Second time lucky for Olympian in Howick byelection

File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

Former Olympic runner Dick Quax has won an Auckland Council seat in his second attempt.

Mr Quax yesterday won the Howick ward byelection called to replace councillor Jami-Lee Ross.

Mr Ross resigned from the council after he won the Botany parliamentary byelection caused by the resignation of National MP Pansy Wong.

Mr Quax, a former Manukau City councillor, won 41 per cent, or 11,600 of the byelection votes.

"I believe I have a strong mandate from the voters to advocate on their behalf those issues that I campaigned on - affordability, investment in private and public transport, protecting Howick Village's heritage, accountability and transparency at council, community safety, the equality of all our citizens and the provision of quality community services," said Mr Quax, who stood for the right-leaning Citizens & Ratepayers ticket.

"I look forward to working with the mayor and councillors, particularly my C&R colleagues."

Mr Quax will join Sharon Stewart as Howick ward representatives on the Auckland Council.

The byelection drew a field of six candidates.

They included two other former Manukau City councillors, Maggie Burrill and David Collings, who campaigned as independents and came second and third with 7023 votes and 5393 votes respectively.

Just over 30 per cent of the 91,000 electors voted in the byelection, and the low turnout was attributed to "election fatigue".

It was the third time in six months voters of Howick had been to the polls. The byelection cost ratepayers $150,000.

Howick ward byelection result
* Dick Quax (C&R)11,600 votes
* Maggie Burrill (Ind)7023 votes
* David Collings (Ind)5393 votes
* Penny Bright (Ind)1491 votes
* Wayne Young (Ind)1349 votes
* Ram Parkash 1116 votes