ACT Runs Tasman Candidates, But Ex-MP Goes Independent In Nelson

Tuesday, 22 July 2025, 5:20 pm
Article: Max Frethey - Local Democracy Reporter

The ACT Party might have a presence in Tasman District Council next term, but the same can’t be said for Nelson City despite one of the party’s former MPs throwing his hat into the ring.

In Tasman, Daniel Shirley was hoping to be elected in the Richmond Ward while Dave Ross was running for the Motueka Ward, both as part of the ACT Local campaign.

Shirley said he has worked on local orchards, established ATM and aged-care businesses in Australia, before settling in Tasman around 11 years ago where he has worked in construction and engaged in cryptocurrencies.

He said he had been considering running for council as an independent but had been drawn to ACT after the party announced the campaign, despite acknowledging that he was not a traditional supporter of the party.

“I think it’s the best opportunity in a long time to make a difference for the community,” Shirley said.

“The problems are getting bigger, the costs are getting higher, and I don’t want to be the first generation that leaves our town worse off for our kids than we’ve had it before.”

ACT Local offered candidates “a fair bit of support”, a benefit for someone who would be a first-term councillor without political experience, he added.

“It gives me a bit more encouragement to stand behind my convictions… I don’t feel like I’m just standing there by myself.”

Ross echoed similar sentiments, acknowledging that he knew “absolutely nothing” about local government but said ACT Local would provide “some back-up”.

He decided to run because he said he had seen a “groundswell of dissatisfaction” with Tasman District Council’s services and conduct, and had his own challenges engaging with the council.

“I could sit at home, and I can bitch and I could moan about them, or I can actually put my name forward and see if I can do anything to change it.”

Despite living in Mahana, outside the ward boundaries, Ross was running for election in Motueka as he had more connections to the town where he had worked as a pharmacist for about 25 years before retiring.

Both men said their main focus would be reducing the rates increases and ensuring council work was focused on core services, in-line with the ACT Local campaign’s central tenet.

Tasman’s last three average rates increases have all been more than 8 per cent.

Shirley also specifically highlighted fixing congestion and revitalising Richmond as priorities, while Ross wanted to increase transparency at the council.

They both said they wouldn’t be told how to vote by ACT Party officials.

Their candidacies come as a former ACT MP is running for a spot on Nelson City Council, but independently of the party's Local campaign.

Chris Baillie said he would still “certainly” have ACT’s principles, but thought he could “best serve” Nelson as an independent if elected at-large.

Parliamentary parties shouldn’t be present in local government, he said, but added that councils should “enact the direction of Government”.

“Anything that I would do for council would be for Nelson first, and then making sure it aligns with the direction that the Government is going.”

Indeed, like the ACT Local candidates, Baillie's priority was also on reducing the rates increases, specifically pointing to a 51 per cent rates increase he received during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the leadership of Nelson City Council has changed since then, and Baillie said first-term mayor Nick Smith has had a “good three years”, he didn’t think the current make-up of the council was able to keep rate increases low.

“I just don’t think the ratepayers’ money is being well spent,” he said.

“If you’re not entirely happy with the direction of things, then rather than sit on the sidelines and whinge, try and get involved… I’ll do my best to steer [council] where I think it should go.”

In addition to lowering the rates increases, Baillie, who ran the Honest Lawyer pub in Monaco, wanted to see greater support for local businesses.

“Walking down Trafalgar Street is quite sad at the moment because of the inactivity that’s going on, and I think we can do a lot better to encourage businesses, to help businesses out.”

He said the current council term’s focus on business had solely been a debate on if sandwich boards should be banned, and that the city had become a “laughing stock” after international cricket matches were almost lost due to alcohol advertising rules.

“Nelson City Council has the reputation of being difficult to deal with. I think we should start saying ‘yes’ a lot more.”

In addition to his parliamentary and publican experience, Baillie highlighted his past experience as a police officer and high school teacher in the city for many years.

“I have the proven passion for the place, and I just want to see it do better.”

Candidate nominations for the local elections close on 1 August.

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