world ... it's about bringing together all the aspects of our city, spending a couple of days on it and just really nutting it out."
"Some of the other things I'm keen on is getting the city facing the river and having activities on the river. Our city doesn't link enough with the river."
Ms Hardaker has inherited a headache in sorting out the city's languishing CBD, which has noticeable chunks of empty retail and office space.
But she said other cities around the world had experienced the same issues.
"It's not about the CBD versus The Base or Chartwell ... we have to look at the issues in the CBD and how it links with a district plan which is 12 years old and is only undergoing review now.
"There are inconsistencies and ambiguities in our planning and development rules and we need to get those right."
Ms Hardaker, who is supportive of a commuter rail link between Hamilton and Auckland and improving council relations with Waikato Tainui, said Hamilton's marketing strategy as an events-based city was "good but not enough".
She wants the city to link more with the Waikato region.
"If we are talking about economic growth and different ways of selling our city and generating income and economic activity then it's not enough.
"We are the biggest exporting region in New Zealand, we are the powerhouse and not just in dairy."
Mr Simcock said Ms Hardaker had run "an effective campaign" but he believed aggressive local media criticism had derailed his bid for a second term.
He said it was unlikely that Ms Hardaker would have the numbers to wield complete control over the strong personalities in the council, which has seen the return of former Kiwi Air boss Ewan Wilson and former Hamilton West Labour MP Martin Gallagher.
Margaret Forsyth replaces two-term councillor Glenda Saunders in the east ward.
Mr Simcock was looking forward to a break and said he would not have any further involvement with local body politics.
