Nominations close for local body elections, Timaru councillor not standing

Saturday, 2 August 2025

A two-term Timaru councillor who is not seeking re-election in this year’s local body election said he felt it was time to move on and he was most proud of standing up for what he believed in his time in the role, especially the town’s CBD.

Allan Booth’s name was a surprise omission from the list of candidates standing for the Timaru District Council when nominations closed at midday on Friday.

Following a last minute boost in nomination numbers, elections will be required for all councils, with a by-election required for the Mackenzie District’s Twizel Community Board which only has three nominations for four positions.

Nominees for Waimate’s Lower Waihao ward and the Mackenzie’s Tekapo Community Board were the same as the vacancies required to be filled, so no elections would be needed.

Booth was first elected to the council in 2019 and in that time also sat on the board of the council-controlled economic and tourism agency, Venture Timaru, and Timaru District Holdings Limited (TDHL).

On Friday, he said he had been doing stuff for other people for the past 10-12 years, and he needed to start looking after himself.

“It’s time to move on,’’ he said.

It had been an interesting two terms around the council table, and in his first term, Booth was accused of leaking material to The Timaru Herald and was stripped of his role as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

At the time, Booth said he believed it stemmed from his issues with the council’s handling of the then possible sale of Showgrounds Hill for retail development.

“It was due to evidently leaking a council report indicating how bad The Showgrounds would be for the Timaru CBD,’’ he said on Friday.

He said he was proud of standing up for and trying to protect the town’s CBD.

He said the council should have had a rating review long before now with those in the CBD paying four times the rates “and for what?’’.

“And when it’s particularly tough we should be helping others set up shop.’’

Booth said he was also instrumental in helping set up the Timaru Business Improvement District (BID) area, and had enjoyed being involved in the selection of those involved in TDHL.

He said he would still have a keen interest in the goings on in Timaru; it was where he lived and had invested.

“My family are here. I won’t be too far away.’’

He encouraged those seeking election to be prepared to have something to bring to the table.

“If you’re going to be a one-trick pony you’re just going to waste your time.

“You have to be prepared to be able to debate.’’

He said in his first term there had been little discussion, but over the previous three years, with fresh blood in the mix, “the dynamics changed’’.

Booth is not the only councillor from the Timaru ward not seeking re-election with three-termer Sally Parker also deciding not to stand.

One candidate looking to grab a spot is 23-year-old Ethan Richardson who said he wanted to build a better future for the district.

“A future where young and working people have a place in Timaru,’’ he said.

He could see the potential of the town but said he did not blame those who could not.

“We need to build a Timaru that works for everyone. Where rents are affordable, opportunities are abundant and our town centre is vibrant,’’ he said.

Richardson’s focus was on injecting life into the CBD by investing in it and allowing small business to “get on with things’’.

Also standing for the Timaru ward’s six seats are Anah Aikman, Peter Bennett, ACT’s John Bolt, four-term councillor Peter Burt, Ian Hanley, one-term councillor Owen Jackson, Stu Jackson, Sange Malama, Jason McDouall, Hadleigh Oudemans, two-term councillor Stu Piddington, one-term councillor Stacey Scott, Chris Thomas and Graeme Wilson.

Incumbent Nigel Bowen is standing for Timaru District mayor, alongside Piddington and Bennett.

In the Geraldine ward, one seat is being contested by incumbent Gavin Oliver and Philip Harper, while the two seat Pleasant Point-Temuka ward has a race with one-term councillors Michelle Pye and Scott Shannon, and Charles Scarsbrook putting their names forward.

Meanwhile, in Waimate, the race for the mayoralty will be fought between incumbent Craig Rowley, and councillors Sharyn Cain and Rick Stevens. Cain is also the council’s current deputy mayor.

The district’s Hakataramea-Waihaorunga ward, which has one vacancy, has two nominees in Paul Harrison and Margaret Wells.

In the two seat Pareora-Otaio-Makikihi ward, there are four nominations in Jon Bird, Stacey Hall, and councillors Sandy McAlwee and Tom O’Connor.

The Lower Waihao ward, with one vacancy, had one nomination - councillor Lisa Small.

In the Waimate ward, which has four vacancies, there are six nominations with councillors John Begg and Rick Stevens standing alongside Jakki Guilford, Peter Paterson, Brent Percy and Shane Gregoran.

In the Mackenzie District, it is a five candidate race for mayor with councillor Scott Aronsen, Ash Jackson, Robin McCarthy, Elizabeth McKenzie and acting mayor Karen Morgan all vying for the top position.

Aronsen is also standing in the Pukaki ward, which has three vacancies, alongside Brian Finn, Christopher Hathaway, Frank Hocken, Peter Oliver and Jan Spriggs.

In the Opuha ward, which also has three vacancies, candidates are Mark Adams, incumbents Rit Fisher and Phillipa Guerin, Ash Jackson, and Elizabeth McKenzie.

Sue Allan and Maireire Norman are standing for the single position Tekapo ward.

Three candidates have been nominated for the two South Canterbury positions on Environment Canterbury, incumbents Peter Scott and Nick Ward, and Toni Severin.