1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Kilda. 2 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Local government 4 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 2: is how communities democratically decide what. 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: Happens in their backyards. 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 2: It could be the park on the corner, what day 7 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 2: our bins go out, your neighbor's making too much noise, 8 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 2: how much you pay in rates, or whether your dog 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 2: can enjoy the beach off lead. Every day we encounter 10 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 2: a council decision. 11 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: Whether we know it or not. 12 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: So why is voter turnout always so low? There are 13 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 2: seventy eight local authorities in New Zealand, eleven regional councils, 14 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: twelve city councils, fifty four district councils and Auckland Council 15 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: which combined eight former councils in the Big Super City 16 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: amalgamation of twenty ten. 17 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: That means there are a lot of roles up for 18 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: grabs to. 19 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 2: Dive into what you need to know about this year's 20 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: local elections. 21 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: Today on the front. 22 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: Page we have news Talks ZB News director and Local 23 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: government reporter Michael Sergel. Michael, do we know anything about 24 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: what voter turnout might be like this year? 25 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 1: And how it compares perhaps to previous years. 26 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 3: Yes, we've already got some numbers as of last week 27 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 3: about eighteen percent turnout, which was compared to about ten 28 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 3: point five percent at the same time last time, which 29 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 3: is a positive sign. Voting is quite a bit higher 30 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 3: in rural and provincial areas than Muori wards than it 31 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 3: is in general metro areas. That's normal, that happens every 32 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 3: time as well. We've got much lower turn out and 33 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 3: Carterton and much higher turn out and wide Hoer. But 34 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 3: that's also just because small population centers tend to buck 35 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 3: the overall national trends. And looking at the latest metro 36 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 3: and numbers from this week, some cities with lower voter 37 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 3: turnout last time, like Hamilton and Wellington are seeing a 38 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 3: really huge improvement this time. But there's no real change 39 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 3: in those two big cities, Auckland and christ Church. 40 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: And so what are the percentages? What are we looking at? 41 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 3: So we're looking at it varies between city and city 42 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 3: that christ Church has sort of tends to have the 43 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 3: highest turnout about twenty five percent so far, but the 44 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 3: others it's in the teens. 45 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 2: I did hear an interview on z B recently and 46 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 2: they were like, oh, we're hoping for forty percent, and everyone. 47 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:28,119 Speaker 1: Was like, that is abysmal. 48 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: But forty percent if we're looking at like twenty twenty five, 49 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: and that's one of the highest, forty percent is. 50 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 3: A good bench right, Yes, a forty percent it would 51 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 3: be a pretty good sort of turnout for most centers, 52 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,679 Speaker 3: particularly given it's a postal vote. You don't get the 53 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 3: same engagement that you get at a central election, particularly because 54 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 3: we don't have the polling day and as many polling 55 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 3: places as we would for a general election. 56 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: How many votes have been cast this far. 57 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 3: So we don't have sort of complete official numbers for 58 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 3: the whole country. But yet, as I say, as of 59 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 3: last week, about eighteen percent of people had returned their 60 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 3: voting papers, which is a really positive sign compared to 61 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 3: that very low turnout we saw in twenty twenty two. 62 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 2: I read your article where you delve into the more 63 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 2: than two hundred people who will be elected unopposed this weekend. 64 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: Tell me about these numbers, yes. 65 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 3: Well, I mean may sing like a lot. I've been 66 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 3: analyzing about seven thousand council races over five consecutive local 67 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:31,640 Speaker 3: elections that specifically me as councilors, local board members, community 68 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: board members, anyone who sits around a council table and 69 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 3: makes those decisions about what the council should be doing. 