Hamilton mayor’s financial think-tank details revealed

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Economist Brad Olsen with Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe, ahead of his announcement as a member of the mayor’s new financial think-tank.

Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe has put together a crack team of financial experts to provide independent but untraceable financial advice.

Members include a prominent economist and a former councillor, and they will meet informally with council leaders four to five times a year.

The group will provide informal advice, with no paper trail because it will “not provide recommendations or reports’’, according to its terms of reference - provided to the Waikato Times by a ratepayer through the Official Information Act.

The document “acknowledges that information shared by Hamilton City Council shall be treated as confidential to the group and is not for broader distribution.’’

It also confirms that the Financial Reference Group to the Mayor “supports, but does not replace: Elected member decision-making, council committees, including the Finance and Assurance Committee or established reporting and accountability frameworks.’’

Nor does it form part of the council’s formal governance or committee structure.

Mayor Macindoe says the think- tank, which will have no decision-making powers, has strong support from both chief executive Lance Vervoort and chief financial officer Gary Connolly.

“We should not be so arrogant as to think we have all the answers internally – we don’t. I have carefully considered what skill sets will add value, and I am delighted that a talented group of professionals have generously accepted my invitation to support Hamilton City Council.

“Financial responsibility is an absolute core priority for my Mayoralty and this council,’’

Rob Pascoe, a former finance chairperson, is part of the new panel.

“We have made strong progress quickly on some key issues to provide better value for ratepayers.”

The unpaid group members - comprising Traci Houpapa, well-known economist Brad Olsen, Mark McCabe, Leean Bedwell and former Hamilton City Councillor Rob Pascoe - will meet informally with the mayor, Deputy Mayor Geoff Taylor, Chairperson of the Finance and Assurance Committee Rachel Karalus and key staff, four to five times a year.

Their feedback would be delivered to council by the mayor, at his discretion.

Under its Terms of Reference the group will “Provide high-level, independent perspectives on council financial matters to inform the Mayor’s thinking.’’

That will include, “expenditure and cost drivers, financial strategy and settings, debt management and financial sustainability.’’

It will also “assist in identifying key considerations, risks, trade-offs, and priorities’’ relevant to long-term financial planning (including the Long-Term Plan), financial principles and contextual considerations, and governance settings, and offer external viewpoints on opportunities to improve efficiency, value for money, and financial oversight.

The team’s input is expected to be “broad, issue-based, and non-binding’’.

Member Rob Pascoe is “excited’’ about being asked to participate, after leaving the council in 2022.

Speaking to the Waikato Times he said he worked hard over is nine years on the council, including six as finance committee chair to keep the finances “in tow’’.

“But we have certainly gone backwards since and that’s something that concerns me.’’

He saw his return in an advisory role as a positive one.

Pascoe praised Mayor Macindoe’s “initiative’’ in forming the think-tank, saying predecessors had “buried their heads in the sand’’, when it came to the city’s finances.