ACT Launches Largest Local Government Campaign In New Zealand
With 37 ward and constituency level candidates, it's the largest local government campaign mounted by a political party in New Zealand, including Labour and the Greens who have stood council candidates for many years. ACT Local is standing a further 9 candidates for Auckland Local Board positions.
'These are New Zealanders who've had enough of being ignored by their councils,' says ACT Leader David Seymour.
'They're stepping up to deliver real change and lower rates.
'ACT's candidates come from all walks of life; we have business owners, tradies, healthcare workers, farmers, and many professionals. What unites them is a belief in sensible spending, equal rights, and a back-to-basics approach. They're ready to bring real-world experience and common sense to the council table.
'Many have built successful careers, but more importantly, they're local residents and ratepayers – people who've built homes, raised families, and dealt firsthand with council bureaucracy. They know what it's like to stretch a budget and deal with the challenges people face locally.
'Now they're stepping forward to bring practical solutions and a laser focus on core services like roads, water, and rubbish.
'In central government, ACT is cutting waste, defending equal rights, and taking pressure off households. Our councillors will do the same: vote against wasteful spending, stand up for democratic principles, and focus on essential services without driving up rates.
'Kiwis voted for real change in 2023, but our councils missed the memo.
'While ratepayers face eye-watering rate hikes, councils are blowing money on vanity projects, pushing ideological agendas like co-governance, and wasting time grandstanding about global politics – all while ignoring the basics.
'Every local election, voters get the little booklet with their ballot paper and tick whoever they think will do the best job. But too often, you don't know what you are going to get. Candidates promise one thing and then do another. With ACT Local candidates, you'll know exactly where they stand.
'So if there's an ACT Local candidate in your area and you want real change from your council, I hope you will give them your support.'
Candidate profiles can be found here.
A full list of our candidates is below:
Northland
Far North District Council
Davina Smolders – Bay of Islands–Whangaroa Ward
Whangārei District Council
Matthew Yovich – Bream Bay Ward
Kaipara District Council
Nima Maleiki – Kaiwaka–Mangawhai Ward
Roger Billington – Otamatea Ward
Auckland Council & Local Boards
Albany Ward and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board (Hibiscus Coast Subdivision)
Samuel Mills
North Shore Ward and Devonport-Takapuna Local Board
Helena Roza
Franklin Ward and Franklin Local Board (Wairoa Subdivision)
Dene Green
Howick Ward and Howick Local Board (Botany Subdivision)
Ali Dahche
Manukau Ward and Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board (Ōtara Subdivision)
Henrietta Devoe
Hibiscus and Bays Local Board (Hibiscus Coast Subdivision)
Yang Qu
Kaipātiki Local Board
Martin Lundqvist
Henderson-Massey Local Board
Ben Cox
Ōrākei Local Board
Martin Mahler
Amanda Lockyer
Robert Meredith
Howick Local Board (Pakuranga Subdivision)
Pat Arroyo
Howick Local Board (Howick Subdivision)
William Goldberg
Papakura Local Board
Prasad Gawande
Central & Lower North Island
Waikato District Council
Peter Mayall – Tamahere–Woodlands Ward
Hauraki District Council
Michelle Magnus – Paeroa Ward
Andrew Pickford – Plains Ward
Waipa District Council
Stuart Hylton – Cambridge Ward
Hamilton City Council
Nidhita Gosai – West Ward
Preet Dhaliwal – East Ward
New Plymouth District Council
Damon Fox – Kaitake–Ngāmotu Ward
Napier City Council
Iain Bradley – Ahuriri Ward
Manawatū District Council
Jerry Pickford – Feilding Ward
Aaron McLeod – Feilding Ward
Palmerston North City Council
Glen Williams – General Ward
Porirua City Council
Phill Houlihan – Pāuatahanui Ward
Greater Wellington Regional Council
Nigel Elder – Lower Hutt Constituency
Alice Claire Hurdle – Wellington Constituency
Wellington City Council
Ray Bowden – Onslow–Western Ward
Mark Flynn – Northern Ward
Luke Kuggeleijn – Eastern Ward
South Island Candidates
Tasman District Council
David Ross – Motueka Ward
Daniel Shirley – Richmond Ward
Marlborough District Council
Malcolm Taylor – Marlborough Sounds Ward
John Hyndman – Blenheim Ward
Hurunui District Council
Tom Spooner – South Ward
Waimakariri District Council
Nathan Atkins – Kaiapoi–Woodend Ward
Selwyn District Council
Chris Till – Rolleston Ward
Timaru District Council
John Bolt – Timaru Ward
Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Toni Severin – South Canterbury Constituency
Otago Regional Council
Robbie Byars – Molyneux Constituency
Dunedin City Council
Anthony Kenny – Council At-large Ward
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This horror must end". The words followed a joint statement by Peters and 27 other foreign ministers released the previous day that said the "suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths" and reiterated calls for a ceasefire. And Peters subsequently signed a further joint statement with 14 other foreign ministers on July 29 that included a line noting the "positive consideration of our countries to recognise the state of Palestine". Last week, Peters also held a virtual meeting with the influential United Arab Emirates foreign minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in which "developments in the Middle East, including Gaza, Iran and Syria" featured as a topic of discussion. New Zealand is clearly inching closer to recognising a Palestinian state — a decision that will be deeply unpopular with both Israel and the US. But the US tariff decision has been made. New Zealand may no longer attempt to pull its punches. — The Democracy Project • Otago PhD candidate Geoffrey Miller is the Democracy Project's geopolitical analyst.
