Hastings byelections to cost ratepayers $70,000: Winery owner, pastor, IronMāori founder in running

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The cost of democracy isn’t always cheap.

Hastings residents will head to the polls in May for Hastings District Council’s two byelections, following two resignations from the council.

The byelections are expected to cost about $71,000 in total and the council will foot the bill.

Candidate nominations officially closed on Thursday and both seats are being contested, with multiple nominations received.

Election day is set down for May 24 and people can vote early if they wish, with voting forms mailed out in early May.

Earlier this year, long-term councillor Ann Redstone resigned after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and first-time councillor Renata Nepe stepped down after finding alternate employment as a teacher.

Nepe posted on social media that he had “struggled with the obscurity” of the role in the newly-established Takitimu Māori Ward.

Destiny Church pastor Michael Ngahuka has thrown his name in the hat for the Takitimu Māori ward seat and will be up against Heather Te Au-Skipworth, who founded Napier’s annual IronMāori triathlon and was briefly a Te Pāti Māori candidate in last year’s general election.

Jason Whaitiri is also in the running for that seat and is the brother of former Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP Meka Whaitiri.

Meanwhile, at least seven candidates are in the running for the vacant Heretaunga general ward seat including Hana Montaperto-Hendry, Brendan Paul Grant, Melanie Petrowski, Geoffrey Downer, Tawhana Chadwick, Shona Brewer and Sarah Greening-Smith.

Montaperto-Hendry runs a winery with her husband, called Saorsa Wines, and has received the backing of Redstone.

The final list of candidates will be made public next week and more candidates could still be added to the list.

Ngahuka only submitted his nomination to run one day before the deadline.

The byelections will see two new councillors join Hastings District Council. Pictured are Takitimu Māori ward hopefuls Michael Ngahuka and Heather Te Au-Skipworth. Photo / NZME

Ngahuku said his desire to be a leader on the council had not changed since he unsuccessfully ran for a council seat in 2022.

“Working for families is the cornerstone of my heart. A strong and healthy family is a strong and healthy community,” the married father-of-five said, about his desire to run.

His opponent Te Au-Skipworth said her decision to run for council was spurred by a need for strong local leaders to challenge the current coalition Government’s stance on Te Tiriti.

“I am ready to step back into the political arena, given the current cultural misappropriation and assault on our country’s founding documents, He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” she said last month, upon announcing her nomination.

Whaitiri has worked at Silver Fern Farms in Whakatu for almost 40 years including as a health and safety representative.

He has run for Hastings District Council before, unsuccessfully, and recently spoke to his family about running again.

“I mainly want to advocate for our communities, hapori, our hapū, and our maraes for Heretaunga.”

Hastings District Council is nearing $400 million in debt.

Hastings District Council is made up of 15 councillors and the mayor.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.