Newcomer Peleti Oli will join Henare O'Keefe as a councillor for the Flaxmere ward. Photo / Paul Taylor
Newcomer Peleti Oli will join Henare O'Keefe as a councillor for the Flaxmere ward. Photo / Paul Taylor
A hard-fought battle in Hastings' Flaxmere ward ended with a simple gesture - a hongi between the suburb's two elected representatives.
This year's local body elections brought an added element, with central government weighing in, and an unusually high number of candidates.
It didn't sit right with some in thesuburb, including kaumātua Des Ratima, who said it was a "slap in the face" to the two sitting councillors. But in the end, the voters seemed to be receptive.
Newcomer and Labour-backed candidate Peleti Oli came out on top, breaking the tight twosome of Henare O'Keefe and Jacoby Poulain.
The latter pair, who have worked together since 2010, campaigned as one during this year's election. The results as it stands, signal the end of O'Keefe's long-running working relationship with the Poulains. When elected in 2007, he joined Poulain's mother Keriana as the two Flaxmere ward councillors.
Preliminary results released on Saturday, just after 1.30pm, showed Oli won by 1046, ousting Poulain.
Just 46 votes separate O'Keefe, who came in second, and Poulain who, as it stands, came in third and is currently no longer a Hastings District councillor.
Coming together for the first time since the results were released, both O'Keefe and Oli said it is "Flaxmere's time".
Both are committed to ensuring the suburb reaches its full potential. Together, they shared sentiments, thanking and blessing one another.
Speaking to Oli, O'Keefe said: "I will never bulls**t you, I will honour my word to you, and you have my love and my trust, and that's just the way it will be. If others want to play games, let them be because we ain't."
Henare O'Keefe has been re-elected for his fifth term as Flaxmere ward councillor. Photo / Paul Taylor
Finding out he had become a councillor was "overwhelming", Oli says.
"I was quite shocked but what I always say with the leadership that we have always had over the years, it's a privilege to work alongside Henare and the amazing things he's done for the community already."
He said he hoped he can be an "asset and help push along Flaxmere on this journey". To which O'Keefe said he had "no doubt" he will.
"You've always been there brother. You're gonna be as you've always been, but that's going to go up another level," O'Keefe added.
If he hadn't been elected, Oli said he would have continued to support Henare and do what he could in the community.
Newcomer and Labour-backed candidate Peleti Oli came out on top in the Flaxmere ward. Photo / Paul Taylor
Never have so many candidates run for the Flaxmere ward. This year, six people vied for the suburb's two seats.
Paula Morgan Mihaka won 431 votes, while Melanie Petrowski and Geraldine Kelly Tahere came in at 328, and 157 votes respectively.
O'Keefe said he was honoured that the people of Flaxmere have chosen him for a fifth term.
"Words can't express how I feel given what unfolded in Flaxmere in terms of the competitive nature of the Flaxmere ward, so I am really honoured that the faith and the trust in me has prevailed."
However, the results are somewhat bittersweet for O'Keefe, who says he is "genuinely disappointed to lose my running mate" in Poulain.
But he says Flaxmere will never lose her love, commitment, and passion.
"The fact that she is not a Hastings District councillor for the next three years doesn't change, she still lives here".
Looking to this upcoming term, O'Keefe says he is "thoroughly looking forward" to working with Oli.
"Together, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we can take the people of Flaxmere to a level they never dreamed possible."
