Three-term Northland Regional Council Coastal South general councillor Rick Stolwerk has been ousted in favour of newcomer John Hunt. Photo / NZME
Long-time councillor Rick Stolwerk has been ousted, a year shy of having served a decade on Northland Regional Council.
Nine years of representing the Coastal South General Constituency will come to an end for Stolwerk, as he trails newcomer John Hunt by more than 500 votes.
“I guess the people want a change, or in certain areas they want a change,” Stolwerk said.
The challenge for the constituency was a stark difference to the last local body elections, when Stolwerk was elected unopposed.
“How am I feeling? Well, you invest a lot of time, energy and money into it, and if you don’t get in, then you just move on,” the Lang’s Beach local said of this year’s outcome.
“I’m very happy to move on and I’m very proud of what I’ve been with staff and regional council and what I’ve achieved.”
Highlights included chairing the Civil Defence management committee, introducingmarine protected areas and establishing a strong investment portfolio, which he said had resulted in lower rates.
“I’m very proud of what Civil Defence has achieved, especially in terms of post-event recovery, that’s been really important,” Stolwerk said.
Hunt, of Mangawhai, had pledged in his first local government role to work hard for his community.
During his campaign, he advocated for a rates freeze and for more money to be put into the environment.
“There is just a lot of stuff that we could do where that money could flow back into the community where it’s taken out of.”
Hunt wanted investment into community organisations “running on the smell of an oily rag” – such as the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society and the Piroa Conservation Trust – as well as more facilities for families.
Stolwerk’s upheaval was not the only upset to occur in the Northland Regional Council.
Change was afoot in the Te Raki Māori Constituency as Peter-Lucas Jones and Tui Shortland lost out to newcomers Pita Tipene and Arama Morunga.
However, the roles are short-lived as voters gave Northland Regional Council’s Māori ward the boot. The seats will cease to exist at the end of this three-year term.
Tipene, the former Waitangi National Trust chair, led the Te Raki Māori vote by more than 6100 votes, followed by Morunga on 4933.
Tipene felt his 12 years of experience in Te Ruarangi – previously Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party – made him well-equipped for the regional council role.
He said he “really thought it was time to step up and to put myself in a position where I could have greater influence on behalf of the communities that I look to represent”.
Tipene felt the vote to remove Te Raki seats next term reflected how Māori culture was little understood.
He said Te Raki Māori was particularly important, given Te Tiriti o Waitangi was deeply rooted in Northland’s history.
Tipene believed the role of Māori wards was to sit alongside tangata Te Tiriti (non-Māori who have a place here because of the Treaty) and make decisions that were informed by those in their constituencies.
“The people on the ground and the values of Northland see themselves reflected in a council that they belong to.”
Tipene said he and Morunga, who was approached for comment but had not yet responded, had a responsibility to all Northlanders.
“We’ve really got to pitch in shoulder-to-shoulder with all the other elected councillors and work as a cohesive council to help take Northland forward.”
Tipene was eager to get stuck into the role and expressed gratitude for those working on the campaign team.
He said it was an overwhelming thought that more than 6000 people had voted in his favour.
“A lot of people have got faith in me, which brings with it great responsibility.”
Tipene said at this point, it was a matter of waiting for the official results on Friday.
Successful candidates elected to the regional council are currently Amy Macdonald (Coastal Central General Constituency), followed by Joe Carr (Far North General Constituency), John Blackwell (Kaipara General Constituency), Jack Craw (Whangārei Central General Constituency) and Geoff Crawford, who was re-elected unopposed in the Mid North General Constituency.
Former Northland Civil Defence chairman Colin (Toss) Kitchen returns to the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa General Constituency after a three-year hiatus.
Northland Regional Council chief executive Jonathan Gibbard said the first order of business would be to swear in all the councillors and select the new chair and deputy.
A joint pōwhiri for Northland Regional Council, Whangārei District Council, Kaipara District Council and Far North District Council is expected to be held at Waitangi on October 23.
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.