Who’ll be the next king or queen of the Hamilton city castle?

Tuesday, 14 January 2025

City hall’s hallowed heights - who’ll replace Paula Southgate on the 9th floor is a hot topic following her weekend announcement she won’t seek a third term as mayor.

Paula Southgate’s decision not to run for Hamilton mayor this year has turned the spotlight on who’ll replace her, with at least three strong, fiscally “conservative” male possibilities.

There were also longer-shot “maybes” from female councillors on the left of the political spectrum when Waikato Times did a ring-around.

Councillor Ewan Wilson has confirmed he’s thinking about running for mayor after Paula Southgate’s confirmation she won’t run.

One potential contender is Ewan Wilson - who came second to Julie Hardaker in 2013 and is the current economic development committee chairperson. He confirmed by email on Monday that he’s thinking of having another crack.

Others contemplating a run are former deputy mayor Geoff Taylor, who ran a relatively close second to Southgate last election, and former National MP and council newbie Tim Macindoe.

Asked about whether Southgate’s decision had sharpened their thinking, the pair said they’d need to talk together before making a final call.

That was before Monday’s announcement from Wilson, who said he also wants to talk to Macindoe and Taylor before making a final decision.

Hamilton is at a significant crossroads, he said.

Councillors Tim Macindoe (left) and Geoff Taylor are both keen to talk to each other about their interest in contesting the Hamilton mayoralty in the wake of Paula Southgate’s announcement she won’t run again.

“The next mayor needs to have a very deep understanding of the city’s financial challenges and a clear vision and plan on how to manage the way forward. I believe I have those skills,” Wilson said.

He and his partner were “actively considering my options”.

Councillor Geoff Taylor says “I’m just as keen as I was before” when it comes to running for mayor.

Speaking before Wilson’s announcement, Taylor said he and Macindoe would “need to work things out” over who’d be the lead contender from the “conservative” side of the council.

Both running wasn’t ideal as it risked splitting the vote for their type of approach, although he said this wasn’t such a worry under the current single transferable vote (STV) system.

But, said Taylor, “I’m just as keen as I was before” about having another crack at the mayoralty. He was gratified by the number of calls he’d had urging him to stand again after Southgate’s announcement.

Asked about the possibility of one running for mayor with the idea of the other being appointed deputy, Taylor didn’t think Hamiltonians would want such an approach.

“I’m not sure if they want to see deals done before an election takes place.”

Tim Macindoe is strongly interested in the mayoralty, saying that if he runs he wants to create a team that will support him in achieving his goals for the city.

Macindoe, also commenting before Wilson’s email, said he hoped he and Taylor could discuss things reasonably soon.

“I’m also very keen to keep thinking about who else might be able to add some balance and skills to [the] overall direction that I would want to bring to the mayoralty if I declare that I’m going to [run],” he said.

He expected it would be more than a month before he announced his intentions one way or the other.

“In part it’s because it’s not just about what I might wish to campaign on and bring to the mayoralty…it’s also about ensuring that there’s a team around me.”

He wasn’t planning on getting together a formal ticket to contest the election but wants a group of councillors and advisors around him to help him as mayor.

Councillor Maxine van Oosten would be keen to see ‘a really great woman’ take over from Paula Southgate as Hamilton mayor.

“I’m not looking at sort of flinty-eyed characters who are only interested in numbers. We’re a growing city, we’ve got to develop the infrastructure - we’ve got to keep it a vibrant and attractive place for people to live.”

But the council needed to be fiscally responsible, focus on “core” business, balance the books quickly and start repaying debt.

Louise Hutt, a former mayoral candidate, isn’t ruling out another crack at the top job this year.

“Things are already in danger of getting out of control.”

Macindoe agreed the way STV and its selection of second preferences meant less risk of vote splitting keeping one of them out of the mayoral seat.

“You might go Taylor one, Macindoe two or vice versa and that doesn’t in any way screw up the result for each of us or the other people.”

Meanwhile, finance and monitoring committee chairperson Maxine van Oosten said she was surprised at Southgate’s “out of the blue” announcement and that she personally was more of a no than a yes when it came to standing for mayor.

But “I’m happy to consider what might come in the next six to eight months”, she said.

Councillor Sarah Thomson has been vocal on needing to do more to battle rubbish in Hamilton and says a run for mayor is possible at some stage in the future.

“I tell you what I will be doing though is looking for some really great woman to fill [Southgate’s] shoes.”

Councillor Louise Hutt, who stood for mayor in 2019, said she would be very interested in seeing who entered the race and that this would influence whether she had another crack.

Council Andrew Bydder, who’s considering a go at being Waipā mayor this year, says he’s not interested in the Hamilton top job and supports either of councillors Tim Macindoe or Geoff Taylor instead.

“Certainly we’ve got a crowded field on the right,” Hutt said.

Strategic growth and district plan committee chairperson Sarah Thomson said it was unlikely she’d contest the mayoralty this year.

“It’s not on the cards at this stage,” she said, but then in a follow up call added: “People have suggested I stay open-minded”.

And she hadn’t ruled out a run further down the track.

“When you’re in that position you can set some clearer vision for the city and be in a better position to achieve that…I’d just love to see the city clean and tidy again.”

Councillor Andrew Bydder, who’s indicated a possible run for the Waipā mayoralty this year, said he wasn’t interested in trying for the Hamilton job.

“Geoff and Tim I think are best…I’d be very, very happy with either of them.”

He could also work well with either if he was elected as Waipā mayor.

Another former Hamilton mayoral candidate - current deputy mayor Anglea O’Leary - wasn’t available for comment before deadline.