Focused, fearless and forthright: Mary Bourke is seeking election to Taranaki Regional Council

Mary Bourke is standing for election for the Taranaki Regional Council this year. Photo / Supplied

Mary Bourke is one of the four candidates standing for the one available Stratford constituency seat in the Taranaki Regional Council election this year. As part of the Stratford Press's local government election coverage, candidates were emailed and offered the opportunity to be interviewed in the lead-up to the election which takes place in October this year.

Mary might be new when it comes to standing for election to the regional council, but she says she has plenty of experience when it comes to governance and leadership at both a local and national level.

Now living in Stratford, Mary served as mayor of South Taranaki for five terms from 1992 to 2007, making her the longest-serving South Taranaki District mayor to date. Mary says when she decided not to seek re-election in 2007, she didn't predict she would be running for a different local government seat 15 years later.

So what has changed?

Mary says she wants the community's voice to be heard in what she sees as being a period of great change.

"The way in which local government has been almost constantly bombarded by central government with reforms, changes and policies, over the past few years causes me concern. Our communities and regional areas can be the authors of their own destiny if they are given the opportunity, and to do that we need strong leaders in local government."

Why regional not district council?

Her most recent experience is more at a regional level, she says, and "it's more where my interest lies now, issues around the environment for example".

It's one thing to have an opinion, but to get it listened to at a national level requires more than just an ability to speak loudly, Mary says.

"You need people at that table who have credibility, who will be not only heard, but actually listened to. I have the dubious honour of having been appointed to government positions under both National and Labour governments and haven't blotted my copybook with either of them."

Over the years, Mary has held a range of governance roles across education, health, philanthropic and not-for-profit sectors, including roles with the TSB Community Trust and the Lotteries Commission. Her years of commitment haven't gone unnoticed - she was named a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to local government in the 2008 New Year's Honours list.

"I don't write the initials under my signature or anything," she says, brushing questions about it aside, preferring to focus on her future plans and hopes for the community, not past accolades.

"The challenge of leadership is in being willing and able to make the hard decisions. You are never going to be able to please everyone, but you need to be able to see the bigger picture and to understand it in context."

Asked to describe herself, Mary says she is focused, fearless and forthright.

"I see things through and always keep an eye on the end goal of the project, that's focused. Being fearless is about not being afraid to ask a question just because no one else has asked it, and not being afraid to consider something just because no one else has."

As for forthright?

"Well, I think that one is pretty obvious to anyone who has ever spoken with me. I tend to say what I think."