Seeking council seat
Palmerston North’s defeated National Party candidate William Wood is back on the campaign trail.
He has been nominated as an independent candidate in the byelection for a city councillor to fill the vacancy created when his Labour Party rival and former deputy mayor Tangi Utikere won the city seat.
The 18-year-old has been nominated by National Party electorate committee chairwoman Susan Baty and city businessman Paul O’brien.
But Wood said he would be leaving party politics behind, for now. He said he would not be a candidate for Palmerston North, Rangitı¯kei nor anywhere else in 2023, and if elected to the council would never walk out and cause a by-election. ‘‘It’s not a playground. It takes more than two years. I would do two or three terms if I have the honour of being elected.’’
Wood said he had taken time to decide whether to contest the council by-election. ‘‘I don’t want to catapult from one campaign to another. But it would be a wasted opportunity.’’
Wood said his general election campaigning had given him a year of experience in listening to the community and understanding what people wanted, and he had also attended many council meetings and was up to date with the issues and council processes.
The three main issues where he wanted to help the council make progress were about partnering with community groups to provide more housing, better footpath maintenance so all residents could get around safely and easily, and economic development.
‘‘We are going to need sensible spending to get out of the Covid-19 situation.’’
He said there would be challenges in making sure community projects were supported alongside themassive investment needed in the city’s wastewater management.
‘‘We have to have absolute respect for ratepayers’ money.’’
Wood is working part-time as an administration assistant in the city and is studying towards a degree in business, majoring in economics.
Nominations for the council vacancy close at noon on December 22. Voting will run from January 26 to February 17.