Jono Samson, pictured in 2023 when he appeared in the Lego Masters NZ TV series, is campaigning to become Gisborne's mayor or a councillor in the upcoming local elections. Photo / Liam Clayton
Jono Samson, pictured in 2023 when he appeared in the Lego Masters NZ TV series, is campaigning to become Gisborne's mayor or a councillor in the upcoming local elections. Photo / Liam Clayton
A Lego master, “Sam the Trap Man”, a former newspaper editor and ex-Green Party MP are among those vying for spots at the Gisborne District Council table.
The council has released a provisional list of contenders, with the official candidate names to be published on August 8.
Three mayoral candidateshave been announced.
Incumbent Mayor Rehette Stoltz is gunning for a third term. In the last election, she won the top job with 8009 votes.
District councillor Collin Alder will be challenging her again. Alder received 2943 votes in 2022.
Joining the race and running for the first time for mayor and general ward councillor is 48-year-old Jono Samson (Jonathan Robert Samson).
Samson became a high-profile figure after his appearance in the TV2 series Lego Masters NZ, during which he candidly spoke of his mental health challenges and ADHD diagnosis.
He and Lego series partner Dan Mulholland, of Upper Hutt, finished third overall.
In running for mayor, Samson told Local Democracy Reporting he wanted to provide more opportunities for creative people.
“We have so many creative people who are getting regular jobs because their creativity doesn’t pay. Human beings are creative creatures. We were born to create.”
Samson said the Lego Masters NZ television show enabled him to have conversations with people from all walks of life.
Many people from the community had told him he should run for council.
“The feeling out there is that we really ought to do better and that the systems that we’ve created for ourselves are no longer really fit for purpose,” he said.
“The old-century ideas are not going to fly anymore.”
Samson has worked in many industries - from IT to hospitality to acting in television and films as an extra to driving buses.
He earned a certificate in Business and Computing in 1996, which led to a career in IT.
Later, he studied screen acting, screenwriting, and directing at South Seas Film and Television School in 2004.
Four years ago, he was diagnosed with lymphoma - a blood cancer - and had six months of chemotherapy.
“The year or so afterwards, my blood levels just kept improving ... they stabilised and now I’m at a position where they haven’t changed, so they are stable.”
Samson is currently on a sickness benefit and has worked on and off for the last couple of years.
He said he was “trying to pursue creativity” and create Lego workshops and Lego art.
When asked why electors should vote for him, he said: “The world has too many critics and not enough cheerleaders. Who wants to come cheerleading with me?”
Among others putting their hat in the council ring are Jeremy Muir, editor of the Gisborne Herald for 14 years before leaving the role last year.
