Mayor of Kaipara

Last updated

Mayor of Kaipara
No image.png
Incumbent
Craig Jepson
since 2022
Style His/Her Worship
Seat Dargaville
Term length 3 years, renewable
Formation1989
First holderPeter Brown
DeputyJonathan Larsen [1]
Salary$133,501 [2]
Website Official website
Map of the Kaipara District within Northland Kaipara District map 2023.png
Map of the Kaipara District within Northland

The mayor of Kaipara is the head of local government in the Kaipara District of New Zealand's North Island. [1] 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.

Contents

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. [9] [10] 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] ?
2Graeme Ramsey?1998–2004 [15] ?
3Peter King?2004–2007 [16] [17] ?
4Neil Tiller?2007–2012 [17] [18] ?
– John Robertson (cropped).jpg John Robertson
(as chair of commissioners)		–2012–2016 [19] [20] ?
5Greg Gent?2016–2017 [21] ?
6 Jason Smith None [22] 2018–2022 [23] [24] Anna CurnowNone [22] 2019–2022 [25]
7 Craig Jepson None [26] 2022–present [10] Jonathan LarsenIndependent [26] 2022–present [27]

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References

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