Wide variety of candidates on offer in Hamilton’s east ward by-election
Friday, 19 January 2024
A 16-strong mix of old and new faces are standing for the vacant east ward seat on Hamilton City Council.
They include a former MP, a former deputy mayor and a range of other known and not-so-well known faces.
Addressing council debt and transport issues, as well as rates rise restraint, figure prominently in their election pitches.
Postal voting opens next week - papers can be returned by post or dropped at ballot boxes around the city. Saturday February 17 is the formal final election day. Results are due by the 19th.
A taste of candidate statements is below.
See full statements at the Hamilton City Council website.
AKSEL BECH
“Please don’t vote for me,” says Aksel Bech, former deputy mayor in Waikato district.
He’s simply standing to use the by-election as a platform for highlighting housing issues.
RICHARD BRISTER
A small business owner, Brister wants the council to return to a focus on “core infrastructure and maintenance services keeping Hamilton and your daily lives running smoothly”.
He advocates action to improve traffic flow and redirecting funds from unnecessary projects to pay down debt.
JACOBUS GIELEN
Perennial candidate Jacobus “Jack” Gielen is committed to rating for core services, reducing debt and getting books in the black.
Reducing debt would ease reliance on “the banking cartel and foreign interests”.
JOSE GONZALEZ
Gonzalez opposes a proposed 25.5% average rates rise for next financial year, saying he’d support an extra 18%.
He lists “fair rates” as one of his key priorities.
HORIANA HENDERSON
Henderson says the proposed 25.5% rates rise is “staggering” and a reason for her standing again.
“If elected, my immediate focus will be on identifying costs within the city’s Long Term Plan that can be deferred, reduced, or eliminated.”
MARIE-CLARE LEPINA
An experienced early childhood teacher, Lepina’s priorities for Hamilton are quality of life generally, safer and united neighbourhoods, and strong community education over reducing pollution.
She wants the city to be a place “where people are happy, healthy and respected”.
LEO LIU
Liu lists a range of transport-related projects when he says his top priority is reducing “wasteful” spending, adding such “excesses” have led to the stiff proposed rates rise.
His wants to enhance Hamilton's economy by attracting new businesses, supporting local industries, and creating jobs.
TIM MACINDOE
Macindoe, a former Hamilton West National MP, is another concerned about the city’s “alarming” debt and the “devastating” proposed 25.5% rates rise.
He says “we must rein in spending and halt unaffordable projects that few ratepayers requested”.
JOHN MCDONALD
McDonald, editor for the CityWatchNZ.org website focusing on local government, wants a focus on basic services and reducing debt.
Stopping the likes of “Smart City” surveillance networks and “turning roads into clownish obstacle courses” are also priorties.
JENNY NAND
Nand is another concerned about council debt and “with your support, I’ll vote no to wasteful spending and focus on getting back to core business”.
Her priorities include the council living within its means, reducing debt without a 25.5% rates rise, and increasing council’s understanding of the impact such rises on ratepayers.
JONO NG
Malaysian-born Ng, a Hamilton resident for more than 25 years, says the city needs overall representation of the community including youth, families, retired, Māori, ethnic, and disability sectors.
His top three priorities are helping the community is challenging times, removing community barriers, and building a stronger Hamilton.
ANNA SMART
Smart is also sceptical about transport management, saying: “To flourish, we must keep the city moving forward, without road blocks, road cones, or bus lanes in the middle of the road, at every turn.”
She wanted conservative spending to “serve the future, arts and events, all forms of transport equally, [and] two hours free parking in the CBD”.
ROGER STRATFORD
Stratford, secretary of the Hamilton Residents And Ratepayers Association, says it’s time to stand against those “pushing the city’s finances, ever further, into a perpetual debt spiral”.
His ideas include a new electoral ward for Temple View and repositioning Hamilton Airport to somewhere like Claudelands “to make it more accessible”.
TONY TANG
Tang says “council revenue should not heavily rely on the ratepayers, we need to be open-minded and attract the funding from outside”.
Suggestions from Tang include inviting IT and AI companies here, supporting bioengineering development, upgrading Hamilton Airport to cope with international airlines, and promoting clean power“, and cutting unnecessary spending and reducing debt..
TANIA TEMONI-SYME
Temoni-Syme, who has a teaching background, would also say “no” to the suggested 25.5% rates rise.
She rates crime prevention and improving infrastructure as her other top priories.
MICHAEL WEST
West would fight rising rates and encourage the council to stick to “core business”.
“Rates have accelerated beyond inflation for over a decade with no end in sight…wanting to be everything to everyone sounds nice but there’s a cost.”