We often complain about councils and local politicians, but only a fraction of us vote for them.
Participation at the last local elections sat at a woeful 42 per cent, with many New Zealanders simply not participating in the democratic process.
The Front Page: Why this year's local elections are more important than ever
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
Auckland mayoral candidates Wayne Brown, Viv Beck and Efeso Collins. Photo / Supplied
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
"These are the things you often forget about or maybe even take for granted until something goes wrong. Think about the bus network, rubbish, recycling, the maintenance of local roads, the water you drink from a tap, or the cost of parking in town."
Campbell says that local politics often has a far more direct impact on your day-to-day life than the further-removed echelons of national politics.
If New Zealand's cities end up in the wrong hands, the consequences could be severe - as seen by the level of dysfunction seen in Tauranga.
Campbell sees a few interesting battles shaping up around the country, including in her home city of Wellington.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Incumbent Wellington mayor Andy Foster faces a tight race against Labour MP Paul Eagle and former Green Party chief of staff Tory Whanau.
While Foster has faced criticism in his first term, Campbell is hesitant to write off his chances of re-election.
"I wouldn't underestimate any of them, including Andy Foster," says Campbell.
"He has been around the table for three decades and has really strong name recognition. And while Wellington City Council has got this reputation for being dysfunctional this term, some people might sympathise with Foster in that it's not entirely his fault."
The other big race will happen in Christchurch, which will see Lianne Dalziel step aside after a third term as mayor.
"Christchurch's mayoral race is being called a head-to-head battle. You've got councillor Phil Mauger and former District Health Board chief executive David Meates, who have both thrown their hats in the ring."
Beyond this, there's also Auckland, which also starting to look more like a two-man race between Wayne Brown and Efeso Collins. Viv Beck is further back, but recent press leaks on her relationship with her advertising partners have left her putting out a few PR fires.
New Zealand's smaller cities are also serving up some political intrigue.
"Invercargill is going to be a real cracker, with broadcaster Marcus Lush going up against Tim Shadbolt.
"Northland is also set for sweeping change, given that all three mayors are stepping down. And then in Nelson, you have former National MP Nick Smith eyeing the mayoralty."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Which is all to say there's a lot at stake when it comes to the local elections this year.
•
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am.
• You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
a
