The results of the local elections here in New Zealand are in, and . . . Not much really. I asked a few people at a barbecue last night and they were unanimously uninterested. One thing they did share with me was that directly electing members of the Health Board was a nonsense. Over such a huge area, and with candidates running without party labels, voters have virtually no information to inform their vote.
Scanning the demographics of the mayoral election results did surprise me. Out of 67 Mayors, district council Chief Executives, elected there were:
48 White male.
13 White female.
3 Result not yet in.
3 Other.
Judging from the names and mug shots the three other were, all male, and; 1 Indian, 1 Chinese, 1 Maori.
I’m not sure what to make of that. Maybe the non-white population have more sense than to spend their time in local politics?
Oh, and there is a consensus on the main challenge facing these mayors, which will be familiar to UK electors. It is . . . the availability of affordable housing.