Age no obstacle in local politics, councillors say
Timaru’s mayor is keen to fight apathy in local politics by getting young people around the council table – and one of the country’s youngest local body politicians agrees age should not a barrier. Mayor Damon Odey was encouraging everyone from ‘‘18 to 118’’ to apply to run in an upcoming council by-election, and he hoped some younger people would get involved in local politics in Timaru. Despite the town having an older population, statistics showed the number of 18-to-30-year-olds in Timaru had grown over the last few years. ‘‘It would be great to have a representation of those age demographics around the table,’’ Odey said yesterday. Only one nomination had been officially received on Tuesday, for Paul Smith Earthmoving chief executive Mark Rogers, who was also chairman of Aoraki Development. Odey said being a councillor was about listening to other people’s points of view, ‘‘doing your homework’’ and it was achievable for everyone. ‘‘At the end of the day I would encourage anyone who wants to to participate in local government. ‘‘I want to reiterate it’s an option, have a look at it.’’ In Dunedin, West Harbour Community board member and arts and politics student Ryan Jones, 20, was elected last year and is believed to be the youngest community board member in the country. Jones said while some knowledge of local government or the legal system would definitely be an advantage to any candidate, he saw no reason young people should not stand, as long as they were willing to ‘‘put in the work’’. He had been interested in local government before he stood in local body elections. He had made submissions to council plans, and once he was elected, staff and other community board members had been willing to guide and mentor him. Odey said local body politics was a learning curve – but ‘‘so’s everything’’. Eighteen-to-30-year-olds were an important demographic and there had been enough discussion about apathy and a lack of interest in the local government sector, Odey said. Jones said he had acquaintances of a similar age to him who wanted to stand for the Dunedin City Council, but were deterred by the fact the election process seemed to be so much about name recognition. ‘‘[The candidates] are generally wellknown businesspeople.’’ West Harbour Community Board deputy chairman Trevor Johnson said working with Jones was like working with any other board member – although he was more technologically adept. Life experience was not a prerequisite for the job, Johnson said. ‘‘How do you get experience if you don’t get involved? It doesn’t take long to get into it. ‘‘I wish more people would take an interest in local body politics. ‘‘I think everybody’s got a contribution to make.’’ However Timaru District Councillor Peter Burt, one of the people who nominated Rogers, said he was doubtful very young people would be up to the task of being a district councillor in the town. The by-election, which will be held on September 5, was triggered by the resignation of councillor Tracy Tierney, who was a director of Timaru’s KPMG accounting firm. Burt said ideally the council would want someone with the same sort of skills to replace her. Councillor Sally Parker planned to set up a ‘‘conversation cafe’’ in July, to get youth from Timaru and the surrounding areas to give their views on the district in a safe and informal environment. When she joined the council local government was new for her, she said. ‘‘It’s open to everyone that’s willing to develop, really,’’ she said.