By BERNARD ORSMAN
Judge Trevor Maxwell is just plain old Trev when it comes to standing for the Papakura mayoralty. And Dame Susan Devoy will be Susan Devoy on the Auckland District Health Board voting papers.
The retired district and family court judge and the former world squash champion have been stripped
of their titles for the October council and health board elections.
Judge Maxwell, or Trev to friends, said he might still try to run with his judicial title in a six-strong field for the mayoralty, but he was not going to lose sleep over it. He retired from the Bench in 1989.
"I have no doubt I am entitled to use it. Any correspondence I get from the courts division or current judges, I'm always referred to as judge."
Dame Susan was philosophical about being told to drop the title, Dame, which she had put on her nomination form. "It doesn't worry me one way or another," she said.
The cases have arisen from the new Local Electoral Act 2001, which is unclear on whether candidates can use official titles or ranks on voting papers.
Papakura and Auckland City electoral officer Dale Ofsoske sought a legal opinion, which concluded that it was a grey area.
He has now banned any honorifics in the interest of treating everyone equally.
Honorifics are banned from general election voting papers.
Electoral officers in North Shore and Manukau have read the law differently and allowed candidates to use official titles or ranks.
In North Shore City, five candidates standing for the Waitemata District Health Board - the Hon George Gair, Professor Max Abbott, Dr Lynne Coleman, Dr Stuart Jenkins and Dr Hans Maurer - are stressing their honorifics to voters.
But long-serving Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis has refrained from milking his knighthood.
Sir Barry, who was accused during the 1998 election campaign of using the title 'sir' to sway the vote, is sticking with his commoner name at this election.
He won his sixth term as mayor by 28,000 votes in 1998 and is unlikely to need the title get home this year.
Feature: Local body elections 2001
www.localgovt.co.nz
