Local Body elections
Money doesn’t always talk when it comes to district council elections.
Cathy Prendergast, Rodney Dow and Jaimee Tamaki
In three races for the mayoral chains – Ōtorohanga, Waitomo and Waipā – the winner last October was outspent by one of his rivals.
Top spenders Cathy Prendergast lost out to Rodney Dow in Ōtorohanga, Janette Osborne failed in a bid to oust sitting Waitomo mayor John Robertson and Claire St Pierre finished third in Waipā
Candidates are required to declare their spending and donations they received.
Janette Osborne
But two of the three top spenders in the region were still winners on the night.
Osborne lost out in the mayoral race but remained on council and St Pierre was elected for a fourth term to Waipā’s Pirongia Ward. Unlike St Pierre and Osborne, Prendergast did not also seek election to council in a ward.
Electoral expenses returns filed on Waitomo District Council’s website showed rural Waitomo councillor Osborne spent $5777.27 on billboards, cards, campaign buttons, newspaper advertising, pamphlets, signs, social media and software.
She also received publicity when TVNZ delayed screening a piece featuring her in its Country Calendar programme following a complaint during the election campaign. The item ran after the election.
King Country News 15 January 2026
Osborne lost out in the mayoral race but kept her rural Waitomo seat – just a few votes ahead of Gavin Todd.
Robertson, who is now into his third term as mayor, spent $4389.28 on hoardings, letters, pamphlets and newspaper advertising.
Natasha Willison-Reardon, who stood unsuccessfully for Waitomo mayor and a seat on council, spent $3011.93 on billboards and flyers. Richard Ross spent $477.25 on signs and also failed in his mayoral bid and to win a seat around the council table.
Cathy Prendergast spent the most of any mayoral candidate in Ōtorohanga. She invested $6132 on design, hoardings, flyers, and campaign meetings at Honikiwi Hall and Ōtewā Hall.
John Robertson
Eventual mayoral race winner Rodney Dow spent $4831.60 on advertising, brochures, signs and a video, and received a $920 donation from Ōtorohanga Transport Ltd of which he is managing director.
Jaimee Tamaki spent $1326 on candidate deposits, which no other mayoral candidate declared, plus pamphlets and signs. Tamaki was re-elected to the Rangiātea Māori Ward – which will be abolished at the next election in 2028.
In Waipā, St Pierre’s expenses included campaign management, design, election signs, newspaper advertising, pamphlets, photographs, posters, social media, videos and a website.
She also received a $3330 donation from the Monckton family in Ōhaupō.
Pettit, who won the mayoral race with 7216 votes, received $5000 in donations, $2500 each from commercial property rental company Ryjo Holdings Ltd and civil contractors Waipā Civil Ltd. Joseph Comins is registered as director and shareholder of both.
Mayoral candidates: from left, Clare St Pierre, Mike Pettit, Susan O’Regan.
Pettit’s spend list included artificial intelligence (AI) video support, Cambridge Business Chamber member to member promotion, flyers, graphic design, newspaper advertising, photography, public relations, signage, social media and a website.
O’Regan, who received 5968 votes, spent money on apparel, billboards, Cambridge Business Chamber member to member promotion, digital support services, flyers, newspaper advertising, photographs and social media.
