When Mike Pettit wants to reconnect with what he loves about Waipā, he hikes to the top of Pukemako Scenic Reserve behind his Cambridge home.
Mike Pettit
It was there at Maungakawa, alongside his wife Nicola and knowing he had the support of their blended family of six children, that he decided to run for mayor.
“There’s never a perfect time,” says Pettit, “but this feels right.”
Cambridge News 15 May 2025
He’s all in, choosing not to seek re-election as a councillor – a move which mirrors that of sitting mayor Susan O’Regan when she ran three years ago.
Pettit, 57, and the first to announce he will challenge the sitting mayor, was born in Kawakawa and once dreamed of becoming an Air Force photographer before pursuing a career in education.
After graduating from Auckland College of Education, he taught and was principal at several schools before eventually becoming principal of Cambridge Primary School in 2008 – a role he still holds today.
Pettit’s journey into local politics began in 2010 when he was elected to the Cambridge Community Board. Though he briefly considered national politics, he quickly realised his passion lay closer to home.
“I was more interested in local stuff,” he says.
Mike Pettit swearing in 2022
He served three terms on the board, including two as chair, before being elected to Waipā District Council in 2019 representing the Cambridge ward.
Pettit says he’s proud of the relationships he built and the visibility he brought to the board.
“Relationships are everything,” he says. “That’s how we’ve built our school, and it’s how I live my life.”
He dismisses any suggestion of a rift with mayor O’Regan after not being appointed to chair a committee following her election three years ago. He did have a leadership position as deputy chair of Service Delivery committee, he says.
“I think we can be doing better as a district,” he says. “If elected, I’m ready and able to lead change for the better across our community.”
That change would start with strengthening the council itself. Pettit believes elected members should receive immediate training in financial literacy, strategic thinking, critical questioning, and communication. He even proposes a speed-reading course to help councillors manage the often 1000-page agendas.
Mike Pettit (front, yellow) waves to the crowd as the sulkies come to a close.
“Everyone has to have a basic understanding of the finances and in my opinion, it needs to be far higher as a group than what we collectively have now.”
He also wants to overhaul how subcommittee chairs are appointed -moving to a skills-based application process to ensure the right people.
He is concerned too many projects rely on asset sales and unrealistic funding expectations citing Lake Te Koo Utu as “a lot of hui but not much doey”.
“The funding allocation from non-rates income needs to be realistic – or nothing happens.”
Council elections candidate Mike Pettit addresses the crowd. Photo – Michael Jeans.
Pettit also wants Cambridge Connections – the transport blueprint for the town – to have a clear purpose and is keen to see a community stakeholder group formed and local voices heard.
Part of Pettit’s platform is building stronger partnerships – especially with mana whenua – and growing the Māori economy.
The district must reduce its reliance on rates, fees, and government subsidies by exploring new economic opportunities, he says.
“I will be actively looking for Waipā to explore opportunities to partner, connect and grow our local economy. We have to take more control of our own destiny as a council and a district.”
He also wants a fairer deal for the district’s satellite towns and communities and a review of pricing for capital works and roading projects. Cost variations on projects costs the council plenty, he says.
Mike Pettit, right, at a council meeting with from left Roger Gordon and Marcus Gower. Photo: Benjamin Wilson
