Local elections 2025: The veteran politicians calling it quits this weekend

Two of the country’s longest-serving politicians are retiring from political office at this weekend’s local elections, although one isn’t completely ruling out a comeback.

Carterton Mayor Ron Mark and Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan have both opted not to seek re-election after political careers going back to the 1990s.

Mark is retiring from politics 29 years after he was first elected to Parliament as a New Zealand First MP – one of the 17 Winston Peters brought into Parliament in the country’s first MMP election.

He served 12 years in Parliament from 1996 to 2008, four years as mayor from 2010 to 2014, another six years as MP from 2014 to 2020, and another three years as mayor from 2022 to now.

The former Defence Minister and former New Zealand First leader will continue to serve on the Waitangi Tribunal and won’t rule out other roles in the future.

“If I was offered a role as an ambassador in Eastern Europe right now, I’d grab it with both hands,” he said.

Mark has been campaigning for the amalgamation of the three Wairarapa councils – a campaign he plans to continue out of office.

“I’m very sure it would be very easy, once I’m outside of the mayoralty, to bring together a group of like-minded Wairarapa people.”

Cadogan is retiring after 27 years on the council including 15 as mayor – a run only surpassed by Neil Volzke’s 16 years as Stratford mayor and Wayne Guppy’s 24 years as Upper Hutt mayor.

Cadogan said he kept rates rises low until recently but claimed the Government’s water reforms would push up council debt and rates.

“I’m a bit frustrated with the way the cards fell. I’m terribly disappointed in the outcome but sometimes you lose and you’ve just got swallow that one.

“It’s a cluster stuff and there’s going to be a huge price to pay. It’s just ghastly to be leaving with this but that’s the reality.”

Ōtorohanga’s Max Baxter and Waitaki’s Gary Kircher are also standing down after 12 years in the job.

New Plymouth’s Neil Holdom is leaving after nine years, Hastings’ Sandra Hazlehurst is leaving after eight years, and Hamilton’s Paula Southgate, Lower Hutt’s Campbell Barry and Ashburton’s Neil Brown after going after six.

Wellington’s Tory Whanau, Invercargill’s Nobby Clark, Kaipara’s Craig Jepson, Masterton’s Gary Caffell, South Wairarapa’s Martin Connelly and Mackenzie’s Anne Munro have all opted not to seek another term.

Additional reporting by Tobias Macintosh and Jamie Cunningham.

Michael Sergel is Newstalk ZB’s business reporter, covering the daily life of business and the business of daily life. He’s been covering business, politics, local government and consumer affairs for over a decade.