Mayor stays put until National picks candidate

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule is turning his attention to national politics.

Yesterday, he announced he was planning to seek the National Party’s nomination for the Tukituki electorate, after 15 years as mayor of Hastings.

He is also the president of Local Government New Zealand.

Craig Foss, who holds the seat for National, said last month he would be retiring from politics.

A large number of locals, along with members of the National Party had encouraged him to run, Yule said.

‘‘I did not expect Craig Foss to resign, now I have to deal with that opportunity. I have been pretty humbled by the number of people who have approached me to stand. I think I can make a difference in Wellington, for the people of Tukituki, and for the National Party,’’ he said.

Yule will not make a decision on whether he will stand down as mayor until the National Party decides who the candidate is next month.

‘‘If the National Party and its members want and choose me as their candidate then subsequent decisions will be required and I intend to involve fellow councillors in these.

‘‘Until that point I will be saying very little more while the selection process is under way.’’

In 2016, Yule led the district through the gastro outbreak that saw 5000 locals struck down with campylobacter after drinking water was contaminated.

Despite the crisis, he was reelected mayor in October’s local body elections with a lead of more than 3000 votes over his closet rival Guy Wellwood.

He said he intended to stay mayor until June 30, to make sure the Havelock North water inquiry was completed.

If successful in his nomination bid, he will likely face Labour’s candidate Anna Lorck, who lost to Foss in the last election.

Lorck, who runs a public relations company, was hired by Yule during his election campaigns.

Running against her would be a challenge, he said.

‘‘It has been a very difficult decision. Anna and her team have helped me with my previous campaigns.

‘‘That has been a complex thing to try and work through. I have had to make a decision on that.

‘‘Anna is a very talented individual, she is passionate about what she does. I am too, but we represent different political ideologies,’’ he said.

"I have been pretty humbled by the number of people who have approached me to stand." Lawrence Yule