Voting remains open in the Dunedin City Council by-election for two more weeks. One of the key dividing lines between the 14 candidates is experience. Reporter Grant Miller has pieced together material about that and other assorted candidate commentary.
Three debates were held across two days.
At the same time, Dunedin’s mayor chipped in her thoughts.
It was a lot to absorb for anybody minded to pay attention to the Dunedin City Council by-election.
Many people, of course, are not minded to pay much attention to it, partly explaining why voter turnout sat under 11% ahead of last weekend.
Others no doubt intend to vote before the May 12 deadline and have yet to settle on the order of their candidate rankings.
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker decided to do her bit on April 15, posting a series of thoughts on Facebook.
‘‘The reason I did the post is that lots of people have been asking me who they should vote for, plus to raise the profile of the election,’’ she said.
‘‘My key advice is for people to do their own research and think deeply about who is best to represent them and what skills they bring to the role.’’
A by-election was required after the death of city councillor Jules Radich in January.
Fourteen candidates decided to stand and voting papers were sent to mailboxes from April 10.
‘‘It’s vitally important for our city’s future that we have good representatives around our council table,’’ Ms Barker said.
‘‘The loss of former mayor and councillor Jules Radich has been felt hugely for his experience, commitment and connections.
‘‘I know he’d want a good replacement — I think of him every day as I contemplate this by-election.’’
The Dunedin Area Citizens Association hosted meet-the-candidate events in Dunedin and Mosgiel on April 15 and 16.
The Otago University Students’ Association ran a forum on April 16, inviting just four candidates — Aaron Hawkins, Bill Acklin, Richard Knights and Andrew Whiley.
Candidates were asked by the Otago Daily Times for their thoughts about Ms Barker’s post, including whether she should have stayed out of it.
Between the candidate events and having a chance to respond to the mayor, all candidates had an opportunity to present a few thoughts to the public.
Two did not engage — Gordon Dickson and Pamela Taylor — and candidate profiles were used.
Topics at the candidate events included rates rises, landfills, South Dunedin infrastructure and the condition of student flats.
The material presented here scratches the surface of the discussion.
Experience
The question of experience was raised by Ms Barker in her Facebook post.
Ms Barker expanded on the point in an email to the ODT.
‘‘For all the huge challenges that this council is facing and for someone coming in mid-term, my opinion is that it’d be useful to have someone that can hit the ground running.’’
Ms Barker said a lot of time had been spent offering training to new councillors.
This was why she added voters should research whether candidates were committed to ongoing governance training in their careers, she said.
Garreth Ottley’s response was: ‘‘As a first-timer, how would one get elected if previous experience were essential?’’
He said ‘‘respect different experience — governance matters, but so do fresh eyes and lived experience’’.
Mr Ottley said during a candidates’ event run by the Dunedin Area Citizens Association that his experience included 13 years in the communications industry.
‘‘As a dad of six, I spent decades helping opposing sides come to an agreement.’’
Lync Aronson inferred from the mayor’s post she would prefer a former councillor to be elected (although she did not say this explicitly).
‘‘In 2025, Dunedin clearly voted for change,’’ Mr Aronson said.
‘‘Others are running on their past titles. I am running on 10 years of proven governance experience, fresh energy, and optimism for Dunedin's future.’’
He liked one of Ms Barker’s other points, relating to candidate values. At the tail of it was a question: ‘‘Do they voluntarily contribute their time to our community and get involved at the grassroots level, [for example] for not-for-profits?’’
Mr Aronson: ‘‘As the current president of Brain Injury New Zealand and chair of Dunedin Community House, I especially liked the mayor's comments about voting for someone who has a good reputation and volunteers for non-profits.’’
In a candidates’ debate, Jo Galer pointed to more than 30 years’ experience in journalism, ‘‘where I learned to ask the tough questions, and also where I learned that financial accountability is incredibly important’’.
She had since worked in communications for the police, University of Otago and the Otago Regional Council.
‘‘I have also had a lot of experience on committees around the place, governance committees for Southern Heritage Trust and for my sins, I was the first female president of the Otago University Rugby Football Club.’’
Five former councillors are in the race — Mr Acklin, Mr Hawkins, Mr Whiley, Carmen Houlahan and Conrad Stedman.
Mr Hawkins and Mr Whiley have both talked of hitting the ground running.
‘‘It is about choosing one person who can step in immediately, work with the existing council, and deliver from day one,’’ Mr Whiley said at a Dunedin Area Citizens Association event.
The council was facing significant challenges, he said.
‘‘We need someone who understands those demands, can push back where needed, offer practical alternatives and most importantly, ensure we are still delivering for our community.
‘‘That takes experience,’’ said Mr Whiley, who was a four-term councillor, 2013-25.
‘‘I've stayed across the issues, engaged with councillors, and built strong working relationships, including with the mayor and deputy mayor.’’
Mr Hawkins was a councillor for two terms and then Dunedin’s mayor from 2019 until 2022.
‘‘I do want to acknowledge the unusual circumstances that we find ourselves in, running a by-election only six months or so from the last election,’’ Mr Hawkins said at the OUSA forum.
‘‘And I think what those circumstances call for is a candidate who is ready to go on day one — someone who is willing and able to challenge the government on their sweeping reform agenda.
‘‘And who is prepared to put the long-term wellbeing of our planet and our people first.’’
