Council chief executive David Langford presents Andrew Tripe with the mayoral chains. Photo / Bevan Conley
Council chief executive David Langford presents Andrew Tripe with the mayoral chains. Photo / Bevan Conley
Moana Ellis, Local Democracy reporter
The new mayor of Whanganui, his council and community board members were sworn in at a ceremony at Pūtiki Marae yesterday evening.
Andrew Tripe was sworn in by Whanganui District Council chief executive David Langford and presented with the mayoral chains. The mayor's wife, Carolyn Nicklin, was presented with the mayoress' chains, and the new Whanganui District Council and Whanganui Rural Community Board members were sworn in.
Pūtiki Marae invited the council and community board to hold their inaugural meetings for the first time at the ancient riverside marae.
Ten of the city's 12 councillors - seven re-elected and five new - attended the inaugural meeting.
Councillors: Kate Joblin, Josh Chandulal-Mackay, Jenny Duncan and Charlotte Melser took the oath of office in te reo.
The remaining councillors - Helen Craig, Rob Vinsen, Michael Law, Glenda Brown, Peter Oskam and Ross Fallen - took their oaths in English. Philippa Baker-Hogan and Charlie Anderson did not attend.
Whanganui Rural Community Board members sworn in were Judd Bailey, Bill Ashworth, Michael Dick, Sandra Falkner, Grant Skilton and David Wells.
Elected members and supporters are welcomed on to Pūtiki Marae. Photo / Bevan Conley
The mayor named Craig as his deputy and said he was excited about the team around the council table and to be working with iwi and community leaders.
"As a council we now look to the future, standing on a figurative balcony looking down and ahead. We will need to be pragmatic and positive. The headwinds are starting to blow. Some will go around us but some will come at us like a cold southerly."
Tripe said these included the global impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, geo-political unrest and fragile financial markets, and domestic issues across the country that were reflected in the local community.
"Inflation is higher than it has been for a generation, and with it living costs that have brought tears to people's eyes during my campaign.
"We've homelessness that the city has never seen; loneliness and isolation, with many of our older persons suffering from increased social division that has increased in the past year or so.
"We have addiction issues, methamphetamine and alcohol and gambling that leave kids without food at the table, and school attendance and truancy rates that will see social and economic disadvantage in the next generation.
"At a local government level, we are faced with a litany of local government changes that we need to navigate through to give the best possible result for our local democracy. The current emphasis on centralisation and control will slowly erode our ability to shape our own future. Localism is what we will strive and fight for.
"We will need to lead boldly with wisdom, empathy and aroha."
Andrew Tripe with Iana Takarangi. Photo / Bevan Conley
To face the challenges and pursue the community's aspirations would require unity and harmony, Tripe said.
"The reality is that our society is more divided than it perhaps ever has been.
"In recent times we have too often lived in uncertainty and fear, fear to be around others, fear to shake someone's hand, fear that our streets are unsafe, fear to share a view that you might experience a hate response.
"Starting today, we will lead this district obsessed with excellence and compassion, with inclusion and hope and with balance and optimism.
"We will reject and resolve attitudes of fear, pessimism or cynicism. When others go low, we will go high. When we go high it is easy to see ahead and see a way forward together.
"The Whanganui district will be measured by the quality of the lives of the people who live here."
Tripe said as mayor his priorities would be protecting local democracy and building a streamlined and responsive council. He would also back business, skills and jobs, promote better living and housing, and highlight the district's points of difference: heritage, the arts, sport, the awa and the Unesco City of Design status.
"To deliver on our opportunities and challenges, we will need to draw from the Tupua Te Kawa values of our awa to find strength, health and wellbeing. Ko te awa te matapuna o te ora.
