Fairfield College principal, Richard Crawford, left with Sarah Thomson and filmmaker, Robbie Neha who are both standing for election in Hamilton.
He’s standing in two elections – one in Ōtorohanga and another in Hamilton – and Robbie Neha says he can do justice to both.
Robbie Neha
“I will commit full-time to the role,” Neha said in two separate campaign brochures for Hamilton’s Kirikiriroa and Ōtorohanga District Council’s Ōtorohanga wards.
Asked by The News how it was possible so serve two councils full time if he won both seats, the self-employed television producer and documentary maker said: “the simple answer is that I don’t work for anybody. I decided that I can do that. If I do get in, I will be totally committed. I can move my contracts to the weekends.”
He’s not alone. Sitting Waipā Māori ward councillor Dale-Maree Morgan has also put her hand up for a position on the Ngāruawāhia Community Board, part of the Waikato District Council.
Dale-Maree Morgan
Neha was asked how he could serve two constituencies at last week’s candidates meeting hosted by Elevate Ōtorohanga at Ōtorohanga College.
Hamilton based Neha said he initially planned to stand just in Ōtorohanga but had agreed to be nominated for the Hamilton seat after a former councillor took him out to lunch.
“It took a three-hour lunch to convince me,” Neha said.
Neha checked with Ōtorohanga’s deputy electoral officer Graham Bunn to make sure serving two electorates was possible.
“I have looked at the timetable until February next year, and barring no changes Ōtorohanga council meets on Tuesday, Hamilton’s a monster, which is why I didn’t want to run. The whole council meets on Wednesday; they have seven or eight other committees that meet other days of the week.”
Neha said he had considered his approach from a moral and ethical point of view, as pulling out of either council after being elected would trigger a byelection.
“I am committed to do both,” he said.
Bunn said it was up to Neha to manage the workload if elected to both councils.
Rodney Dow
“Interestingly, you cannot stand for regional council and district council in the same region,” Bunn said. “Potentially this would create a conflict of interest which you don’t have when elected to two different district councils.”
Sitting Ōtorohanga councillor and mayoral candidate Rodney Dow said standing for two electorates needed to be investigated by the government.
“If I am elected, I will bring it up with other elected members and we will discuss where we go with this matter,” Dow said.
“I am not a supporter of people being allowed to stand in different districts,” Dow said.
Cathy Prendergast
“In Robbie’s case he is standing for the Ōtorohanga Ward. If he is elected, he automatically sits on the Ōtorohanga Community Board so that involves extra workload.
“I don’t believe that there would be the time available to be a councillor in another district and run a business. There are other committees that he would need to be involved in to be fully participate in the role as a councillor.”
Robbie seems to be aware of the commitment that is required and thinks that he can do them both justice,” said fellow mayoral candidate Cathy Prendergast. “So good luck to him, it will be a very big undertaking.”
Another mayoral candidate, Jaimee Tamaki, said the question was one “only Robbie can answer”.
Tayla Barclay
Fellow Ōtorohanga Ward candidate Tayla Barclay was supportive of Neha.
“If he is able to manage all his commitments, his dual involvement could be a real asset,” she said.
“Having someone around the table with insight into both urban and rural governance could offer fresh perspective. It could give us an opportunity and learn from what’s working elsewhere and adapt it in a way that suits the unique needs of Ōtorohanga.”
Incumbent councillor Katrina Christison, who is also standing against Neha, felt it inappropriate to comment.
