Hamilton City Council

The Hamilton City Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also makes decisions about building and planning, local regulations, and infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage. The council is made up of 14 councillors and the mayor. Councillors are elected to represent wards (areas in the city). six councillors will be elected from the East ward. This is a single transferable vote (STV) election, so you vote by ranking the candidates on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Hamilton City Council election.

Hamilton City Council candidates

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John McDonald

Why I'm standing

This is a critical time as a range of transformational changes are being imposed on society. Hamilton City Council has been implementing smart city technologies, focusing on managing people's behaviour, and creating huge amounts of intergenerational debt. This all needs to be stopped and reversed. I think the alternative is the simple city where we make the bureaucracy less complicated and less expensive, make infrastructure affordable and robust, respect people's rights, and practise prudent stewardship.

About me

I have a more traditional scientific background and strive for objectivity when assessing and analysing situations. I bring research skills and capabilities for critical thinking. I can handle large quantities of information. I can be fair, reasonable, practical, and use common sense, while bringing a willingness to strongly challenge government bureaucracy at multiple levels. I believe in leading by example instead of coercion, with a willingness to let others exercise their rights to self-determination.

My priorities

  1. Make infrastructure affordable, stop the city falling into a debt trap and limit rates increases.
  2. Reverse the smart city agenda and have council manage infrastructure, not manage people.
  3. Make people's interactions with council systems straightforward and simple with fair and clear rules.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2025 local elections. Compare the candidates and policies to see where you stand.

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