70 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: And consistently across every single election, one in seven, more 71 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 3: than one in seven people are being one just by 72 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 3: just winning that race, just by standing in the race. 73 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 3: Which may seem like a lot, but it's actually been 74 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 3: trending downwards. It's trended down by about a third since 75 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 3: two thousand and one, and every election it generally tends 76 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 3: to be lower than the last election. We've got three 77 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: of christ Church's councilors, two of Auckland's already elected, and 78 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 3: more than half of councilors on some councils have already 79 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 3: won their seats just by filling in the application form. 80 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 1: Isn't that crazy? 81 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 2: I mean, is it because people don't understand what local 82 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 2: government does? 83 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 3: But yeah, there's a range of factors potentially at play. Certainly, 84 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 3: abuse and harassment does put a lot of people off 85 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 3: low pay because some of these positions might only get 86 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 3: paid ten thousand dollars and it may be thirty to 87 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 3: forty hours a week of work for some people. So 88 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 3: that definitely puts some people off as well. But then 89 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 3: you know we're talking to the Gisbon mayra Het Stalks. 90 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 3: She's saying that often that's also a sign that people 91 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 3: are happy with their current mayor or their current counselors, 92 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 3: and so no one stands against those people because everyone 93 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 3: quite likes them. We've got the case in Auckland with 94 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 3: Desley Simpson, who's very popular in her ward, so no 95 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,919 Speaker 3: one has sort against her. We've got two of the 96 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 3: major meal candidates both committing that they would like to 97 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 3: a point heard their deputy. So in many cases it's 98 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 3: also a sign that people are popular. And I mean 99 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 3: it's much lower than say the United States. We've got 100 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:16,480 Speaker 3: much more unopposed races than the UK or Australia, but 101 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 3: fewer than the United States. Have actually looked at what's 102 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 3: happened in the US, and I mean it's more than 103 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 3: more than it's almost two thirds of me is and 104 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 3: more than half of councilors in the US are unopposed, 105 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: so they will pay de fault. So we're certainly not 106 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 3: in that kind of situation. But then there's also the 107 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 3: counter argument from some people that perhaps we have too 108 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,239 Speaker 3: many roles. If all these positions are going unopposed. Maybe 109 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 3: we need to reduce the number of local government roles 110 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 3: and have a bit more competition for those roles. 111 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 2: Do you think there are any councils around the country 112 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 2: that can perhaps be amalgamated, like the you know, the 113 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 2: super city situation. 114 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,040 Speaker 3: We've had two examples, two really good examples in recent 115 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: years with christ Church and Banks Peninsula amalgamating and then 116 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 3: Auckland's bigg amalgamation. And people have divided opinions on those. 117 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 3: But they are also calls in Hawk's Bay and Wided 118 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 3: Upper in Southland from algamating local government. And there's also 119 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 3: places where you might look at a map and you 120 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,039 Speaker 3: wouldn't know where the boundary line was between Wellington City 121 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,480 Speaker 3: and Pottydoa for example, or between Nelson and Tasman. You 122 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 3: could look at a map and not know where those 123 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 3: council boundaries are, so peraps you know, there may be 124 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 3: a case for algamation there as well. 125 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 2: Are there any roles around the country where there are 126 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 2: actually no candidates? 127 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 3: Yes? Actually, and this is something that happens every single election. 128 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 3: Many roles have no candidates. This election alone, we've got 129 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 3: positions on community boards and for Katane Wellington, Do Lakes, 130 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 3: New Plymouth, Rural Hastings, Hamna Springs, McKenzie Gore. These are 131 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 3: jobs that absolutely no one stood for. 132 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: That no one so what happens? 133 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 3: So they have to be filled because you know, they're 134 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 3: roles that have to be filled, So they're subject to 135 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 3: buy elections, most likely next year. The local ratepayers will 136 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: then have to pay for those by elections, which will 137 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 3: cost tens of thousands or potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars. 138 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 3: And ironically, these by elections tend to be far more 139 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 3: competitive than the main local elections because people suddenly realize, oh, 140 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 3: there's these jobs up for grabs, and so ironically you 141 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 3: often have multiple people standing for a role that no 142 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 3: one wanted in the first place, which is ironic, and 143 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 3: that there's hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of salaries 144 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 3: that no one has applied for, which is unheard of 145 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 3: in any other industry. 