Mayor of Kaipara explained

Post:Mayor
Body:Kaipara
Incumbent:Craig Jepson
Incumbentsince:2022
Style:His/Her Worship
Seat:Dargaville
Termlength:3 years, renewable
Formation:1989
Deputy:Anna Curnow
Salary:$133,501[1]
Website:Official website
First:Peter Brown

The mayor of Kaipara is the head of local government in the Kaipara District of New Zealand's North Island.[2] The mayor presides over the meetings of the Kaipara District Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method. The current mayor is Craig Jepson, first elected in October 2022 during that year's local elections.

History

Kaipara District was formed through the 1989 New Zealand local government reforms.[3]

Graeme Ramsey was Mayor from 1998 to 2004.[4] [5]

In 2012, the district council was sacked by the government and replaced with commissioners over a proposed 31 per cent increase in rates to cover the costs of the Mangawhai Community Wastewater Scheme. Some component of local democracy was restored for the 2016 local elections and full self-management was granted from the 2019 local elections onwards.[6]

Greg Gent was elected Mayor during the 8 October 2016 local elections. He took office in November 2016 but resigned suddenly after one year and one day effective November 2017. The Deputy Mayor, Peter Wethey, became Acting Mayor after Gent's departure and before the resulting by-election.[7] Sheep and beef farmer Jason Smith was elected Mayor following a by-election in February 2018.[8] He declined to stand for re-election during the 2022 local elections.[9]

During the 2022 local elections, Craig Jepson was elected as Mayor of Kaipara.[10] Jepson stood on the Democracy Northland ticket and campaigned on fixing roads, infrastructural investment, and opposing the Government's Three Waters reform programme and co-governance policies such as the Māori wards and constituencies. In late October, Jepson appointed councillor Jonathan Larsen as Deputy Mayor.[11] In late November 2022, Jepson attracted media attention after interrupting Māori ward councillor Pera Paniora's karakia (Māori prayer).[12] He subsequently banned karakia from council meetings on the grounds that specific religions or cultures should not be included in secular meetings.[13]

List of mayors

The following table is a complete list of the mayors of Kaipara since the district's formation in 1989.

MayorAffiliationTermDeputyAffiliationTerm
1Peter Brown ?1989–1998 [14] ?
2 Graeme Ramsey ?1998–2004[15] ?
3 Peter King ?2004–2007[16] [17] ?
4 Neil Tiller ?2007–2012[18] ?
– John Robertson
(as chair of commissioners) 		–2012–2016[19] [20] ?
5 Greg Gent ?2016–2017[21] ?
6 None[22] 2018–2022[23] [24] Anna CurnowNone2019–2022[25]
7 None[26] 2022–present Jonathan LarsenIndependent2022–present[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Edmunds . Susan . 13 June 2024 . How much your local council gets paid . 28 June 2024 . Radio New Zealand.
  2. Web site: Mayor and Councillors . kaipara.govt.nz . Kaipara District Council.
  3. Web site: Management Implementation of Memorandum Understanding Between Kaipara District Council and Te Uri O Hau, Ngati Whatua . Kaipara District Council . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014032812/http://kaipara.govt.nz/teuri.htm . 14 October 2008 . dead . Kaipara District Council.
  4. News: Botting . Susan . Toxic cocktail of speed and too many vehicles threatening lives and environment . 13 March 2022 . . 18 December 2020.
  5. Web site: Graeme Ramsey . LinkedIn . 13 March 2022.
  6. News: Akoorie . Natalie . Council chaos: Why is local government in New Zealand such a mess? . 13 March 2022 . . 5 March 2021.
  7. News: Laird . Lindy . Kaipara mayor announces his surprise resignation . 13 March 2022 . . 9 October 2017.
  8. News: Lambly . Annette . Kaipara has a new mayor . . 20 February 2018.
  9. News: Kaipara Mayoral candidates: Their top local issues and how they would address them . 4 December 2022 . . 19 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220921024354/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/475084/kaipara-mayoral-candidates-their-top-local-issues-and-how-they-would-address-them . 21 September 2022.
  10. News: Killick . Jonathan . Three new mayors for Northland councils, including Whangārei . 4 December 2022 . . 8 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221201223746/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300708177/three-new-mayors-for-northland-councils-including-whangrei . 1 December 2022.
  11. News: Botting . Susan . New Kaipara Mayor criticises increasing central government impacts . 4 December 2022 . . . 26 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221105212414/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/new-kaipara-mayor-criticises-increasing-central-government-impacts/POOQFRDDVDNTDOUSXEEZM7YN7U/ . 5 November 2022. live.
  12. News: Iasona . Seni . Heikell . Leighton . Video: Newly-elected Kaipara Mayor Craig Jepson shuts down Councillor's karakia request . 4 December 2022 . . . 30 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221130053925/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/11/video-newly-elected-kaipara-mayor-craig-jepson-shuts-down-councillor-s-karakia-request.html . 30 November 2022. live.
  13. News: Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson unrepentant over ban on karakia . 4 December 2022 . . 3 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204015630/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/480021/kaipara-mayor-craig-jepson-unrepentant-over-ban-on-karakia . 4 December 2022. live.
  14. News: Lambly . Annette . 3 October 2008 . Centennial shows that young and old still have community spirit . 14 March 2022 . Northern Advocate.
  15. News: 4 August 2010 . Former Kaipara mayor runs for seat on regional council . 14 March 2022 . Stuff.
  16. News: Dr Bruin . Anne-Marie . 14 October 2004 . King is crowned mayor . Dargaville News.
  17. News: 12 May 2010 . Mayor the lone contender for top job . 14 March 2022 . Stuff.
  18. News: 14 August 2012 . Commissioners to move in after entire Kaipara council resigns . 14 March 2022 . Timaru Herald.
  19. Web site: 30 August 2012 . Kaipara Council commissioners appointed . 14 March 2022 . New Zealand Government.
  20. News: Whitten . Conor . 25 September 2014 . Democracy returning to Kaipara with local body elections . 14 March 2022 . Newshub.
  21. News: Ali . Imran . 14 November 2017 . Greg Gent remains quiet on why he's resigned as mayor of Kaipara . 14 March 2022 . Northern Advocate.
  22. Web site: 12 October 2022 . 2019 Triennial Elections PRELIMINARY RESULT . 29 June 2024 . Kaipara District Council.
  23. News: Williams . Lois . 22 February 2018 . New mayor promises fresh start for Kaipara . 14 March 2022 . RNZ News.
  24. News: 13 October 2019 . Kaipara mayor returned with massive majority . 14 March 2022 . Northern Advocate.
  25. Web site: 22 October 2019 . Local elections: Anna Curnow appointed new deputy mayor for Kaipara District Council . 29 June 2024 . NZHerald . Northern Advocate.
  26. Web site: 14 October 2022 . Final elections results detailed . 29 June 2024 . Kaipara District Council.
  27. Web site: Pitman . Shannon . 24 June 2024 . Kaipara deputy mayor Jonathan Larsen’s five-year battle for role at Whangārei fire station ends in court . 29 June 2024 . NZHerald . The Northern Advocate.

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