Voters need to look past star quality: researcher
Do ‘celebrities’ make good politicians?
Former All Black Keven Mealamu is likely to be a high-profile candidate in this year’s local body elections, after announcing this week he’ll stand for the Auckland Council.
Mealamu is planning to run as an independent in the Franklin ward and has been a member of the Papakura Local Board since 2019.
But as a former sporting great is he the right person for the job, or should we embrace more people from outside the political world running for public office?
Bryce Edwards, a political commentator and researcher who runs Victoria University’s Democracy Project, says this is a global phenomenon.
He said around the world there are increasing numbers of people from outside the political realm standing for office, from sports stars to business people.
“I would say it’s a global trend at all levels of politics as the public has become more suspicious of career politicians,” Edwards said.
He said comedian turned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former Air NZ boss now National Party leader Christopher Luxon were examples.
Edwards said fewer party affiliations at a local body level means voters often have little information about candidates.
“Whereas if they know a person outside of politics they feel they know who they are and what they stand for,” he said.
A number of other former athletes have joined local government over the years, including Dick Quax, who was a member of the Auckland Council from 2011 until 2018, and marathon runner Allison Roe, who was elected to the Waitemata¯ District Health Board and the Devonport-takapuna Local Board in 2013.
While performer and writer Oscar Kightley recently announced he will be running for the Henderson-massey local board in Auckland’s upcoming local elections.
But Edwards said there’s always a danger with the public blindly voting for celebrity candidates.
He said people need to look beyond a person’s “star quality” and make sure they have proven themselves and actually stand for something.
“We can’t just take their sporting prowess as a sign they will be a good leader.”
Auckland Manurewa-papakura ward councillor Daniel Newman said he has worked alongside Mealamu over the past three years and has been impressed by his work ethic.
“Keven has been an extremely good advocate for council investment in our sports parks and facilities and for Auckland Transport’s road safety improvements in the area,” he said.
“I think he would be a tremendous addition to Auckland Council and I would look forward to working with him if he’s elected.”
And Newman said Mealamu wouldn’t be the first former sportsperson from south Auckland to run for office.
Former Auckland councillor and Olympic gold medalist John Walker first stood for the Manukau City Council in 1998 and had little to no political experience at the time.
He remained on the council until it was amalgamated to create the Auckland Council in 2010 and held a seat in the Manukau-papakura ward until he retired in 2019.
Auckland Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore is pleased to see a contest developing in the seat he has held since 2013 and welcomed the news Mealamu was standing.
Franklin Local Board chairman and former policeman Andy Baker is also expected to contest the seat for Team Franklin.
“I wish all the candidates well and I think it’s now up to the public to decide. But it’s sure going to be a contest.”