Wellington City Council Elections 2019
On Monday I looked at the Wellington Mayoral Race. Today this is looking at the contests for the 14 Councillors.
The Council has locked in spending that could see rates double over the next ten years. As few of us will have our incomes double, this means we will end up with less disposable income unless a more fidcally responsible Council is elected.
An excellent tool for evaluation candidates, if you have the time, is Policy Local. Just enter in your address and you see all the candidates for your local elections, and their responses to nine different policy areas.
There is also the voting guide put out by Wellington Unions. Just rank people in reverse order to what they say, and you can’t go far wrong. Anyone with an X is probably worth voting for and a tick probably not.
Let’s look at the wards in order.
Eastern Ward
- Chris Calvi-Freeman
- Sarah Free (Greens)
- Bernard O’Shaughnessy
- Sean Rush (Wellington Party)
- Ajay Rathod
- Teri O’Neill (Labour)
- Steph Edlin
Sean Rush is pledging to hold rates to inflation. I would rank him first.
Inside Wellington has their analysis here.
While her politics are not mine, I think Sarah Free is a conscientious Councillor and would rank her in the top three. I should disclose that I was childhood friends with her sister.
Third choice probably a toss up between incumbent Chris Calvi-Freeman and Steph Edlin. Edlin supports making a 2nd Mt Vic tunnel a priority so would go with her.
So my top three would be:
- Sean Rush
- Sarah Free
- Steph Edlin
Lambton Ward
- Nicola Young
- Brian Dawson (Labour)
- Shan Ng
- Harry Smith
- Tamatha Paul
- Lee Orchard
- Iona Pannett (Greens)
Nicola Young as No 1 is easy and obvious. Nicola is a great Councillor and one of the few who will call out hypocrisy (such as pointing out they declare a climate emergency at the same time as subsidizing Singapore Airlines to fly to Wellington)
Inside Wellington has their analysis here.
After Nicola it is harder. Of the new candidates, Tamantha Paul looks like she has potential. I’d give her a chance.
I’d also put Iona Pannett in the top three. Again I disagree with her on many policies, but she is undeniably an effective and hard working Councillor.
So my top three would be:
- Nicola Young
- Tamantha Paul
- Iona Pannett
Northern Ward
- John Apanowicz (Wellington Party)
- Jenny Condie
- Peter Gilberd (Labour)
- Malcolm Sparrow
- Jill Day
- John Peters
- Tracy Hurst-Porter
- Graeme Sawyer
John Apanowicz has significant governance experience, and looks like he would be a very solid Councillor .
Jenny Condie has a real passion for public policy and is an innovative thinker, who would add value to the Council.
Of the current Councillors, I’d rate Malcolm Sparrow highest. So my top three would be:
- John Ahanowicz
- Jenny Condie
- Malcolm Sparrow
Onslow-Western Ward
- Rebecca Matthews (Labour)
- Conor Hill
- Rohan Biggs
- Richard McIntosh (Greens)
- Ray Chung
- Simon Woolf
- Diane Calvert
- Michelle Rush
- Andy Foster
The Inside Wellington analysis is here.
My clear pick for No 1 is Rohan Biggs. Now I know Rohan as we attended the same ante-natal parents group, but why I endorse him is because he is clearly standing on a platform of preventing huge future rates increases.
A few months ago Rohan had little interest in local body politics but he got sick and was off work for a while. Which sick, he actually read the Council long-term plan and forecasts etc and realised (his background is financial analysis) the Council was locking in rates increases that would be unaffordable for most families. So he wrote a huge submission to the Council, and then of course when it was ignored decided to stand for Council. So he isn’t a professional politician, just a Dad trying to keep our rates down. His professional skills would be very valuable though, so he’s my number one.
After Rohan, the three incumbents are all decent Councillors. They each have strengths and weaknesses so I’d rate them 2, 3 and 4
- Rohan Biggs
- Diane Calvert, Simon Woolf, Andy Foster
Southern Ward
- Laurie Foon (Greens)
- Fleur Fitzsimons (Labour)
- Thomas Morgan
- Humphrey Hanley
The Inside Wellington Analysis is here.
I’d rate Fleur Fitzsimons 1st. She has generally done well in her first term, apart from the odd brain fart such as renaming the Basin Reserve.
2nd is a choice between Laurie Foon and Humphrey Hanley. They are both very focused in sustainable transport. I think Hanley will be more flexible on how to achieve this so he would be my second choice.
- Fleur Fitzsimons
- Humphrey Hanley
Tomorrow I’ll do the Wellington Regional Council and then the District Health Board.