Rohan O'Neill-Stevens | |
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![]() O'Neill-Stevens in 2024 | |
20th Deputy Mayor of Nelson | |
Assumed office 2022 | |
Preceded by | Judene Edgar |
Nelson City Councillor | |
Assumed office 2019 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Rohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens 2000 (age 24–25) Nelson,New Zealand |
Rohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens (born 2000) is a New Zealand politician and deputy mayor of Nelson City Council. In 2019,he was elected as the youngest councillor of Nelson City Council. [1] He is a member of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, [2] convened their 2023 general election campaign, [3] and previously served as the co-convenor of the party's youth wing.
O'Neill-Stevens is of Māori and European descent,and is of Ngāti Apakura. [4] In 2017,while studying at Nelson College he was awarded a scholarship to attend UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany. [5]
In the 2019 New Zealand local elections,O'Neill-Stevens was elected to the Nelson City Council. [6] O'Neill-Stevens campaigned on issues such as public transport improvements,youth engagement,and housing. [7]
In the 2022 New Zealand local elections,O'Neill-Stevens ran for re-election and for mayor of Nelson, [8] finishing in third place for the mayoralty and was re-elected as a councillor,as the highest polling At Large candidate. [9] Following the election,O'Neill-Stevens was appointed deputy mayor by Mayor Nick Smith to 'provide balance'. [10]
O'Neill-Stevens supports housing density,calling "subpar and unaffordable housing" a "stain" on New Zealand. [11] He voted against Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council's Future Development Strategy for having "lowballed intensification" and failing to change the way council's approach urban planning. [12]
In August 2023,O'Neill-Stevens was appointed to a Nelson City Council hearings panel as a resource management commissioner,to consider Plan Change 29,the council's controversial proposed housing intensification planning rule changes. [13]
O'Neill-Stevens has advocated for public and active transport improvements,and in 2021,moved a motion for Nelson City Council to support free public transport for students,under-25s and community services card holders which was narrowly defeated. [14]
O'Neill-Stevens has spoken out against the harm of gaming machines,and in 2021,he moved a motion to adopt a sinking lid policy to reduce the number of machines in Nelson. [15]
In 2014,O'Neill-Stevens older brother died after falling through a skylight at Wellington Cathedral. [16] O'Neill-Stevens is queer. [17]