1980_Porirua_mayoral_election

1980 Porirua mayoral election

1980 Porirua mayoral election

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The 1980 Porirua mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The elections were held for the role of Mayor of Porirua plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors, also elected triennially. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

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Background

Prior to the election there was a minor controversy on the council. In early 1980 Porirua's Town Clerk, Gordon Gandell, retired. The former deputy mayor of neighbouring Lower Hutt, John Seddon, was employed for the role. Allegations ensued that his appointment had been a "jack up" by the Labour majority on the city council and his friendship with deputy mayor John Burke. A group of senior Porirua City Council officers jointly signed a letter during the appointment row saying he wasn't the right man for the job. Seddon was not an accountant, the usual prior professional qualification of town clerks at that time, but he had been responsible for managing a company with three times the asset turnover of the Porirua City Council. Ombudsman Lester Castle was called in and eventually cleared the appointment process as being sufficiently objective.[1] Labour lost their council majority at the election which was attributed to the employment controversy. Several Labour councillors were dumped from the party ticket prior to the election. One, Ivan Hardgrave, stood instead as an independent candidate and was successful.[2]

The election also saw the introduction of a new party to contest control of the council with the emergence of the Rates Reform ticket. Founded in early 1979, the Rates Reform group accused local bodies of excessive spending and wanted a cessation to rates increases funded by cutting services and council staff.[3]

Mayoral results

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Councillor results

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References

  1. [1]
    Hawkins, Barry (2 July 1997). "Council survivor outlasts his critics". The Evening Post. p. 9.
  2. [2]
    "Labour pays the price — falls with mighty thump in local polls". The Evening Post. 13 October 1980. p. 2.
  3. [3]
    "New group wants rates reform". The Press. 23 January 1979. p. 1.
  4. [4]
    "Declaration of Result of Election — City of Porirua — Election of Mayor". The Evening Post. 18 October 1980. p. 22.
  5. [5]
    "Declaration of Result of Election — City of Porirua — Election of Twelve Councillors — Porirua Ward". The Evening Post. 18 October 1980. p. 22.
  6. [6]
    "Declaration of Result of Election — City of Porirua — Election of Two Councillors — Taupo Ward". The Evening Post. 18 October 1980. p. 22.
  7. [7]
    "New factors in local body polls next month". The Evening Post. 5 September 1980.
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