Two NRC members return unopposed; 17 candidates left for seven seats

Tai Tokerau leader Dover Samuels is entering the local politics fray again, seeking a Northland Regional Council seat. Photo / Tania Whyte

Two first termers head back to their Northland Regional Council seats unopposed and an outspoken old Northland campaigner is re-entering the fray.

Kaipara constituency's Penny Smart and Hokianga-Kaikohe's Justin Blaikie are re-elected on the Northland Regional Council.

That will leave 17 people contesting the other seven seats in five of the NRC's seven constituencies in October's local government election.

In 2016, 19 people were after the nine seats but no sitting council members were returned unopposed.

Still game after being pushed out in 2016, and with a long list of New Zealand Government and Northland local body credits behind him, Dover Samuels makes a reappearance on the hustings.

One of four challengers for the two-seat Coastal North constituency, 80-year-old
Samuels is up against newcomer, anti-GMO campaigner and Kerikeri organic grower Marty Robinson, and encumbents Jocelyn Yeoman and Bill Shepherd (currently NRC chairman).

In the two-seat Whangārei Urban constituency, biosecurity specialist and consultant Jack Craw is hoping to oust one of the re-running incumbents, John Bain or David Sinclair.

Craw is chairman of Forest and Bird's Northland branch and a former Auckland Council biosecurity manager.

Bain is a longstanding local body politician, former heavyweight on the Northland Emergemcy Services Trust and current chair of the Northland Regional Transport Committee. Sinclair is NRC deputy chairman, being elevated to that role in 2016 after having had one term on the council.

In the Coastal Central constituency, the most highly contested seat, six people are after the place currently filled by Paul Dimery.

Tutukaka business owner and man-about-boards, Jeroen Jongejans, a former Whangārei District Council member for the Hikurangi/Coastal ward, which he lost in 2013, is one of them. The others are Dimery, Maureen Adair, Maggie Buxton, Amy Macdonald and Colin Peter Thew.

Rick Stolwerk is seeking re-election in the Coastal South constituency's single seat, for which he is being challenged by conservationist, activist and land use consultant David Lourie.

In the Far North, Te Hiku constituency's one seat filled by Mike Finlayson for the past term is also being sought by former Far North District Councillor, Colin "Toss" Kitchen.

Meanwhile, Ofsoske said voting documents will be posted to electors from Friday September 20 and must be returned to the Electoral Officer by noon on election day, Saturday October 12.

Information about the elections generally is available via www.nrc.govt.nz/elections2019