Three years ago, The News’ post local body election coverage highlighted the fact Waipā, Waikato and Matamata Piako districts, Hamilton city and the Waikato Regional Council all had women leaders.
All gone: from left Adrienne Wilcock, Paula Southgate, Susan O’Regan, Pamela Storey.
Pamela Storey, Adrienne Wilcock, Susan O’Regan, Paula Southgate, Angela O’Leary and Liz Stolwyk led the revival of Waikato Women in Politics in 2022. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
This week none have those roles in local body politics.
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate retired, district mayors Susan O’Regan (Waipā), Jacqui Church (Waikato) and Adrienne Wilcock (Matamata-Piako) were rolled – and regional chair Pamela Storey lost her Waikato constituency seat.
Those results will be in no small part a signal of electorates unhappy with rate rises – despite the best efforts of those leaders to get the balance right in a time of rising costs.
It’s back to the future in the case of Matamata-Piako and Waikato – the incoming mayors finished second three years ago – while in Waipā the new mayor was pictured on the hustings and at his victory celebrations with the previously ousted mayor Jim Mylchreest.
Waipā has lost a skilled politician with the defeat of O’Regan and new mayor Mike Pettit has a challenge to guide the ship in a different direction having been supportive of the previous leader before showing his hand and standing for the top job.
Garry Reymer’s mother Betsy with election billboards for her daughter-in-law Liz Stolwyk.
Three years ago, Waipā welcomed in a new mayor and deputy in Liz Stolwyk. They went their separate ways in more ways than one – Stolwyk stood for one of two Waipā-King Country seats on the regional council and was involved in a tight race with incumbent Stu Kneebone as this edition went to press. Her brother-in-law Garry Reymer topped the poll by some distance.
Without the knowledge of a breakdown of where the votes went, it is prudent to note that in Cambridge, with an electorate of just over 16,000, more than 44 per cent voted. It was in Cambridge that the council had some of its most difficult times in the last three years with unpopular decisions on making streets more pedestrian and cycle friendly, and a proposed route to a new bridge – branded The Blue Blob – which prompted an angry public gathering.
Overall, 41.25 per cent of voters turned out in Waipā – compared with 39.65 per cent in 2022.
As with every election, talented local body politicians are rejected, and voters take a punt on both experienced and inexperienced campaigners.
Waipā, Matamata-Piako and Waikato district voters rejected Māori seats, and few should be surprised, even if there has been a softening of the no vote. As a barometer, in New Plymouth 52.6 per cent of voters rejected a Māori ward this time – compared to 83 per cent 11 years ago.
This paper has supported Māori wards, arguing that democracy works very well for the majority but muffles the voice of the minority.
Candidates for those seats which will now disappear in three years might considerer the influence Te Pati Māori’s performance in the House had on the electorate – but at the same time, it might also be asked what efforts were made to show the benefits to electorates of having a Māori voice at the table.
Waipa Maori ward candidates Dale-Maree Morgan, left, and Yvonne Waho, extreme right show their support with others in Cambridge. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
