- note clarification – Cambridge Chamber represents 430 businesses
Two Waipā chamber candidate meetings – the first tonight in Cambridge, the second seven days later in Te Awamutu – will influence who business owners want as their next mayor.
Our headline three years ago “O’Regan’s win was down to business” captured the moment she secured the powerful Cambridge business vote at a Town Hall meeting.
That support catapulted Susan O’Regan into the top job. She defeated incumbent Jim Mylchreest and Cambridge business owner Chris Woodhams.
But much has changed since then – and all bets are off.
Peter Carr
The biggest shift? The businesses themselves. They’ve been rocked by rising rates, a lack of transparency, the Blue Blob, a proposed waste-to-energy incinerator, cycleways, traffic jams, rapid growth, economic pressures and what many describe as council apathy, blocking, and tick-boxing.
Pundits say this is the most significant local body election in Waipā’s 36-year history.
Tonight’s debate facilitator – and The News columnist – Peter Carr says the issues themselves make this election crucial.
“This meeting is not a sales pitch for the candidates – I want them to answer our questions and answer them honestly.”
Kelly Bouzaid
Cambridge businesses backed O’Regan’s call for change three years ago but what they got was not what they wanted or expected, said Cambridge Chamber chief executive Kelly Bouzaid, whose organisation represents 430 businesses.*
“The (recent) quarry decision and the on off ramps at Tīrau Road was really disheartening. Our town’s never going to be the same,” she said.
O’Regan will need to call on all her political acumen – and what she describes as her “strong, proven leadership” – to fend off challenges from experienced councillors Mike Pettit and Clare St Pierre.
The astute voter will note Pettit, St Pierre and O’Regan all supported the rate increases and sat through long term and annual plan hearings where the extent of the increases unravelled.
Mike Pettit
Debate and dissension were nowhere to be found during the term until the election campaign began.
Pettit, sidelined by O’Regan, was missing in action making his campaign critical in Cambridge, where he is well known from his time as community board chair and school principal.
But on the western side of the district – in places like Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Pirongia and Ngāhinapōuri – they hardly know him despite his six years on council.
“Pettit has to capture the Cambridge vote to win,” said Carr, adding that St Pierre would have to eat into O’Regan’s hometown support to get him across the line.
Clare St Pierre
Carr went as far as to describe St Pierre as a “sacrificial lamb”. Her support is strong in Pirongia-Kakepuku, and she is expected to get back onto council. For Pettit and O’Regan, it is all or nothing.
Te Awamutu Chamber chief executive Shane Walsh – who is standing for council – says the business meeting next week will put the mayoral candidates on the spot about rate increases.
The chamber represents 130 businesses – “the lifeblood of the town” – and 70 per cent increases made them “spring to attention”, he said.
The Cambridge event will be live-streamed on Good Local Media channels from 5pm.
