Why Tauranga is going to the polls a year early

Barring an unplanned byelection, the July 20 council election in Tauranga will be our only major election of the year.

Mōrena, and welcome to The Bulletin for Wednesday, May 22, produced in partnership with Blind Low Vision NZ.

In today’s edition: The end is nigh for first home grants, a National MP under fire over undisclosed donations, and the first wave of New Zealanders stranded in New Caledonia arrives home. But first, a look at Tauranga.

The only (planned) election in NZ this year 

You may have read over the weekend that Olympic rower Mahe Drysdale has thrown his hat in the ring to be the next mayor of Tauranga. Not long before, singer Ria Hall did the same. Why? Because Tauranga will have the chance to elect a new mayor and a new council later this year, 12 months before every other local council election. Barring an unplanned byelection, the July 20 election will be the only major election of the year. So today, we’re going to take a look at why it’s been five years since Tauranga residents last had the chance to vote in local elections, and why it’s going to be another four years before it holds council elections at the same time as everywhere else.

Let’s start at the beginning

In early December 2020, an edition of this very Bulletin by former editor Alex Braae was titled: “Tauranga council drama comes to a head”. It described how the then-local government minister Nanaia Mahuta had stepped in to address the dysfunctional council, effectively sacking the lot and replacing them with a commission. This Bay of Plenty Times report from back then has more detail, noting the former minister’s decision followed "significant governance problems among the council's elected representatives and the findings of an independent review”. It also came after the resignation of mayor Tenby Powell the previous November, which itself followed reports of “in-fighting” among council members. Former National minister Anne Tolley was called in as commission chair. There was no election for Tauranga Council in 2022, meaning this year’s election will be the first time since 2019 that locals have had a chance to vote. 

What’s happened since?

The lack of a Tauranga election in 2020 prompted a surge of candidates for the traditionally uncompetitive Bay of Plenty Regional Council (17 candidates for five spots). In February this year, an information evening was held ahead of the election, where the Bay of Plenty Times reported that potential candidates were warned to avoid “squabbles” and “bad behaviour”. Nominations opened at the end of April and have since trickled in slowly, SunLive reported, with 14 candidates on the ballot as of last Friday – four for mayor and 10 for the council. The commission that’s been in place since 2021 requested a hybrid model of councillors and commissioners after the election, reported RNZ, but local government minister Simeon Brown rejected this. Anne Tolley and her fellow commissioners told the government that there was “serious concern” that progress in the city could be undone “if the commitment needed to address Tauranga's identified issues is not maintained”, warning of potential “dysfunctionality” as had been seen in 2020. Brown said this wasn’t necessary and the people of Tauranga wanted “a return to a fully elected and democratically accountable council”. Tolley discussed what she saw as the commission’s legacies in this interview with the Bay of Plenty Times’ Kiri Gillespie last month, pushing back at criticism the commission had prioritised individual projects. 

Who else is in the race – and what they’ll be grappling with

With the rest of the country getting the chance to vote in local elections next year, the Tauranga Council elected in July will need to stay in place for an unprecedented four years (every local election will take place in 2028). The city is grappling with major issues, in part prompted by rapid growth over the last few years. House prices and rents have been on the rise, and there’s a shortage of social houses. Transport and traffic congestion has therefore become a bigger focus as well. So who could be leading the team and tackling these issues? In reporting Ria Hall’s mayoral bid, Stuff’s Glenn McConnell wrote of “Tauranga's star studded return to democracy”. Hall told Newshub she was running because the city needed a “diverse perspective”. Mahe Drysdale told TVNZ’s Q+A over the weekend that the city needed a fresh start. Tenby Powell, the former mayor, is also considering another punt. There are also a couple of others, with lesser public profiles, contesting for the top job. Former deputy mayor Tina Salisbury is in the running, telling the Bay of Plenty Times she wanted Tauranga to move forward following the dysfunction of 2020. Local resident Chudleigh Haggett is also on the ballot. Nominations close on Friday.

