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FAR NORTH COUNCILLOR TAKES AIM AT CO-GOVERNANCE

 A political dispute in the Far North has drawn national attention after councillor Davina Smolders publicly challenged her council’s approach to Māori representation.

At the centre of the controversy is a decision by the Far North District Council on 13 April to appoint 10 external hapū and iwi leaders to its Te Kuaka Committee for Māori Strategic Relationships. These 10 unelected members will sit alongside six elected councillors (four of whom were elected in Māori wards). The unelected members can participate fully in discussions and have full voting rights.

Nine councillors voted in favour of the motion to appoint external, non-elected representatives, with only Cr Smolders voting against it and one abstention.

T2 MADNESS

When the 6km bus lane between Kamo and Whangārei was first proposed in October 2023, LETTERBOX questioned why a bus lane (T2) was needed in Whangārei.

At the time, Cr McKenzie (now Deputy Mayor) said Whangārei needed T2 because Auckland and Wellington have them, and it “provided interesting and innovative public transport options.”

The Whangārei District Council (WDC) website is a little more specific. It says: “The T2 transit lane helps to keep Whangārei moving, reducing congestion and improving travel times by separating buses and vehicles with more than one occupant.”

TALKFEST TASKFORCE

In the March issue of LETTERBOX, we reported that Hamilton CBD shop owners noticed a significant decrease in business after the previous council reduced free parking from two hours to one hour.

LETTERBOX suggested that if the WDC is serious about attracting people back into the city, it could start with two hours of free parking across the entire CBD during normal business hours, and unrestricted parking outside those hours.

WHANGĀREI DISTRICT HOLDINGS

A new commercial property and investment arm established by the WDC is hoping to replicate the success of Far North Holdings Limited, which has accumulated total assets of $211 million and produced a net profit of $13 million last year, $5 million of which was paid out as a dividend to the council to offset rate increases. The council says Whangārei District Holdings Ltd (WDHL) is to “manage the development of council-owned property that has commercial or strategic opportunities.”

MINISTER WAVES A BIG STICK

Local Government Minister Simon Watts is not happy with the Kaipara District Council (KDC). He says it needs to commit to the Government’s local government reform programme, and has directed officials to “work” with the council on the matter.

Although the Minister is touting the reform as a local initiative, in practice it is a Government directive with a predetermined outcome. Neither the councils nor the public are likely to have a genuine say on the matter. The Minister has previously signalled that he would step in where regions fail to produce a plan outlining how their councils will work together as part of major reforms. He expects the new local government governance structures to be in place for the October 2028 local elections.

DID YOU KNOW?

 

·         In the year ended June 2025, the 14 members of the WDC received $1,129,000 in remuneration.

·         In the year ended June 2025, the WDC lost $6,988,000 on derivative contracts. It held $256 million worth of derivative contracts.

·         In the year ended June 2025, the Northland Events Centre (2021) Trust that manages the Semenoff Stadium received an annual operating grant (including rent concession) from ratepayers of $1,432,007. Weren’t we told this facility would be self-supporting? 

DID YOU KNOW?

Over the last 30 years, Northland has experienced a steady ageing of its population. The share of residents aged 65 and over has roughly doubled since the mid-1990s, from about 12% to 22% now. Projections suggested around 27% of Northland’s population could be over 65 by about 2031.

The statistics suggest what most know anecdotally: Northland has become a retirement destination. That’s important because an aging population places additional demand on medical and aged care facilities. Our hospital is already under severe pressure – a substantial increase in staffing and funding will be required in the future

RETI TO RETIRE - PRIME DEMOTED

Shane Reti is retiring from politics. Reti has held the Whangarei electorate for all but one threeyear term since 2014. A medical doctor by profession, he was Minister of Health between November 2023 and January 2025. Reti has been a strong advocate for health services in Whangarei and the need for better roading between Whangarei and Auckland. LETTERBOX wishes him well for the future. We understand his likely replacement in the Whangarei electorate has already done enough behind-the-scenes spadework to secure the nomination.

Labour list MP Willow-Jean Prime has lost the highly regarded Education portfolio in a recent shadow portfolio reshuffle. The effect is that she is unlikely to retain her place at number nine on the Labour Party list for the 7 November general election.

 Prime’s competence came under the spotlight last year when Labour claimed they had not been consulted on an important education reform, only to find that Prime had ignored and then declined multiple personal invitations from the Minister of Education for input. That left Labour with a prime serving of egg on its face, which clearly was not to the taste of Labour’s hierarchy.

Prime will stand in the Te Tai Tokerau Maori seat but will be hoping Labour polls well enough to get back in on the list, despite her demotion.
 

PUBLIC TO DECIDE ON STV

The public in Whangarei will finally have a say about the voting method used to elect their mayor and councillors. A choice between the Single Transferable Vote (STV) or First Past the Post (FPP) system will be put to voters at the 2028 local body elections.

STV was used for the first time in last year’s local body election after the previous council voted by a narrow majority to change from FPP. They did so without consulting the public.

 Cr Marie Olsen took the view that this needed to be corrected and moved a motion in two parts. The first was for FPP to be reinstated for the 2028 election. She was supported by Crs Baldwin, Martin, M Yovich, P Yovich, Reid, and Flower. Against were Mayor Couper (casting vote), and Crs McKenzie, Baker, Connop, Christie, Harding, and Ruka. The second part of the motion, to hold a referendum in 2028, was carried unanimously