Local elections 2025: Unity Food founder Azian Z running for Whanganui District Council

Azian Z says rates have to be "at a level where people can still have a life". Photo / Mike Tweed

Azian Z says teamwork and collaboration are two of her strengths.

The Whanganui District Council candidate was born in Malaysia and grew up in Switzerland, before moving to New Zealand in 2004 and settling in Whanganui six years later.

A hypnotherapist and founder of Unity Food, she said she had three top priorities – strengthening core infrastructure, ensuring the district was resilient in the event of an emergency, and keeping rates fair.

“Rates have to be sensible, reasonable, and at a level where people can still have a life.

“We also need to back local jobs and businesses.”

She said franchises and corporate companies could absorb compliance costs easily.

“Smaller businesses have the same costs and overheads, and it’s just killing them.

“I have a strong interest in seeing how we can streamline those things, reduce compliance costs for local businesses, and cut a bit of the red tape.”

Offering free CBD parking for up to an hour would also help businesses, she said.

Azian Z said she questioned some of the planning for Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, especially the lack of parking and the cost.

While the gallery’s cafe was generating additional council revenue, it could be taking business away from other cafes in the city, she said.

“I have a background in architecture, art and creativity, so I’m not opposed to the gallery entirely, it [the investment] just seems to be a bit out of proportion.”

She said Whanganui had “to play to our strengths”.

“Whanganui has got so much going for it, and we need to boost and promote everything that makes it great.”

She said that as part of Unity Food and the Whanganui Food Security Co-operative, she had worked for free for the past four years, dedicating a lot of time and energy.

Setting up Unity Food meant a lot of study on legal structures and governance.

“Teamwork and collaboration are two of my strengths,” she said.

“I understand that as a member of council, you have to be able to listen to other opinions and views, and I think I’m pretty good at that.

“I have also done a lot of work with youth, around anxiety, trauma, and addiction. I have seen what the people on the ground are struggling with.”

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is on local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.