Money helps hopefuls tell their stories

Gary Kircher
Gary Kircher
The returns of candidate donations and expenses are in. There was a wide range of spending across the diverse southern South Island, and advertising dollars did not always translate into votes. Hamish MacLean has a look at the numbers.

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher says advertising — and spending — for elections can be about raising candidates’ profiles in communities, but it can also help hopefuls tell their "stories".

Mr Kircher spent nothing in 2016 to overcome a relatively unknown challenger, Stephen Wesselingh, who spent $5991.74

This year, when he secured his third term as mayor, he spent $3069.35, facing "two capable opponents".

"You see it at central government level all the time— parties worrying about how much money they’ve got or their opponents have — and definitely dollars do not convert to votes, but it does give you more opportunity to tell your story," he said. "For

Tim Cadogan
Tim Cadogan
incumbents, it’s not necessarily about getting their name out there, because if they haven’t done it in the last three years, then they probably don’t deserve to be there — as far as mayoral incumbents go. I’ve had plenty of opportunity to get my name out there, there’s good ‘name recognition’. But it is about being able to tell what we have done and what I want to be doing.

"I was all too aware that last election I didn’t really have the opportunity to get out there and talk about what we’ve done and what I wanted the council to be doing for the next three years. This was an opportunity to do just that. And to make sure that if I was re-elected I had a mandate because I had campaigned on a particular position and talking about particular projects."

He said with one challenger, Paul Mutch, yet to declare his expenses, he was not convinced he had spent the most.

Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan, and his challenger, Victoria Bonham, had not declared expenses by yesterday afternoon.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan was unopposed and spent nothing.

Bryan Cadogan
Bryan Cadogan
But in the Waitaki district’s hotly contested Oamaru ward, spending varied widely among candidates. Top vote-getter Cr Melanie Tavendale spent $281.25, while another incumbent Cr Jeremy Holding spent nothing.

Of the two new faces at the council table this triennium, Cr Hana Halalele spent the most, $1691.10, while realtor Kelli Milmine spent $201.25.

The highest vote-getter among those who missed out, Devin Familton, spent nothing.

hamish.maclean@odt.co.nz

 

At a glance

Waitaki District Council

MAYORALTY

Katrina Hazelhurst $1021.03
Gary Kircher $3069.35

AHURIRI WARD

Ross McRobie $79

CORRIEDALE WARD

Eugen Dupu $47
Bill Kingan $195
Guy Percival $463.70

OAMARU WARD

Eden Bradfield $183.01
Liz Cadogan $455.57*
Iain Clark $400.36
Devin Familton $0
Derek Golding $421.55
Hana Halalele $1691.10
Jeremy Holding $0
Jim Hopkins $882.15
Wee Jock Howie $200.60
Peter McLellan $30
Kelli Milmine $201.25
John Shaw $1137.90
Melanie Tavendale $281.25
Colin Wollstein $314.30

WAIHEMO WARD

Peter Newton $1356.84
Jan Wheeler $878.25

 

Clutha District Council

MAYORALTY

Bryan Cadogan $0

BALCLUTHA WARD

Wayne Felts $0
Alison Ludemann $0
Ken Payne $0
Carol Sutherland $0

BRUCE WARD

Gaynor Finch $0
Paul Hanlon $290
Bruce Vollweiler $520.25
Selwyn Wilkinson $200*

CATLINS WARD

Dane Catherwood $250.0
Hilary McNab $362.25

CLINTON WARD

Jo-anne Thomson $200*

CLUTHA VALLEY WARD

Stewart Cowie $0

KAITANGATA-MATAU WARD

Bruce Graham $0

LAWRENCE-TUAPEKA WARD

Geoff Blackmore $132.00
Mel Foster $176.00

WEST OTAGO WARD

John Herbert $0
Michele Kennedy $0

 

Central Otago District Council

MAYORALTY CROMWELL WARD

Neil Gillespie $447.35
Cheryl Laws $3860.95
Nigel McKinlay $1583.02

VINCENT WARD

Tony Hammington $565.14
Tracy Patterson $568.56
Graeme Perkins $0
Bruce Potter $0
Malcolm Topliss $1517.12

MANIOTOTO WARD

Stuart Duncan $0

TEVIOT VALLEY WARD

Sally Feinerman $200*
Stephen Jeffery $0
 

*Included $200 nomination fee as an expense
+ran for multiple roles 

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