2025 Elections: Your candidates in Waimakariri
Wednesday, 27 August 2025
More than 100 candidates have put their hand up to represent the people of Greater Christchurch. The Press is here to help you get started on narrowing your picks. Scroll down to read answers from candidates in Waimakariri.
Waimakariri District Council
A total of 17 of the 26 people running in Waimakariri responded to The Press’s survey. To read what candidates said in their own words, see the end of this article.
Waimakariri’s candidates are divided on which issues matter most in their district.
Seven respondents thought growth and infrastructure were the biggest issues in the district, while five candidates said the most important issues were rate rises and fiscal management of the council. Others cited issues like debt, environmental management and transparency.
In contrast to Selwyn, the majority of Waimakariri’s candidates oppose a rates cap. Two of the three candidates who support it are mayoral candidates, including current mayor Dan Gordon and hopeful Paul Williams.
Most candidates were vague on what the council should stop funding to save money. Three suggested cutting ties with Local Government NZ and another suggested dropping local community grants.
All but one candidate - Kaiapoi-Woodend hopeful Tim Bartle - opposed the idea of Waimakariri ratepayers contributing towards the operational cost of Christchurch’s new stadium. A third of candidates thought it would be reasonable for non-city residents to pay a bit more on tickets to stadium events.
More than two-thirds of candidates oppose a toll on the Woodend Bypass, which will cost the Government up to $1 billion to build, though some were willing to reluctantly accept it if no toll meant no bypass, or if the proposed charge was lower.
About three quarters of candidates want more investment in the district’s footpaths, roads and cycleway infrastructure. Mayoral hopeful Paul Williams and Kaiapoi-Woodend candidate Tim Bartleranked their happiness with cycleway infrastructure spending as 1 out of 10, indicating they wanted significantly less money invested.
The average age of candidates is 61. The oldest is 80-year-old Wendy Doody standing in the Rangiora-Ashley Ward.
The youngest to respond to The Press survey is incumbent mayor Dan Gordon at 49.
Almost 90% of the candidates identified as New Zealanders, Pākehā, or European, with only Kaiapoi-Woodend Ward candidates Henrietta Carroll (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa) and Natalie Leary (Ngāti Kahungunu) hoping to represent the district’s almost 10% Māori population.