Council looking for diversity in election campaign

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is calling for changemakers this election year.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council is calling on people to be a part of Generation Change/He panoni ā reanga in this year's elections.

The council has launched Generation Change, its 2022 election campaign encouraging people from all walks of life to play their part either by standing for council or informing themselves about those who are and voting.

Chief executive officer John Holyoake says there are some exciting decisions to make in the next three years of local government, and they need the right people making those decisions.

"There's no denying our community and its needs are diverse — with a population spread evenly across rural and urban areas, almost half our population aged between 30-64 years old, and growing Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities.

"As a council we care about the communities we work with and know that we need to keep moving to meet the ever-changing needs of our people. Which is why we think the people making decisions should reflect that too.

"We need diversity of age, culture, experience, and skillsets. We need more Māori at the table so that we can hand on heart work in partnership with tangata whenua."

To make it easier for people to access the information they need, council has launched a dedicated elections website - generationchange.nz - with details on how to stand for council or a community board, what being a councillor involves, and how to enrol to vote.

As the elections period progresses, more will be added including candidate profiles and pre-election events so people can learn about who they would like to represent them on council before they vote.

Live events will take place across the district including candidate information sessions, for those thinking of standing, and candidate debates which will also be livestreamed and published on generationchange.nz.

"It's all about making it as easy as possible for our community to access what they need to get involved and feel confident in their voting decision," says John.

"We're exploring options to make it even easier to vote, as well as how residents can find out where candidates stand on matters that are most important to them and their community."

Council is also exploring how to improve flexibility and accessibility for its new councillors, to make it easier for those with fulltime jobs or other commitments to be an elected member.

"So Western Bay, it's time to look at yourselves, your friends, colleagues and whānau, and ask if you have the skills that can bring new perspectives and vision to our council. By having a range of perspectives, we can have better discussions creating better outcomes for the community that meet everyone's needs," says John.

Key dates:
Candidate nominations open July 15
Candidate information sessions July 26-27, 6-7pm at Katikati and Te Puke libraries
Candidate nominations close August 12
Candidate debates run from August 29-September 1 across the district in the following order: Katikati-Waihī Beach ward, Kaimai ward, Te Puke-Maketu ward, mayoralty
Voting documents delivered September 16-21
Voting closes noon October 8

generationchange.nz