Tim Macindoe

Tim Macindoe – born in Auckland, former secondary school teacher and National Party Hamilton West MP, elected 2024.

Organisations like Waikato Chamber of Commerce are calling for widespread local body amalgamation. Do you support that call and if so, what Waikato local authorities would you want to amalgamate with? (50 words)

I support expanding shared services between Waikato’s local authorities and I’m open to exploring full amalgamation if there is sufficient demand and a compelling business case for doing so, especially with our immediate neighbours but also further afield. It makes little sense for NZ to have so many separate councils.

When you choose your deputy mayor, what attributes will you be looking for and how important is the role? Or will it be location based in the case of Waikato and Waipā e.g. Cambridge mayor, Te Awamutu deputy and vice versa; North Waikato mayor, Tamahere-Woodlands deputy and vice versa? What would be the requirement for a deputy mayor in Hamilton? (50 words)

If elected, I would seek a deputy mayor who offers valuable experience, sound advice, energy, and a heart for our community. The mayor must be able to rely on the deputy to attend many events and meetings, showing respect to those who enhance our city through hard work and frequently-voluntary contributions.

You all say you want to cut ‘waste’. Specifically, what would you cut – give examples. (50 words)

Wasteful transport projects, including repeatedly digging up roads and making them difficult to navigate; poor procurement; excessive use of consultants; inefficient processes that could be done better and faster by AI; glossy publications that few people read. We must spend every ratepayer dollar carefully, as if it were our own.

Given the recent water reforms, should your organisation also be reformed and resized to fit (50 words)

Yes

What is your view on (a) rates capping and (b) linking rates to an inflation index (100 words)

We should impose our own rates cap by eliminating waste and focusing on delivering core services well, aiming to lower the burden of projected future rates increases. The government has signalled that rates capping will be introduced, so we must make prudent decisions and tough choices to budget accordingly. The high cost of delivering infrastructure and many other services demonstrates that the current local government funding system is broken. I would lobby key ministers energetically to attract greater central government funding to enable us to meet expectations within whatever rates cap (possibly linked to an inflation index) they may set.

What will you do to make your organisation more transparent (50 words)

Change our culture from “how can we make life hard for you?” to “how may we help?” Expect more information to be provided willingly rather than forcing applicants to use the Official Information Act. Increase opportunities for residents and businesses to present concerns directly to elected members on a regular basis.

What’s your view on community engagement….and the massive costs of that engagement? (50 words)

It’s important but must not be wasteful. It’s reasonable to expect all elected members to be present and accessible at local events on a regular basis. Council communications should be helpful and informative, using online options as much as possible. Printed materials should be used sparingly, and only on demand.

What would you do to help people engage more in local government (50 words)

Encourage more informal opportunities to meet with elected members. Promote the importance of local democracy whenever possible in speeches and at public events. Encourage better debates, questions and decision making around the council table to give ratepayers greater confidence in their elected representatives. Promote electoral reform.

The media landscape has changed with wholesale closures of community newspapers throughout the region. Foreign owned companies like Google and Meta do not pay taxes, do not employ local people and rather than report on local body politics, pinch what they can from the newspapers that are left. There are now more people employed in council communications’ roles than in the actual newspapers. Each of your councils spend advertising money on foreign media. What responsibility do you think a city/district council has to support its local newspapers? (50 words)

Local publications and journalism are desirable but print media has been in steady decline for years; it’s not the function of local authorities to subsidise them. Councils should not employ excessive numbers in communications roles. Every spending decision we make must be in the best interests of residents and ratepayers.

Finally, in 100 words, tell us why you should be mayor.

Hamilton’s financial position is dire, with debt having roughly trebled over the past six years, now sitting at well over $1 billion. Ratepayers paid $63.3 million in interest on that debt in the year ended 31 March without $1 of principal being repaid. I have regularly voted to reduce spending but the majority have ignored the gravity of our situation. I seek to lead a council with a majority who share my concerns and priorities, eliminating waste while protecting the core services that we all appreciate. I have the experience