On 16 September, the PSA hosted a forum for mayoral candidates in Upper Hutt, giving members an opportunity to speak to candidates about issues that affect them. The table below summarises candidates' responses to three key issues: Māori wards, the living wage, and pay equity.
| Māori wards | Living wage | Pay equity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blair Griffiths | Voted for the conversation to be had. Wants to get people at the table to have the conversation, but it is not funded so need other ways to include the right people. Did feel that it’s not democratic to just vote no for Māori wards. | Supports the “idea” of living wage but doesn’t support spending more rates to fund it. It was too expensive last time it was raised, depending on how it was funded he would support it. | Conversations with the CEO need to be had. |
| Wayne Guppy | They are working through a lengthy process with the local iwi to ensure a good process. Whether this is a ward or by committee. Looking to have a rep to represent the Iwi. Once that work is completed then will decide after that. | Need a remuneration strategy to deliver better wages. Living wage would only affect part time staff (pool staff). Supports living wage and believe a remuneration strategy should start with a living wage. | As part of a remuneration strategy, it could be resolved. Will ask the CEO to see where the discrepancies lie. |
| Emma Holderness | Voted yes for Māori Wards. Should be up to the community to decide. Could have looked at the whole structure as part of this. Up to Māori to decide how to be represented. | Support the “principle,” commits to working towards it. 500k a year, need to be sure they can sustain it. Wants to make sure that we benchmark pay towards the midpoint, with a transparent competency framework for progressing. | Need to have the conversation. Would look to put it in the CEO’s KPIs. Commits to doing a full review. |
| Angela McLeod | Need Māori representation. Should be able to go out to the community with a referendum. In favour of Māori wards. | Supports living wage. | It’s a no-brainer. Angela is a founding member of the pay equity coalition, been at the grassroots of this. Also, a member of BPW. Angela has been raising it for years and continues to do so within this council. |
| Helen Swales | Voted against Māori wards because it was not what Māori wanted; anyone can stand for Māori ward, and she felt that the legislation that supports this wasn’t sufficient. Helen herself is Māori so if you elect her, you will see Māori presence and representation at the table from her. Helen agrees that to look at Māori wards again or something similar that captures the needs of the local iwi. | Council only employs one member of staff and that is the CEO. The CEO decides pay. Helen would ask the question when the new pay strategy is presented. But notes they have no control over what the CEO presents. | Supports equal pay for equal value and is a member of BPW. This is a conversation to have with the CEO as he makes the strategy. |
| Peri Zee | Was embarrassed that the current council rescinded Māori wards. Would look to bring it back to the table and will be looking at aggregating the regional vote on this to support the conversations. | It’s embarrassing that Upper Hutt is the only council still not to be accredited. This council spent $55 million on a pool and can’t prove that it was good value for money. But they can’t pay their staff their value. | Supports pay equity. |
