Large field stands for Dunedin mayoralty
There can be only one, but 14 people will battle for the vacant Dunedin mayoralty.
As nominations for the local body elections closed yesterday at noon, 37 signalled their intentions to run for council, which has 14 vacancies.
Fourteen of those council hopefuls were also eyeing up the top job.
Earlier this year, three-term Dunedin mayor Dave Cull, 69, confirmed he was not seeking reelection as mayor or standing for councillor at this year’s local body elections.
Fourteen of the 37-strong field seeking a council spot are also vying for the mayoral chains. It is believed to be the most number of candidates contesting a mayoralty in 2019.
That includes five current councillors: Rachel Elder, Aaron Hawkins, Jim O’Malley, Lee Vandervis and Andrew
Whiley.
Of those candidates only Hawkins is endorsed by a political party, the
Green Party.
Current councillors Conrad
Stedman and
Kate Wilson are not seeking reelection.
Cull will stand for the Southern
District
Health
Board, the board’s first election since then-Health
Minister Dr
Jonathan
Coleman appointed a commissioner team in 2015.
Seventeen people are vying for the four vacant Otago spots, while 11 will contest the three vacant Southland positions.
Twenty-eight people will campaign for places on the Otago Regional Council (ORC), including three former MPs: Hilary Calvert (Dunedin constituency), Marian Hobbs (Dunedin), and Michael Laws (Dunstan).
Of those former MPs, only Hobbs has the backing of a major political – Labour – but the Green Party is also represented with its candidate, Scott Willis.
ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead has decided not to stand for another term after 15 years as a councillor.
‘‘I have reflected on what is best for my family and my own health, as well as for the council, and decided not to seek re-election,’’ he said.
Further south, incumbent Clutha District mayor Bryan Alexander Cadogan has been re-elected unopposed, while 17 people are seeking a place on the council.
Cadogan’s brother, incumbent Central Otago major Tim Cadogan, faces a challenge from Cr Victoria Bonham for the mayoral chains.
Waitaki mayor Gary Kircher faces two candidates: Katrina Hazelhurst and Paul Mutch.
In Queenstown, two people – Al Angus and Nik Kiddle – are challenging incumbent Jim Boult.