Regional Council elections maintain reputation of being most interesting
The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council elections has once again proved to be the most interesting of the region’s elections, with one big shock and a number of significant dynamics for the new council to deal with.
Progress results for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) were released yesterday, but the results have yet to be finalised. The results are unlikely to change significantly.
The biggest shock was in the Heretaunga/Hastings General Constituency where Craig Foss, an incumbent councillor and former National Party Cabinet Minister, came in a dismal fourth in the three-seat race. In first place is former CEO of the Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings, Jock Mackintosh, with 6,474 votes.
Joining Mackintosh as a new regional councillor are former one-term Hastings District councillor Sophie Siers and well-known orchardist Xan Harding. Mackintosh, Siers and Harding all have significant support bases that propelled them to victory.
Mackintosh ran a highly visible campaign with bright billboards all around the constituency and was also backed by former HBRC Chair Rex Graham and former Hastings District councillor Henare O’Keefe. Siers is a popular figure in her sector of the rural community, while the powerful orchardist community, which has influenced a number of HBRC elections in the past, clearly backed Harding. He also worked hard door-knocking in Hastings to capture the urban vote.
Foss, whose election billboards were a little confusing (HBFOSSRC), did not seem to have put as much into his campaign as the others and may have been a victim of voter fatigue after standing in national or local elections for the past 20 years. He has missed out on the nation-wide trend of right-leaning candidates and mayors being elected – a move that may prove to be an ominous sign for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Labour Government a year out from the national elections.
The Ahuriri/Napier General Constituency went as expected with incumbents Neil Kirton, Martin Williams and Hinewai Ormsby retaining their seats. Ormsby will have grown in confidence and expect her to push to be the new Chair, which is vacant since Rick Barker did not stand for re-election. Ormsby will have a strong challenge for the chair role in incumbent Will Foley, who was elected unopposed in the Tamatea/Central Hawke’s Bay General Constituency.
The new Māui ki te Raki Māori Constituency was, as expected, won by former Wairoa regional councillor Charles Lambert, who simply switched over to a new seat around the council table.
Lambert’s seat in the Wairoa General Constituency has been taken by Ruakituri Valley farmer Di Roadley, who, along with Siers and Ormsby, take the number of female councillors from one to three. This shift is certain to change the dynamics around the council table.
Roadley soundly beat out former Napier City councillor Api Tapine, who shifted to Wairoa during his Napier term. Tapine obviously over-estimated the local support he would get as a candidate parachuting into a new council election.
The other new seat, the Māui ki te Tonga Māori Constituency, saw new Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Board member Thompson Hokianga elected unopposed.
Another unopposed incumbent candidate elected is Jerf Van Beek in the Ngaruroro General Constituency.
In his day, former Chair Rex Graham ensured that the council terms he served on had like-minded candidates, which he dubbed the Romans. This was a group that loyally stuck together and voted as a block.
This council may have a similar group, but that remains to be seen. However, there is enough diversity and a number of independent thinkers to ensure that each issue will be discussed and voted on robustly.
Climate change will be a big focus for the new council with a number of councillors having run on the issue, but still expect some interesting decisions to come from this new cohort.