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Budget: Government expected to scrap first home grants

Newshub’s Jenna Lynch revealed last night that the government is poised to scrap the first home grant scheme in next week’s budget. It followed Monday’s announcement that the government would be closely reviewing all housing funds and schemes as part of a wider shake-up. The grant allows first home buyers to access up to $10,000 for a new home, with caps on incomes and the price of the house. It’s expected the $60m a year saved by ditching the scheme will be redirected into social housing. As Lynch noted, it’s hard to argue with more money going into homes for those most at need. However, there is a political risk with removing a scheme targeted at helping people make it onto the property ladder – not to mention that National first introduced the scheme in 2017 and has previously argued for raising it. In a first home buyers Facebook group I’m a part of, there has already been a lot of concern since Newshub’s report, something the government will be keenly aware of going into budget day.

National MP stripped of select committee roles after donation mistake

National’s David MacLeod has been stood down from his roles on two select committees after it emerged he had failed to declare 19 candidate donations worth close to $180,000. It’s serious, though MacLeod maintained yesterday it was just a slip up. It’s prompted a wave of political analysis from the press gallery. For the Herald (paywalled), Claire Trevett argued that while the “rookie mistake” will hurt MacLeod’s political career, it won’t prevent him from one day becoming a minister – and it’s better this happened now rather than when he is more senior, referencing the Michael Wood scandal. On Newsroom Pro (paywalled), Laura Walters analysed the incident through the eyes of the disciplinarian boss Christopher Luxon. “Behind the hand-shaking, collegial small talk and broad smiles is a boss ready to swing the axe when his people fall short of expectations,” wrote Walters. And for Stuff, Tova O’Brien discussed the potential ramifications from failing to disclose donations, noting MacLeod’s correct electoral return showed he had received more donations than any other political candidate in the parliament.

• More reading: ZB Plus’ Philip Crump revealed yesterday that under fire Green MP Darleen Tana is also facing an issue with her electoral return, after a paid article about her failed to carry a promoter statement.

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Click and Collect

• First New Caledonia evacuation flight lands in Auckland, reports Stuff.

• On Monday, The Spinoff reported on a huia feather set to go under the hammer at auction. It sold for more than $46,000, becoming the most expensive feather ever sold at auction in the world.

• The controversial bill repealing section 7aa of the Oranga Tamariki Act passed its first reading last night. The government’s proposed update of the Residential Tenancies Act also passed its first reading.

• When I first heard ChatGPT’s new voice, I instantly thought of the film “Her”. Yesterday, this happened.

• This Rebecca Stevenson piece on BusinessDesk (paywalled) from earlier in the week about the state of The Warehouse in 2024 has excellent analysis coupled with some accurate (but scathing) commentary. It also includes a great use of the word “scuttlebutt”, which I think should be used more widely.

• I always enjoy when the Herald’s Audrey Young zones in on a politician and looks at who inspires and informs them. Today, David Seymour’s inner circle (paywalled).

Right now on The Spinoff

Alan Johnson writes that the Kāinga Ora review avoids the big and obvious questions. Joel MacManus attends the anti-trans Unsilenced Summit, the "bleakest conference in New Zealand". A group of experts say that scrapping free flue vaccines has put vulnerable kids at risk. Jane Arthur explains why she wrote a "quiet" children's novel. Madeleine Chapman argues with herself about whether a return to LoTR is the best or worst thing for Wellington. For The Cost of Being, a SuperGold Card holder on solar power explains his expenses.

Capital picks, with Joel MacManus

The Spinoff’s Wellington editor shares his reading list for the week.

• Obviously my first Windbag column about Tory Whanau midway through her first term.

• I like Tom Pullar-Strecker’s piece here, which discussed the cost-benefit of the Mt Vic Tunnel.

• And this is a funny and weird story about a “squiggly white eyesore” painted down a walkway. It’s also on the front page of The Post today.

That’s it for today, thanks for reading. I’ll catch you tomorrow morning.

Got some feedback about The Bulletin, or anything in the news? Get in touch with me at thebulletin@thespinoff.co.nz.

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