146 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 2: Right now, I mean, do you do you need any 147 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 2: prerequisites to put No? 148 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 3: I mean there's there's basically no, there's no sort of 149 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 3: standards you need to meet. Really if if I mean 150 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 3: if you're not in prison and you know you win, well, 151 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 3: I mean if you apply. If you pay the money, 152 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: then you know you can. You can take these roles 153 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 3: and I suppose represent your local community. The qualities that 154 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 3: I'd love to see from our elected members. 155 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 4: Vision, passion, I can do, attitude and pragmatism. 156 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 3: And they absolutely need to be able to build consensus 157 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 3: to get decisions made. Elected members are essential for Auckland 158 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 3: because a wide range of perspectives is needed to guide 159 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: our government. 160 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 4: They represent the people of that community. They know the communities, 161 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 4: they know the issues, and I think it's a very 162 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 4: very good model, very important model to encourage local people 163 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 4: to stand for their local body. 164 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: So at the moment, looking at the local elections twenty 165 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 2: twenty five, I mean I'm sitting there on Saturday. What 166 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 2: elections are heating up the most? Where do I watch? 167 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's a number that I think you should look 168 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 3: out for. I mean, obviously we've got Wayne Brown in Auckland, 169 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 3: film Major in Christchurch, George Reddicks Redick in Dunedin and 170 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 3: Nick Smith and Nelson all seeking a second term elect 171 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 3: did on that blue wave last time. In Wellington, We've 172 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 3: got and little most likely according to the latest polling, 173 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 3: winning the Wellington Maror Race, but lots of interesting candidates 174 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 3: in that race. Some sitting councilors, an ice cream chain owner, 175 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: a silly hatter and even a clown standing in that race, 176 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 3: all hoping to be mayor. And in Hamilton we're getting 177 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 3: a new mayor. A bit of a generational battleground happening 178 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 3: there as well. You may remember Ben Bell, themir of 179 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 3: Gore who considered resignation after surviving a no confidence motion 180 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 3: after that rift with the CEO. 181 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: That's right, and he was the youngest life. 182 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 3: And he was the youngest last time as well, and 183 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 3: he is seeking a second term, so it'll be interesting 184 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 3: to see what happens there. Nearby an in for Cargo, 185 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:45,080 Speaker 3: we've got Nobby Clark, who obviously came under a bit 186 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 3: of fire for some comments at a public event and 187 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 3: also some comments in an interview with Guy Williams. So 188 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 3: he is now retiring. His brother, Andrew Maxwell Clark is 189 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,079 Speaker 3: standing for mayor of Invercargol, and he's also standing for 190 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 3: mayor of Tasman. Then we've got another Tasman mayor who's 191 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 3: standing for five mayoralties in five different parts of the country. 192 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 1: How can you do that? 193 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 3: You can? Both of them are well within the rights 194 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 3: to stand for multiple different mayalties. So we've got one 195 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 3: guy standing for two, one guy standing for five, and 196 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 3: I suppose they picked the one that they want the 197 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 3: most if they if they were to win multiple races. 198 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: Is that because they are in different property around the country, 199 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:25,559 Speaker 1: or that you. 200 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 3: Can just stand in multiple elections and some people do. 201 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 3: This guy in Tasman has stood for those five mayorties 202 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,880 Speaker 3: last time as well, so he's a repeat, repeat candidate. 203 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 3: In Clipita, we've got Craig Jepson, the self described Trump 204 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 3: of the North. He's the guy that sort of enforced 205 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 3: a ban on kadokey in council meetings. He also stopped 206 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 3: climate change work, so he is he's actually stepping aside, 207 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 3: but he's endorsing his deputy, who has sort of a 208 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 3: similar vision. It sort of interesting to see what happens there. 