What the Hell Does the Council Do?

NEWS | WHENUA | TOUCHING GRASS

Written by Evie Richardson (she/her) | @evi3m4y | News Editor

It’s no secret that politics aren’t sexy. Luxon and his gleaming head telling us what he’s going to say to us, Chippy and his undercooked activism, and Seymour and his endless raft of slop filled lunches. 

There’s not much that could be less sexy, but some might argue that local government is one of those few things. Local government elections determine our mayors and our councils, but don’t get an ounce of the coverage that our central elections do. The proof is in the pudding here; In the 2022 local elections, 35% of Aucklanders turned out to vote - for 18-25 year olds this hit a low of about 25%. 

This year we are fast approaching another local election, and despite the lack of glitz and glamour, there is sure to be some sort of entertainment that comes out of it. 

What can we expect? 

Wayne Brown, Auckland’s current mayor has once again been pegged as the frontrunner for this year's election. It’s a little too early for a candidate break down, as contenders are still welcome to throw their hat in the ring, but there’s hope that Brown can bring some continued entertainment. Having served as Auckland’s mayor for around two and half years now, he has undoubtedly had his headline worthy moments. Most notably, his whatsapp scandal, where he dubbed journalist’s ‘media drongos’, for simply asking what he, the mayor was going to do in the Auckland flooding crisis. They were of course interrupting a tennis match of his - clearly a much more pressing matter for the mayor. 

Since then, Brown has graced Auckland with an outdoor pool on Karanga Plaza, aptly named after himself, Browny’s Pool. Also a fitting name when it was almost immediately closed due to bacteria issues. However, it would be unfair to ignore its success following those early hiccups. 

It’s hard to know what key issues Brown will be bringing to his campaign this year, with a little while before campaigning kicks off, but we can hope at least for some of the same jaunty entertainment the mayor has become known for. 

What’s different? 

Although campaigning is yet to kick into gear, a few curveballs have emerged in the world of local government. Most recently, the ACT Party has put their hands up to give council’s a complete ‘clean out’. What this means is that candidates for local council elections can sign up under the ACT Party banner, and whatever hard work they put into council, ACT will cite as their success. 

Unlike the general election, most candidates don’t run under the banner of a specific political party, instead registering as an independent candidate. Candidates can also have affiliations with other groups that aren’t political parties, such as an action group for a specific suburb or cause. 

So what am I actually voting for, and how do I do it? 

When voting comes around on the 9th of September, it will remain open until the 11th of October. This leaves no excuse not to get involved. Although it seems trivial and confusing, your votes in this election will decide how Auckland is run for the next three years. It might seem less exciting, but council’s are doing a lot more of the day to day work that directly affects what we have access to in this city. 

You have all the way until the 1st of August to make sure you’re enrolled, which you can do at enrol.vote.nz. Then you’ll be sent your voting papers in the post - making things even easier! 

Auckland Council represents the entire supercity, you’ll be voting for the Mayor, and the members that will make up this council. Because Auckland is so large, we also have 21 local boards, representing different areas. In this election you will also vote for the members of those local boards. 

Why should I know this now? 

It’s early days, and a lot will happen between now and election day. But it’s important to be aware and keep on top of what's happening in our city. Debate will be keeping you up to date with blow by blow accounts of all the drama, action and goings on later in the year - so keep your eyes peeled.