North Canterbury councils stick with first past the post voting system
By David Hill local democracy reporter
North Canterbury’s three councils are sticking with first past the post (FPP) for local government elections.
The Hurunui and Kaikōura District Councils are in the midst of representation reviews, but have decided to stick with their voting system, FPP, rather than the single transferable vote (STV) system.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black said the council has accepted a recommendation from its working group to stay with FPP for the 2025 and 2028 local government elections.
“There was a great deal of discussion on the merits of first past the post and STV.
“STV is a very different system and it was felt first past the post was familiar and changing systems may lead to a decrease in voter turnout.”
Under FPP, voters simply vote for their preferred candidate, whereas under STV voters rank the candidates in order of preference.
Discussions are continuing on a Māori ward being established in the Hurunui district.
Black said the council was actively seeking the views of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura.
“It is important we canvas those views and make a decision based on the evidence.”
Speaking at a Kaikōura District Council meeting earlier this month, corporate services senior manager Peter Kearney said there were pros and cons with both systems.
“First past the post is well understood, but the Future for Local Government Report has stated a preference for STV.
“The data suggests it (STV) is slightly fairer, but people find it harder to understand and there can be a later release of the end result.”
Councillors voted to stick with FPP for the 2025 and 2028 elections.
Councillor Robby Roche said FPP “fits our community”, while councillor Kevin Heays said “simple is best”.
The council is continuing to engage with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura on the question of a Māori ward.
The Waimakariri District Council decided to stay with FPP at its May council meeting, mayor Dan Gordon said.
The councils have until September 19 to issue a public notice on the preferred voting option.
Voters have until February 21 to request a poll on the electoral system, if 5% of registered voters in the district sign a petition.
The Waimakariri council consulted with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri on the question of a Māori ward during the last representation review in 2021.
At the time rūnanga indicated it was satisfied with the existing hapū and council relationship.
* Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.2% Yes
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49.8% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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