Whanganui councillor Peter Oskam tops candidate expenditure for 2025 campaign

Whanganui mayoral candidates (from left) Peter Oskam, Josh Chandulal-Mackay and Andrew Tripe during a Whanganui Residents and Ratepayers Association event last year. Photo / Mike Tweed

Campaign expenses for Whanganui District Council candidates have been published, with a returning councillor spending the most for the second campaign in a row.

Every candidate must file a return within 55 days of successful candidates being declared elected, with this election’s deadline being December 10.

Peter Oskam, who also ran for mayor, spent $14,806.56 during his 2025 campaign, including $11,006 to Serious Business Ltd for campaign management.

He spent $22,941.20 during the 2022 local election campaign, also the most of any candidate.

Re-elected Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe spent $12,493.90 in 2025, followed by re-elected councillor and mayoral candidate Josh Chandulal-Mackay ($11,607).

Chandulal-Mackay’s father, Hamish Mackay, donated $2000 to his campaign. He received four other donations from individuals totalling $610, including $200 from his mother, Anna Chandulal.

Tripe received two donations of $2000 each, although he did not say from whom.

Returning councillors Rob Vinsen ($5632.42) and Glenda Brown ($4931.44), and new Deputy Mayor Michael Law ($4472.16) followed Tripe and Chandulal-Mackay for expenditure.

Jay Rerekura spent the most as an unsuccessful candidate ($3969.37), followed by Rob Oscroft ($3465.71).

The candidates’ $200 nomination fee is not included.

Charlie Anderson, a former councillor and now Whanganui Rural Community Board member, donated $150 to Tripe’s mayoral campaign and $50 to Oscroft’s council campaign, but did not spend anything on his own campaign.

Successful Māori ward candidate Geoff Hipango also spent nothing.

Whanganui Rural Community Board candidates Bill Ashworth, Jack Bullock, Brian Doughty and Quintin Handley, all elected unopposed, spent nothing, as did David Wells and Daryn Henare Te Uamairangi, who won the two Whanganui subdivision seats.

Phil “Bear” Reweti (Māori ward) spent $30 on paint for the windows of his van.

Councillor Charlotte Melser received a $2000 donation from advocacy organisation Action Station for her Māori ward referendum campaign and spent $1948.89.

Melser spent $3221.78 on her council campaign, offset by $1635 raised at a fundraising gig.

Chandulal-Mackay’s declaration said he made a $500 contribution to Melser’s council campaign and gave her $375 for timber.

Candidates must list all donations higher than $1500.

According to all declarations submitted so far, only Tripe and Chandulal-Mackay received donations of more than $1500 for their council campaigns.

Council democracy manager Anna Palamountain said those yet to declare expenses and donations had been sent reminder messages, and electoral officer Warwick Lampp was aware of them.

Lampp said he would follow up with the candidates and “send one last email”.

“If they don’t [file a declaration], then we pass it to the police.”

As of February 19, general ward candidates Tony Sundman and Greg McPhee, Māori ward and Whanganui Rural Community Board candidate Kiritahi Firmin, and Whanganui Rural Community Board candidate Jenny Tamakehu had yet to make declarations.

Successful candidates were sworn in for the 2025-28 triennium at Pūtiki Marae on October 30 last year.

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 local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.