Culverden dairy farmer John Faulkner looks set to be elected to the Canterbury Regional Council, based on preliminary results.
Culverden dairy farmer John Faulkner looks set to be elected to the Canterbury Regional Council, based on preliminary results.
Culverden farmer John Faulkner admits to being “excited and apprehensive” as he contemplates being a new Canterbury regional councillor.
As of 10am, with special votes still to be counted, Faulkner had 9764 votes and looked set to join sitting councillor Claire McKay (11,837 votes) in representing North Canterbury at theEnvironment Canterbury council table.
Based on preliminary results, Faulkner is 274 votes ahead of sitting councillor Grant Edge (9490 votes).
Faulkner, a dairy farmer and former chairman of the Hurunui-Waiau Uwha Zone Committee, said he was an advocate for addressing the region’s freshwater and environmental challenges.
“There is only a narrow pathway out of this mess we are in, and not many people are finding it, so my hope is that whoever ends up sitting around the council table can find it.
“I come from a background where I’m trying to straddle all spectrums of the argument.
“We need to bring people together to make change.”
McKay said she was pleased for Faulkner but acknowledged the result would be disappointing for Edge.
“It shows you just cannot be complacent,” she said.
“I was just pleased people have the confidence to return me for another term.”
She was one of eight sitting councillors to be re-elected across the seven constituencies.
“We are going to need [experience], because depending on what the Government reform throws up, there will be some big changes to work through.”
Other returning councillors include Deon Swiggs, Joe Davies, Genevieve Robinson, John Sunckell, Ian Mackenzie, Peter Scott and Nick Ward.
New councillors include Sara Gerard, Ashley Campbell, Nettles Lamont, Andrea Davis and Nick Moody, based on preliminary results.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has announced the iwi will be represented by Iaean Cranwell and Megen McKay.
Rūnanga chief executive Ben Bateman said the selection followed a robust process led by mana whenua.
Claire McKay has been re-elected to represent North Canterbury on the regional council.
Cranwell is an experienced councillor, having first represented Ngāi Tahu at the council table in 2016.
“I am really looking forward to the next triennium and working with all councillors, new and returning, to focus on our waterways, water quality and quantity from the mountains to the sea.
“With local government and Resource Management Act reforms continuing to progress at pace, this new council needs to work together to find a pathway forward for the future of Waitaha – what is good for mana whenua is good for the region.”
McKay has served as the mana whenua representative on the Selwyn District Council, is a lawyer and an independent hearings commissioner.
“I’m looking forward to working alongside councillors, mana whenua, and our communities to make well-informed decisions that deliver real results for Canterbury’s people and environment.”
The new council is due to meet on Wednesday, October 29, where the councillors will be sworn in and the new chairperson and deputy chairperson will be elected.
Environment Canterbury preliminary results:
North Canterbury/Ōpukepuke Regional Constituency (two vacancies):
Genevieve Robinson 8339, Nettles Lamont 8052, Alexandra Davids 6379, Lindon Boyce 4244, Ross Boswell 4053, Benjamin Alexander 3473, Alan (Huijian) Wang 3152.
