Taxpayers' Union Calls For Examination of Term Limits
TAXPAYERS' UNION CALLS FOR EXAMINATION OF TERM LIMITS AHEAD OF LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS
16
JULY 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union is suggesting that term limits for local councillors may be a way to bring fresh thinking into local government. It is releasing a table of New Zealand’s longest-serving politicians, which shows the turnover of local councillors varies greatly.
Matthew Rhodes, a researcher at the Taxpayers’ Union who has led the project, says:
“We are quite surprised by the variations in these figures. For example, Doug Truman, who sits on the Grey District Council, has served as an elected official for 48 years whereas in the neighbouring Westland District Council, the longest serving Councillor has served for only 7 years.”
“Whilst we all recognise the need for organisations to have long-standing personnel with institutional knowledge, we think these figures suggest that it is timely to look at implementing term limits at local councils.”
“There are obviously huge advantages, in name recognition for example, in being an incumbent at local body elections. This means it can be hard for fresh blood to get on a council, even if they are better qualified than an incumbent. We think the Local Government Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga should consider whether term limits would improve local government decision making.”
“If you’ve been on a council for 6 terms – 18 years – and you haven’t yet achieved what you set out to, it seems unlikely that you will do it by staying on Council for another 18 years."
"While no one would criticise Mr Truman for his 48 years of service, we can't help but note that when he was first elected to a council in 1968, man hadn't yet landed on the moon."
RAW
DATA:
Council Name of
councillor(s) Years
served
Ashburton District Council Rod
Beavan 21
Auckland Council Penny Hulse 24
Bay of
Plenty Regional Council John Cronin 18
Buller District
Council Graeme Neylon 24
Central Hawke's Bay District
Council Mark Williams 16
Central Otago District
Council Tony Lepper 27
Christchurch City Council Vicki
Buck 26
Clutha District Council Crs Cadogan, Anderson,
Cochrane, Vollweiler 15
Dunedin City Council John
Bezett 30
Far North District Council Ann
Court 12
Gisborne District Council Crs Foon, Burdett,
Bauld, Davidson 18
Gore District Council Cliff
Bolger 18
Greater Wellington Regional Council Chris
Laidlaw and Sandra Greig 18
Grey District Council Doug
Truman 48
Hastings District Council Cynthia Bowers and
Lawrence Yule 21
Hauraki District Council John
Tregidga 33
Hawke's Bay Regional Council Christine Helen
Scott 15
Horizons Regional Council Lindsay
Burnell 27
Horowhenua District Council Brendan
Duffy 18
Hurunui District Council Winton Dalley, Vince
Daley 12
Hutt City Council Cr Cousins 33
Invercargill
City Council Neil Boniface 36
Kaikoura District
Council John Diver 18
Kapiti Coast District Council Diane
Ammundsen 30
Kawerau District Council Malcolm
Campbell 21
Mackenzie District Council Evan
Williams 12
Manawatu District Council Barbara
Cameron 12
Marlborough District Council Graeme
Barsanti 27
Masterton District Council Chris
Peterson 21
Matamata-Piako District Council Robert
McGrail 19
Napier City Council Mark Herbert 18
Nelson
City Council Paul Matheson 21
New Plymouth District
Council Heather Dodunski 24
Northland Regional
Council Craig Brown 15
Opotiki District Council John
Forbes 15
Otago Regional Council Louise
Croot 27
Otorohanga District Council Deborah
Pilkington 11
Palmerston North City Council Jim
Jefferies 18
Porirua City Council John
Burke 30
Queenstown Lakes District Council Lyal
Cocks 12
Rangitikei District Council Lynne
Sheridan 15
Ruapehu District Council Graeme
Cosford 30
Selwyn District Council Malcolm
Lyall 24
South Taranaki District Council Ross
Dunlop 30
South Waikato District Council Neil
Sinclair 26
South Wairarapa District Council Vivien
Napier 21
Southland District Council Brian
Dillon 18
Stratford District Council Robin Vickers and
Roger Hignett 24
Taranaki Regional Council David
Lean 27
Tararua District Council Crs W H Keltie and D A
Roberts 15
Tasman District Council Tim King, Trevor
Norriss 18
Taupo District Council Barry
Hickling 12
Tauranga City Council Stuart
Crosby 30
Thames-Coromandel District Council Glenn
Leach 12
Timaru District Council Richard Lyon 21
Upper
Hutt City Council John Gwilliam 12
Waikato District
Council Rob Maguire and Graeme Tait 27
Waikato Regional
Council Lois Livingston 21
Waimakariri District
Council David Ayers 30
Waimate District Council Peter
McIlraith 12
Waipa District Council Grahame Webber and
Bruce Thomas 15
Wairoa District Council Denise
Eaglesome 12
Waitaki District Council Hopkins and
Garvan 9
Wellington City Council Helene
Richie 30
West Coast Regional Council Peter
Ewen 12
Westland District Council James Howard
Butzbach 7
Whakatane District Council Russell
Orr 12
Whanganui District Council Sue
Westwood 31
Whangarei District Council Phil
Halse 23
Six councils: Carterton District Council; Hamilton City Council; Rotorua District Council; Southland Regional Council; Waitomo District Council; and Western Bay of Plenty District Council, refused to provide the information.
ENDS