Simon Oconnor/Stuff
Eight seats will be needed for New Plymouth’s 2022 mayoral debate whereas in 2019 there were only six.
New Plymouth’s mayoral race has officially commenced with eight men putting their names forward.
Candidates can not be officially confirmed until the New Plymouth District Council releases the names on Wednesday, but the last candidate to join the race is believed to be business owner Shaun Clare.
He joins seven other men who have publicly declared they are vying for the job, including incumbent Neil Holdom, sitting councillors Murray Chong, Sam Bennett and Dinnie Moeahu, as well as Murray ‘Muzz’ McDowell, Peter Hardgrave and Greg MacKay.
It is the first time since 2013 that no women have put themselves forward.
The race is by far the most heavily contested for the mayoralty in the region, with Stratford mayor Neil Volzke standing unopposed, while just two candidates – incumbent Phil Nixon and Walter Smith – are standing for the South Taranaki mayoralty.
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The last time there were eight candidates for the New Plymouth district mayoralty was in 2010, when Mayor Peter Tennent stood down after three terms.
Aside from Clare, most New Plymouth candidates have outlined what they intend to campaign on as independents, the exception being Hardgrave who has aligned with the New Nation Party whose policies include New Zealand leaving the United Nations.
ANDY JACKSON/Stuff
Mayor Neil Holdom is hoping voters back him for another three years.
Holdom went public a month ago with his intention to seek a third term, saying there were five key elements critical to the future of the New Plymouth district over the next few years and those formed the basis of his campaign.
Those “key elements” included the delivery of key infrastructure, most notably three waters and roading, the building of the sports and wellbeing hub, engaging with the community, building partnerships with mana whenua, Government, Taranaki councils and other organisations, working on viable sustainability and economic development in the region.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
If he were mayor Sam Bennett wants to bring the youth council back.
Bennett released a wordy statement via social media on Saturday that included six main target points in his campaign, the most notable being a want to address the third year budget in the long-term plan to make it more affordable for ratepayers, while he is also advocating a return of a youth council.
Simon O’Connor/Stuff
Eight candidates are vying for the New Plymouth mayoral chains.
His release followed that of staunch council rival Chong who wants to deliver a Waitara to New Plymouth to Inglewood passenger rail link at the expense of the Coastal Walkway extension as currently planed.
While Chong has yet to do any strict costings, he estimated it could save ratepayers up to $30 million.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Mayoral candidate Dinnie Moeahu has already been posting videos from his campaign trail.
Meanwhile, Moeahu held the first of his kōrero sessions in New Plymouth at the weekend to meet potential supporters and share space, kai and ideas for his campaign.
He shared a video on his Facebook page on Friday thanking everyone who had “reached out” to him while he was on the campaign trail.
VANESSA LAURIE/Stuff
Murray McDowell has the most distinctive haircut of the eight candidates.
McDowell continues to be the man on the street in his campaign which centres on housing, the needy and the younger ratepayers while Hardgrave has been largely quiet publicly since announcing his intention to stand in June.
Simon O’Connor/Stuff
Greg Mackay stood for mayor in 2019 and is having another crack this year.
One of his core campaign points was stopping the introduction of water meters, the same policy Mackay has pushed through his on-line announcement, which also included the establishment of a council owned power company.
Men have dominated the New Plymouth mayoral candidates in recent years.
In 2019 six candidates stood for the position, four men and two women, while in 2016 Heather Dodunski was the only female candidate among five going for the chains.
In 2013, like this year, no women put themselves forward.
In 2010 Pauline Lockett was one of two women among eight candidates. She was the second-highest polling candidate behind Harry Duynhoven.
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