Mr Hawkins was previously elected on a Green Party ticket, but is standing as an independent candidate this time.
One of Ms Barker’s questions in her post about candidates was: ‘‘Are they highly politically aligned?’’
The ODT asked Mr Hawkins to respond principally about that.
Bloc voting was not as prevalent in local government as some believed, he suggested.
‘‘On any given day, if you can get seven people to agree with you, you can help chart a course for your community.
‘‘I'm happy to stand on my record, capable of building support across the political spectrum in support of the city's wellbeing,’’ he said.
Mr Acklin was a city councillor from 2004 to 2013 and then ‘‘stood down to move on to some other career opportunities I had at the time’’, he told students.
He returned to the council table in 2022 and was one of several councillors to miss out on re-election last year.
Mr Acklin wrote the Highlanders song in 1997.
‘‘And that’s just an example of the passion that I have for not just entertainment, but also Dunedin and what Dunedin has to offer.’’
Mr Stedman is a former police officer who works in real estate.
He was a city councillor from 2016 until 2019.
‘‘I run a local business and like many of you, I'm a ratepayer,’’ he said at a candidates’ debate.
‘‘It's a big part of why I'm standing here.
‘‘Because, right now, there's a growing gap between the decisions being made around the council table and what people can realistically afford.’’
Mrs Houlahan is a former journalist and she had two terms on the council, from 2019 until last year.
She said in her candidate profile her masters in entrepreneurship helped her to see problems as opportunities.
‘‘There is a lot to be done, as council navigates significant government reform and experience will be needed.’’
Ange McErlane has worked at the city council in waste management and tourism, and has had several terms on the West Harbour Community Board.
‘‘I’m not interested in grandstanding; instead, I prioritise realistic results, transparency, collaborative problem-solving, and teamwork to benefit our community,’’ she said in her candidate profile.
Lianna MacFarlane told the ODT the next councillor elected needed a basic skill set that included an extensive background in financial and business management skills, conflict resolution skills, experience in working within legal frameworks and looking for ways to push back, and ability to make difficult decisions.
‘‘I have all of these,’’ she said.
‘‘Past councillors that are buddies with the mayor and likely contributed to the shocking financial picture we now have are the last thing we need.’’
At the OUSA debate, Mr Knights, a real-estate agent, spoke about his experience of setting up a local Facebook group.
‘‘One of the reasons for doing that was because I've been looking at council, I've been studying council, I've been trying to understand the machinations and what happens at council,’’ he said.
‘‘And I've spent the last six years kind of schooling myself and hopefully actually helping and educating some people within the group about the role of council and what it does.’’
Angus Mackay is a former British Army officer, IBM marketing consultant and high school teacher.
He also completed a PhD at Otago University about long Covid and fatigue.
Ms Taylor said in her candidate profile: ‘‘My long record of service shows a genuine commitment to strengthening neighbourhoods, supporting local businesses and protecting the unique character of our city.’’
Mr Dickson’s profile referred to quantity surveying, being a Central Otago tour driver and guiding in Europe.
Collection of candidate comments
Mr Hawkins: ‘‘I’m not advocating for slashing council budgets.’’
On advocacy for healthy homes’ compliance: ‘‘The status quo is failing us. It's making people avoidably sick and unless we take it further, we know that students aren't coming to Dunedin.’’
Mr Knights: ‘‘If the houses are rubbish and people aren't turning up, then we're losing potentially fantastic human beings that would make Dunedin their home given the opportunity.’’
Mr Acklin on projects such as the Albany St cycleway: ‘‘It comes down to priority ... if we keep doing that sort of thing all over the city, that's what throws rates up, because roading and obviously water infrastructure is the most expensive thing that council has.’’
Mr Whiley: ‘‘We must manage the spending carefully, we must reduce pressures on rates, and we must focus on what really matters — the needs of our community, not the wants.’’
Ms Galer on past councillors and South Dunedin’s vulnerability to flooding: ‘‘The fact of the matter is you took your eye off the ball — the council's eye is still not on the ball’’.
‘‘There's a massive amount of infrastructure that's needed in South Dunedin.’’
Mrs Houlahan on waste disposal: ‘‘The information we got showed that over a longer term, 20 years ... building Smooth Hill is far more economical than shipping it out of the city.’’
Mr Stedman regarding background to the Queens Dr trial closure to vehicles: ‘‘It comes back to the council being transparent with the papers and the information they provide to the councillors to make a decision — and that's what's got to change moving forward.’’
Ms MacFarlane: ‘‘As a past, experienced, qualified financial planner and strategist for 15-plus years, in Dunedin and overseas, I can read the financial picture of our council all too well. It does not look good.’’
Mr Aronson: ‘‘I will vote to protect household budgets, freeze bureaucracy, cut new tape ... getting clean water in, bad water out, without selling assets.
‘‘And I'll support these basics over seesaws and street furniture, while still protecting our social fabric, such as our parks, community halls, schools and libraries — things that make Dunedin a great place to live in.’’
Dr Mackay: ‘‘Rates control is key and that’s what I’m hearing from everybody in these difficult times.
‘‘We should be the tech capital of New Zealand.’’
Ms McErlane on waste management principles: ‘‘You have to make sure that people can still participate in the way that they can take responsibility for their own waste.’’
Mr Ottley: ‘‘Listen to all candidates — visibility isn't the same as ability.’’
