Councillors told LDR illness and childcare were understandable reasons for not attending but overseas travel, consecutive apologies or no reason being given at all were “disappointing”.
However, councillor Nick Tupara (69.9% overall attendance rate), who has turned up for fewer than half of the meetings and workshops in recent months, did not see it as an issue.
His attendance started at 87.2% during the first year but had dropped to 41% since October 2024.
Tupara said unless a councillor was outside of “standing orders” – the rules that govern the council – he did not understand “why it is an issue” for discussion.
Alder and Teddy Thompson have maintained 100% attendance records.
Alder acknowledged some councillors had genuine reasons for absence, such as illness or caregiver needs, but he took issue with those taking “extended world travel” ... being able to “disappear for months after declaring a leave of absence, not check in, not stay abreast of current issues and all on full pay”.
Regarding work commitments as a reason for absenteeism, he said: “Get clearance from your employer before you sign up.”
Gisborne councillors are paid $49,822 a year, with the potential to earn more from additional responsibilities.
A 2012 survey by the Remuneration Authority, which sets pay rates for councils, estimated the role took 22.5 hours per week on average.
Council director engagement and Māori partnerships Anita Reedy-Holthausen said remuneration reflected meeting attendance and wider councillor responsibilities in the community.
Councillors did not receive annual or sick leave. However, they could apply for leave for personal reasons, including illness, family needs, extended travel or to run for another public office. The council or the mayor considered these requests, she said.
“No elected members had applied for a formal leave of absence this term.”
Due to the amount of hours involved outside meetings, “unless formal unpaid leave is requested, pay continues”, she said.
The council could not identify councillors absent due to going overseas as it documented apologies and not the reason for the absence, she said.
Councillor Tony Robinson, who recently retired to take on a staff role at the council, had an overall attendance rate of 79.7%.
In his first year it was 95.6%. However, in his second year, he went overseas. He missed a third of the council meetings and workshops that year.
Reedy-Holthausen said Robinson submitted apologies for six meetings in 2024, which were accepted.
Robinson was approached for comment but declined as under his contract as a council staff member he is unable to speak directly to the media. The council media team was approached for comment.
How did each councillor measure up?
All councillors were approached to comment.
Of those who responded, Debbie Gregory (97% attendance rate) said councillors’ presence at meetings was crucial for effective governance and representation of their constituents.
“By attending meetings, councillors can engage in informed discussions, make informed decisions and hold administrations accountable.”
Larry Foster (95.8%), referring to a member he wouldn’t name, said he had “never witnessed such an abuse of a councillor’s commitment to the role” in his nearly 16 years as a councillor.
“When you look at the attendance records, it doesn’t look great for others either,” he said.
Foster said the main requirements of the role were to turn up, be on time, read the agendas and “represent your community with dignity and trust”.
Rawinia Parata (88.2%) said her attendance reflected her best efforts as a single mother of two living rurally.
She had regularly experienced “the unfortunate reality of catching every school illness they had and at times arriving at council in a poorly state in order to contribute”.
Attendance was an important measure of performance, but so too was effectiveness, preparedness, presence and contribution, she said.
“The latter can only be measured by reviewing livestream video of our meetings, and opinions are subjective.”
Aubrey Ria (67.6%) said she’d had Covid twice and two heart operations during her first year, which affected her first and second years.
She noted that in the past 12 months she had missed seven meetings, two of those while performing with her kapa haka group at Te Matatini nationals.
Two days were missed attending tangihanga – events she said were important for her community as a Māori ward councillor.
She said whenever she missed a meeting she read its minutes to ensure she was “up to play”.
In addition, she had work commitments while also raising a family.
“Being a councillor is not a 40-hour paying job and it’s really not enough to sustain a family of four children in this economy. There’s a few of us that have other jobs.”
It was disappointing when councillors did not have external responsibilities yet still didn’t show up without communicating with the council regarding their absence, she said.
Ani Pahuru-Huriwai (80.5%) said the council had created provisions for childcare and the ability to video-call into meetings. It also provided her, as a rural councillor, with accommodation as her commute to council meetings could take up to three hours.
“For some of our councillors with children or mokopuna or we have tangihanga or illness ... life happens and you can’t avoid those things.”
But there were processes to follow, she said.
“Consecutive apologies over multiple weeks are not an apology ... that’s just not showing up.
“All of the councillors do not take kindly to that.”
