Local elections 2022: Outgoing Hamilton city councillor considers comeback as mayor

Hamilton city councillor Mark Bunting trying out Hamilton's first electric recycling truck - Bunting was at the forefront of Hamilton's move to recycling collection. Photo / Tom Rowland

Mark Bunting, one of the four current Hamilton city councillors stepping down this year, has not ruled out standing again for local government in the future. But if he does return, it would only be to run for the mayoralty, he says.

Bunting is stepping down after two terms as a Hamilton councillor to focus on his communication business.

"I am driven by a very positive thing – the country is in a bad mood and I want to fix that and get people to communicate better."

He says he feels like it is a good time to move on, however: "It might be permanent or it might just be a break, but if I was to come back, I want to come back as mayor."
Bunting says he decided not to stand for mayor in this election because of two other mayoral candidates.

"Geoff [Taylor] wants it more than me and I am good friends with him and Paula [Southgate] wants it more than me and I get on with her very well, too."

In terms of his council affairs, he says he is very happy with where he leaves things.

"I am probably most proud of the work I've done advocating for cycling... and saving the Rhododendron Lawn at the Hamilton Gardens. It is one of my favourite places, but it was almost turned into a carpark. And mentoring [first-time councillor] Kesh [Naidoo-Rauf]. It's the little things.

"It's never the right time to go, there are always projects you want to see through but at some stage you gotta look at it and say well I started it, let someone else finish it."

Regarding the candidates announced last Friday, he says there is some talent among the new candidates.

Veteran councillor Martin Gallagher won't be standing again for Hamilton City Council after a long career on the local council. Photo / Mike Walen, KeyImagery Photography

"Some of the candidates are current councillors that still have unfinished business... but I am a bit disappointed with people that have been complaining, because they are not standing... they would rather complain on Facebook than doing something about it."

Bunting says the new council will have to tackle a couple of big challenges. "The Government reforms are the biggest challenges, like Three Waters and the reform for local government [Future of Local Government Review]... [The city's] growth is a problem and transport is a worry, too. We focus too much on the main roads and the private car.
"Hamilton will need strong leadership, not nice leadership."

Bunting says Hamilton City Council will also undergo some changes since there will be six new councillors.

Apart from Bunting, current councillors Rob Pascoe, Martin Gallagher and Dave Macpherson are not seeking re-election, and for the first time, Hamilton will have two Māori councillors from the new Māori constituency.

Gallagher, a council veteran, served on the council as an elected member from 1985 to 1994, as deputy mayor from 1988 to 1993, and was again elected to the council in 2010 with a second term as deputy mayor from 2016 to 2019.

Macpherson has been a Hamilton city councillor since 1998 and Rob Pascoe is standing down after three terms as a local councillor.

Dave Macpherson has been a Hamilton city councillor since 1998. Photo / Supplied

The Hamilton City Council has 46 candidates contesting the 15 seats available. In the 2019 election there were 42 candidates and in 2016, 45 candidates.

As in the previous election, eight people are running for the mayoral position. Current mayor Paula Southgate and deputy mayor Geoff Taylor, alongside Lee Bloor, Lachlan Coleman, Jack Gielen, Horiana Henderson, Riki Manarangi and New Zealand Outdoors and Freedom Party co-leader Donna Pokere-Phillips, have entered this year's mayoral race.

All but Bloor, Coleman and Southgate are also candidates for a ward position. Pokere-Phillips is also running for Hamilton's new Kirikiriroa Māori constituency, while Gielen, Henderson and Manarangi are running for an East Ward seat as well. Taylor is running for the West Ward.

In total, 20 candidates will contest the six East Ward seats which is the same number as in the 2019 election.

They are: Andrew Bydder, Anna Casey-Cox, Jack Gielen, Horiana Henderson, Jess Hona, Amy-Leigh Hopa, Peter Humphreys, Jason Jonassen, Russelle Sonya Knaap, Ross Macleod, Riki Manarangi, Raymond Mudford, Jacqui Stokes, Jake Tait and Tania Temoni-Syme, as well as current councillors Mark Donovan, Ryan Hamilton, Kesh Naidoo-Rauf and Maxine van Oosten.

Rob Pascoe has been a Hamilton city councillor since 2013. Photo / Mike Walen

In the West Ward, 17 candidates have been nominated for six seats - two fewer than the last election.

They are: Dave Boyd, Rudi du Plooy, Jose Gonzalez, Louise Hutt, Sanjay Joshi, Dhirendra Kumar Naresh, Emma Pike, Shanti Ralm, Matthew Small, Melissa Smith, Dan Steer, Roger Stratford and Michael West, and current councillors Geoff Taylor, Angela O'Leary, Sarah Thomson and Ewan Wilson.

There are six pōtae (hats) in the waka for the two new Kirikiriroa Māori Ward seats.
They are: Melaina Huaki, Maatai Ariki Kauae Te Toki, Donna Pokere-Phillips, James Ratana, Moko Tauariki and current Māngai Māori Te Pora Thompson.

Hamilton City Council chief executive Lance Vervoort thanked everyone who is standing.
"It takes commitment, courage and genuine care for Hamilton Kirikiriroa to put your hand up for public office.

"In the final 24 hours, nine nominations rolled in."

He says it is now up to voters to get familiar with the candidates who "all want to make really important decisions" for Hamilton and its future.

Voting packs will start to arrive in the post between September 16 and September 21 (unless you need to cast a special vote). Voting closes on October 8.