Hamish McDouall is standing for another term as Whanganui mayor. Photo / Bevan Conley
Hamish McDouall is standing for another term as Whanganui mayor. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui mayor Hamish McDouall has confirmed he will run for a second term as Whanganui's mayor.
McDouall won the mayoralty in the 2016 election after spending two terms as a councillor, one of which he served as deputy mayor to then mayor Annette Main.
McDouall said it's the task offacing a different challenge every day that draws him to the role and he hoped to deliver further progress to the projects started in his inaugural term.
"Sometimes there's a business deal that we're trying to do, there's an iwi settlement going through Parliament, then there's meetings about kerbside recycling and checking to see if it's financially viable," he said.
"All the while we're looking at climate change, and I'm getting an email from someone who wants help with their immigration.
Before becoming mayor McDouall tried to enter central government, unsuccessfully running as the Labour Party candidate for the Whanganui electorate in 2008, 2011 and 2014.
Mayor Hamish McDouall welcomes international students in 2018. Photo / Bevan Conley
The mayor identified housing as one of the big issues Whanganui is facing, and said the housing strategy has been brought forward as a result.
"I know people are worried about housing, but probably the biggest achievement that relates to housing is the 600 or so sections to the west of the city in Springvale and Otamatea that have been opened up," he said.
"We're also watching Castlecliff bloom but obviously there's more work to go."
Making the council as democratic as possible and limiting only commercially sensitive material to public excluded sections of council meetings is an important value for McDouall.
"Council meetings are livestreamed, independent people are on council committees, I put a mayoral report forward detailing everything I do every month which is available to the public," McDouall said.
"We've really got to try and perfect democracy as best we can and I'm pretty proud council has run with it."
Although there may have been "wobbles along the way", positive relationship building with iwi is one highlight McDouall draws from his first term.
McDouall, pictured at Rātana pā in 2017, says there's been positive relationship building with iwi during his first term. Photo / Bevan Conley
McDouall said climate change was one issue he's passionate about and something he'll be pursuing at a local government level if he gets another term as mayor.
"I would've loved to have a climate change strategy in place by now and perhaps maybe even a dedicated resource here," he said.
"Every month that goes by is another month we haven't done anything, and it's great the climate change strategy has been kicked off but I really wanted it to be much more in the forefront."
McDouall said the lack of action around the district's alcohol rules is another issue that needed addressing.
"One of my big frustrations is the local alcohol policy is not in place yet, we discussed and debated it about two years ago and it's still not in place.
"It frustrates me that the liquor barons have been able to hold that process up."
Looking back on his first term as mayor, McDouall gives himself a "B" grade.
"The first three or four months were difficult around the wastewater treatment plant, the next year and a half went pretty well, I didn't win everything but I think the council really became quite collegial in working together.
"Last year I had the sadness of my father dying and I think I lost a bit of focus for a few months, and I've been trying to catch up ever since.
"People say that's understandable but it still frustrates me that I haven't quite managed to get back into my rhythm.
"It's impossible to do everything perfectly and I keep on thinking if I've missed anything, and it's quite possible there are opportunities that weren't grasped but overall I think the district is in a pretty good spot."
