Opinion: Snubbed hopefuls may yet triumph

This year's local body election is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing in Rotorua for many years. Photo/File

THE THREE "Te Arawa endorsed" candidates for the upcoming Rotorua Lakes Council election have been publicly revealed.

And the story makes for interesting reading, even for a Pakeha like myself.

The intriguing part for me isn't who was chosen to represent the iwi and who wasn't Idon't yet know enough about the candidates to make any judgment on them.

Though I hope to have the chance to get to know more about them as I consider who Maori or Pakeha- will get my vote. Nor do I know enough about Te Arawa's goals in this election process or how its leaders are trying to achieve those.

But as an outsider, my reaction is to wonder whether a decision made by about 40 people can truly be said to be representative of such a large and diverse iwi. Especially when not all potential candidates could even be at the hui.

Te Arawa Lakes Trust chairman Sir Toby Curtis says all iwi members had the chance to be there if they were interested and he has a point. Kaumatua Anaru Rangiheuea wants his people to "think strategically", by which he presumably means voting for the chosen three to try and secure their places on council.

In that respect, this endorsement has the potential to be hugely influential, both for the chosen ones and those who were snubbed. But some Te Arawa candidates not chosen by their iwi believe they still have wide support from within the community. It seems to me there could be plenty of Te Arawa out there who may choose for themselves who to vote for.

I guess we'll find out on October 8.

One thing's for sure. This election is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing we've seen in Rotorua for many years. Trump versus Clinton may have its dramas but give me the twists and turns of this Rotorua Lakes Council election any day.