ACT Local
ACT Local | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Party Leader | David Seymour |
| Local government spokesperson | Cameron Luxton |
| Founded | 2025 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Right-wing |
| Colours | |
| Slogan | Real change. Lower Rates |
| Regional councillors | 0 / 131 |
| Local councillors | 0 / 705 |
| Mayors | 0 / 67 |
| Website | |
| actlocal | |
ACT Local is the local government division of ACT New Zealand. The party announced it would run local candidates for the first time at the 2025 local elections. The party would campaign on limiting rates, opposing local council climate action, opposing the "war" on cars, and opposing co-governance. They supported the anti-Māori ward position in the nation-wide local referendums on the issue.
Background
[edit]The party had not previously put forward local government candidates prior to 2025.[1] Party leader David Seymour told TVNZ's Breakfast that the party had "strong" values related to "saving money, letting people be free to choose and treating people equally".[1] The party was the first national-level right wing party to contest local elections, something typically only the left wing parties had done.[2]
Seymour told the New Zealand Herald that the campaign was "exploratory", saying that better representation was needed on local councils.[3] He said that in 2023 that the country had voted for change but that local councils had not "got the memo" and that it was time for a "clean-out".[4]
Positions and platform
[edit]Rates
[edit]ACT local government spokesperson Cameron Luxton criticised rising rates across the country; he said "Councillors will be standing for cutting waste, reducing rates, and keeping councils focused on their knitting, because that is the problem New Zealanders are facing".[5] Seymour said that the party would be for less "waste" with regards to local council spending, saying that ratepayers were "fed up" with previous councillors that had made promises they had not delivered on.[4] He was "frustrated" at the "inefficiencies" in local councils.[6]
Climate change
[edit]The party announced that their candidates would oppose climate action by local councils. This included opposing funding for emission reductions, disregarding missions from council land use consents, opposing emissions reduction plans, opposing climate emergency declarations, opposing ratepayer-funded climate junkets, and a focus on storm water infrastructure and stop banks. Luxton said the focus on climate action was a cause of massive rates increases.[5]
Public transportation
[edit]Seymour said that the party would oppose efforts "[to get] people out of their cars".[7] He said that councils had been "waging war" on drivers and that ACT candidates would support more choice in transport. He pointed to cycleways and speedbumps as part of this alleged war.[4]
Co-governance
[edit]The party would support getting rid of the "racial discrimination" that had "crept" into council politics,[7] opposing co-governance and Māori wards.[4]
Campaign
[edit]Fundraising
[edit]Candidates would be expected to fund their own campaigns, according to Seymour.[3]
Analysis
[edit]Joel MacManus of The Spinoff said that the party's "core" principles would translate easily to local politics; these principles included cutting spending, reducing rates, ending Māori wards, and ending co-governance.[2] MacManus suggested it could be a good thing as voters often find it hard to know where every local candidate stands, and that an ACT endorsement would be a "simple signifier" of someone's values.[2]
Julienne Molineaux, a senior social sciences lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, noted a tension between clear policy positions put out by the party and the requirements under the Local Government Act for councillors to make decisions with an open mind and to avoid predetermined positions.[8]
Lists of candidates
[edit]2025
[edit]
Radio New Zealand reported on 13 June that the party had finalised its candidate selection.[5] The party was not considering mayoral or Māori ward candidates.[2][3] Seymour said the party was in discussions with sitting councillors,[3] and he claimed that over 300 people had indicated an interest in running.[6] The party began announcing candidates several weeks later:
| Council | Position | Ward/Constituency | Candidate | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Far North District Council | Councillor | Bay of Islands-Whangaroa | Davina Smolders | [a 1] | |
| Whangarei District Council | Councillor | Bream Bay | Matthew Yovich | Details | [a 2] |
| Kaipara District Council | Councillor | Otamatea | Roger Billington | [a 3] | |
| Councillor | Kaiwaka-Mangawhai | Nima Maleiki | [a 4] | ||
| Auckland Council | Councillor | Manukau | Henrietta Devoe | Details | [a 5] |
| Hauraki District Council | Councillor | Paeroa | Michelle Magnus | Details | [a 6] |