209 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 3: We've got some long standing maya's stand down. We've got 210 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:05,680 Speaker 3: some well known names standing. Oscar Kitely, Real Housewives star 211 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 3: Anne Bartley Burton is standing as well in local boards. 212 00:11:09,559 --> 00:11:13,319 Speaker 3: And we've got a comedian, Jermaine Ross, who's asking people 213 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 3: not to vote for him, but he's obviously a well 214 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 3: in recognized name in the community. Too, and you may 215 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: member Michael Organ, who was the subject of David ferry 216 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:24,240 Speaker 3: As twenty twenty two documentary Mister Organ, he is standing 217 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 3: for a council seat in Wanganui and inn Waidoa. We 218 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 3: have one counselor who is hoping to get elected. He's 219 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 3: campaigning for the councilor to get involved in the cannabis trade. 220 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 3: So be interesting to see if he gets any support 221 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 3: around the council table if he is elected on Saturday. 222 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, why does that comedian not want anyone 223 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: to vote for it? 224 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 3: So he says he's told Ryan Bridge on Hill Now 225 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 3: a few weeks ago that basically it was a bit 226 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 3: of a deer and so he lost the deer. He's standing, 227 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 3: but he's asking people not to vote for him. He's 228 00:11:56,080 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 3: just hoping that his campaign, I suppose, sort of attracts 229 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 3: a bit of interest in the local board races, which 230 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 3: are really important around Auckland and often get you know, 231 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 3: as we say, have really low voter turnout, but they 232 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 3: matter a lot. 233 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: O Zelenski was a comedian. He got put into a 234 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:14,840 Speaker 1: big role. 235 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 2: I've read a piece in newsroom from Mark Dolder examining 236 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: He examined one thousand council candidates. You've got a hand 237 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 2: and done seven thousand, but they did a thousand, and 238 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 2: it shows candidates for local and unitary councils are overwhelmingly older, 239 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: they're men, and they're white. 240 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: Does this come as a surprise. 241 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 3: To you, Absolutely not. If we look through the candidate 242 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 3: list for the last two decades, consistently, there has been 243 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 3: an over representation of European New Zealanders, of men, of 244 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 3: older people, and that's been across almost every part of 245 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 3: the country. There's a new demographic survey of those standing 246 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 3: in Auckland this year and that shows a decline in 247 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 3: pacifica a decline in news on European but still overrepresented. 248 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 3: There is an increase in Asian candidates standing, but they 249 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 3: are still vastly underrepresented at the local level. And we've 250 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 3: also seen a trend the number of women standing has 251 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,439 Speaker 3: actually started to drop again. So we saw that rise, 252 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:15,240 Speaker 3: you know over. 253 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: Deck Bak, I remember that that was rising at one point. 254 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 3: And we've seen a lot of obviously a lot of 255 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: women mayors, a lot of women counselors, but the number 256 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 3: of women standing for those roles is starting to drop again. 257 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 3: And a key factor of that talking to a lot 258 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 3: of women in local government is the abuse and harassment 259 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 3: they receive, which tends to be higher for women than 260 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 3: it is for men. 261 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:37,319 Speaker 1: What have they told you, Well. 262 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 3: We certainly know that there's a lot of sort of 263 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 3: gender based sort of harassment and abuse and that can 264 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 3: be very intimidating. And yeah, it's kind of worrying if 265 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 3: we're seeing things sort of trend in the opposite direction 266 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 3: and we're seeing women vastly underrepresented at the local government level. 267 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, I remember that survey that came out of former 268 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 2: female members of parliament saying about all of the abuse 269 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 2: that they got on a daily basis, and it certainly 270 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 2: does beg a question on whether you know, the public 271 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 2: needs to calm down a bit against women. 272 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 3: And local government. Usually on surveys have actually found a 273 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 3: similar thing at the local level, and we've had a 274 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 3: number of councilors actually resign or retire from local government 275 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 3: in recent years because as women they received a lot 276 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 3: of abuse. 