Waipā deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk will stand for Waikato Regional Council in the Waikato-King Country constituency at October’s local body elections.
LIz Stolwyk
The 52-year-old Ōhaupō dairy farmer and Lake Karāpiro Domain manager will stand down from Waipā District Council after four terms, including two as deputy mayor.
She told The News she had always been interested in environmental issues but in recent years that had heightened, particularly after the discovery of gold clams in the Waikato River at Karāpiro.
Clams found by deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk in Karapiro
“I’m increasingly interested in environmental issues now,” she said.
Stolwyk represents Waipā on several regional committees including public transport and future proofing. She is an environmental commissioner and used to coordinate the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment awards.
“I’m very concerned about water quality in our lakes and rivers particularly jewels like our lakes Ngā Roto and Te Koo Utu which have suffered through a disconnect between the district and regional councils.”
Stolwyk wants regional councillors to get more involved in district councils’ discussions around environmental and transport issues even suggesting there should be a seat at the debating table.
“Advocating for social and economic balance is important to me.”
Liz Stolwyk during a Waipā District Council meeting. Photo: Benjamin Wilson
Waipā-King Country has two regional councillors covering three districts – Waipā, Waitomo and Ōtorohanga. The incumbents are Cambridge farmer Stu Kneebone, a councillor since 2010, and Clyde Graf who has had two stints – from 2013 to 2016 and since 2022. He has announced he will not seek re-election.
Stolwyk was first elected in the Cambridge ward in 2013 and was either best or second best polling candidate in each of her terms. Former mayor Jim Mylchreest appointed her his deputy in 2019 and new mayor Susan O’Regan did the same three years ago saying she was “hands down, the best person for the job.”
Down on the farm: Andrew Reymer and Liz Stolwyk in the cow shed of their Ōhaupō farm. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Stolwyk and husband Andrew Reymer, the Waikato Federated Farmers vice president, have had the management contract at Lake Karāpiro through their company GL Events Ltd for 21 years. It was recently renewed by Waipā District Council for another five years with rights of renewal for a further 10 years.
Stolwyk needed approval from the Office of the Auditor General while a district councillor to manage the domain.
The mother of three spent her early years in Edgecumbe and Ruawai, completing her secondary school education at Sacred Heart Girls College in Hamilton.
She veered towards a career in tourism and events working at Mystery Creek and in Europe for Contiki. After marrying Reymer, she worked at the Cambridge Information Centre and in 2004, she was asked to “fill in” at Karāpiro Domain.
See: Stolwyk plans to give ‘1000 per cent’
Liz Stolwyk welcomes competitors to the International Breast Cancer Dragon Boat Festival at Victoria Square in Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