| Waikato District Council | Councillor | Tamahere-Woodlands | Andrew Pickford | [a 7] | |
| Hamilton City Council | Councillor | Western | Nidhita Gosai | Details | [a 8] |
| Councillor | Eastern | Preet Dhaliwal | [a 9] | ||
| Central Hawke's Bay District Council | Councillor | Aramoana-Ruahine | James Ebbett | [a 10] | |
| New Plymouth District Council | Councillor | Kaitake-Ngāmotu | Damon Fox | Details | [a 11] |
| Porirua City Council | Councillor | Pāuatahanui | Phill Houlihan | Details | [a 12] |
| Wellington City Council | Councillor | Wharangi/Onslow | Ray Bowden | Details | [9] |
| Councillor | Takapū/Northern | Mark Flynn | [9] | ||
| Councillor | Motukairangi/Eastern | Luke Kuggelijn | [9] | ||
| Marlborough District Council | Councillor | Marlborough Sounds | Malcolm Taylor | [a 13] | |
| Tasman District Council | Councillor | Motueka | David Ross | Details | [a 14] |
| Waimakariri District Council | Councillor | Kaiapoi-Woodend | Nathan Atkins | [a 15] | |
| Otago Regional Council | Councillor | Molyneux | Robbie Byars | Details | [a 16] |
| Dunedin City Council | Councillor | At-large | Anthony Kenny | Details | [a 17] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "ACT looks to stand candidates in local council elections". 1News. 18 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d MacManus, Joel (19 March 2025). "Act enters the messy, at times unhinged world of local politics". The Spinoff.
- ^ a b c d Ensor, Jamie (18 March 2025). "Act Party looking to stand candidates in local elections for first time". New Zealand Herald.
- ^ a b c d "ACT seeks candidates to stand in local body elections". The Post. 18 March 2025.
- ^ a b c "ACT's local govt candidates want to oppose attempts to manage emissions". Radio New Zealand. 13 June 2025.
- ^ a b Vailala, 'Alakihihifo (20 March 2025). "'We love to see more Pacific candidates': ACT leader advocates for local govt change". Pacific Media Network.
- ^ a b Perese, Daniel (18 March 2025). "'The answer is to elect better councillors' - Act Party push into local elections". Te Ao Māori News.
- ^ Molineaux, Julienne (4 June 2025). "Just the ticket? The problem with local body candidates aligning with national political parties". The Conversation.
- ^ a b c "Wellington election diary: Switching teams and switching biscuits". The Post. 28 June 2025.
Primary sources
[edit]- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "Local Business Owner Davina Smolders To Stand With ACT Local In Bay Of Islands–Whangaroa Ward". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "ACT Announces Matthew Yovich As ACT Local Candidate For Whangarei". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (27 June 2025). "ACT Announces Roger Billington As ACT Local Candidate For Kaipara". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (27 June 2025). "ACT Announces Dr Nima Maleiki As ACT Local Candidate For Kaipara". Scoop.
- ^ "Henrietta Devoe, Selected as Candidate for Manukau Ward". www.actlocal.nz. ACT Local. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ "Michelle Magnus, selected as candidate for Hauraki District Council". www.actlocal.nz. ACT Local. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "ACT Announces Andrew Pickford As ACT Local Candidate For Waikato". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "ACT Announces Nidhita Gosai & Preet Dhaliwal As ACT Local Candidates For Hamilton City Council". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "ACT Announces Nidhita Gosai & Preet Dhaliwal As ACT Local Candidates For Hamilton City Council". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (23 June 2024). "Local Transport Specialist, James Ebbett, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Central Hawke's Bay Election". auckland.scoop.co.nz. Scoop. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "Local Addictions Clinician, Damon Fox, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For New Plymouth District Council Election". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (25 June 2025). "Local Barber And Law Student, Phill Houlihan, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Porirua City Council Election". Scoop.
- ^ "Malcolm Taylor, Selected as Candidate for Marlborough Sounds Ward". www.actlocal.nz. ACT Local. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (24 June 2025). "Retired Pharmacist And Business Owner, David Ross, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For Motueka Ward". Scoop.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (24 June 2025). "Business Owner Nathan Atkins To Stand With ACT Local In Kaiapoi-Woodend Ward". Scoop.
- ^ "Robbie Byars, Selected as Candidate for Molyneux Ward". www.actlocal.nz. ACT Local. Retrieved 26 June 2025.
- ^ ACT New Zealand (27 June 2025). "Local Business Owner & Former Royal New Zealand Navy Serviceman, Anthony Kenny, Selected As ACT Local Candidate For DCC". Scoop.