277 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: Has anyone kind of backed out of the race because 278 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 2: of that. 279 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 3: This year, I'm not sure aware of any examples, but 280 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 3: certainly in twenty nineteen and twenty twenty two, and even 281 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 3: back in twenty sixteen, we had we had counselors saying 282 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 3: I've had enough of the abuse, and that you know, 283 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 3: women counselors saying, you know that they were being targeted 284 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 3: so often and they just had enough and it wasn't 285 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 3: worth it for the amount of money they're receiving, for 286 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 3: the amount of I suppose positive you know, feedback they get. 287 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 3: There was just so much sort of overwhelming negative sort 288 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 3: of abuse and harassment. And also people forget that a 289 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 3: lot of these elected members, they are only one vote 290 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 3: around the council table, and there's only so much they 291 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 3: can do. A lot of these issues, a lot of 292 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 3: things in the hands of central government, and even as 293 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 3: ME is, a lot of the power is diffuse. So 294 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,000 Speaker 3: that they can set the media agenda, they can set 295 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 3: the council agenda. With their budgets, they can I suppose, 296 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 3: lead a lot of the council meetings. But even still, 297 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 3: even as ME is the only one vote around the 298 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 3: council table and the council can only do so much itself. 299 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:28,840 Speaker 1: As well, what does the council do? 300 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 3: So councils do lots of things. I mean, most significantly, 301 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 3: I suppose that the roads, the three waters, so you know, 302 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:45,640 Speaker 3: the sewerage and the water supplies, the parks, the libraries, 303 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 3: most of the things that we use on an everyday basis, 304 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 3: like everything that we need to leave the house, if 305 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 3: we do leave the house on a day to day basis, 306 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 3: we need the councils to be running those things. And 307 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 3: whether you're a ratepayer or a renter, which is an 308 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,119 Speaker 3: indirect form of rate payer, you're paying for those services. 309 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 3: And in recent years as well, we've seen rates go 310 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 3: up quite significantly in some parts of the country, you know, 311 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 3: by up to twenty percent a year in some places, 312 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 3: and that definitely sort of affects households that definitely haven't 313 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 3: seen their incomes increase by that much. 314 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: And tell me about what happens this Saturday. 315 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:27,040 Speaker 3: So basically, if you haven't already sent off your vote 316 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 3: in the post, you're going to need to send it, 317 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 3: take it to a voting place. That's supermarkets, that's libraries, 318 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 3: and also council offices. You can also cast a special 319 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 3: vote at some of those places as well. Then at 320 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 3: midday Saturday, those ballot boxes will be closed strictly at midday, 321 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 3: the vote counting of those ballot boxes will begin. We 322 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 3: will start to get some preliminary results. They're indicative, they 323 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,400 Speaker 3: tend to be, you know, sort of follow through to 324 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,360 Speaker 3: what the final results are, but they're not official. Those 325 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 3: results will start coming through from one o'clock one thirty 326 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,360 Speaker 3: and through the afternoon and evening, and they will tell 327 00:17:02,440 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 3: us most likely who has won those key races, the 328 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 3: meilt races, the councilor races, and to some extent the 329 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 3: local board community board races as well. Some of those 330 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 3: results may change if there's some really close races, and 331 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 3: we saw that last election with some of those sort 332 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 3: of councilor races, ward races in some of the big cities. 333 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 3: But we will know most likely the mayors of our 334 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 3: largest cities on Saturday afternoon, and we will have all 335 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 3: of those results throughout the afternoon on news talk SeeDB 336 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 3: and at INSIDHERL dot cod at INZID as well. 337 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: Looking forward to it. Thanks so much for joining us, Michael. 338 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:36,199 Speaker 3: Thank you. 339 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:42,679 Speaker 2: That's it for this episode of the Front Page. You 340 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 2: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 341 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 2: at nzadherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is 342 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 2: produced by Jane Ye and Richard. 343 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: Martin, who is also our editor. I'm Chelsea Daniels. 344 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 2: Subscribe to the front page on iHeartRadio or wherever you 345 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 2: get your podcasts, and tune in tomorrow for another look 346 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 2: behind the headlines.