A second Hastings mayoral hopeful is already door-knocking, intending to visit as many residents in the region as possible.
Steve Gibson says his motivation for standing is the same reason he stood for Napier Mayor six years ago – wasteful spending. “In just five years, rates in Hastings have doubled,” Gibson said. “Now we’re being told to expect double-digit increases into the future. That’s not just unfair – it’s unsustainable.”
[Gibson also stood for NCC in 2016 and for the HB Regional Council in 2022, in the Heretaunga/Hastings constituency.]
A father of three adult children, Gibson lives with his wife in Havelock North. He is a former police officer and has just sold his two motels, “so I now have time to give this my full attention”, he said.
Gibson believes Hastings District Council is out of touch with the financial pressure its ratepayers are under – particularly those on fixed incomes. “Just about every door I have knocked on the subject people want to talk about is rates,“ he said. “One lady burst into tears. She said she had to cancel her insurance because she couldn’t afford it along with rates, food, electricity. She was worried that she would be homeless if anything happened.”
He acknowledged some cost pressures – such as recovery efforts from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2022 – were unavoidable. “But that does not excuse the level of ongoing waste and poor spending decisions we continue to see from Council.”
Gibson was elected to the Manawatū District Council in 2007. He served two terms and said he “helped deliver rate increases at or below inflation year after year”. “We didn’t gut services. We found efficiencies, eliminated waste, and focused on what residents needed. Hastings needs that kind of common-sense leadership now.”
He describes his leadership style as inclusive. “I like to take people with me, but I don’t back down. If there’s a job to do I’ll do it. I can’t just be a rubber stamper.”
Gibson is calling for a reset of council priorities and pledging to cap rate rises at or below the level of inflation, focusing on infrastructure and core services.
Candidate nominations open on July 4 ahead of the local election on October 11.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Thanks for stepping up Steve, cap those rates and get rid of the wasteful spending if elected, HDC ratepayers will be most grateful. Sandra and the ilk completely out of touch with Ombudsman papers to back it up.
How can Mr Gibson promise to cap rates when the mayor is just one of 16 people that sit around the table ? !
Of course there will be lots of people that will actually believe this silly nonsense.
Buddo and Schollum are promising nothing .
We need a detailed position statement from all the candidates .
Bay Buzz is at least starting the process
Has there ever been a council that has been lead by somebody pledging to “cap rates” that has actually managed to cap rates? I’d rather something a lot more positive be proposed – such as a plan for the future with costings as a pledge, or plans for cutting costs of current operations (provable rather than pie in the sky plans) – or just plain comment on what can or can’t be afforded. Elections are full of promises that are never kept and the following election full of the excuses why.
Steve I personally think you would have more luck, purifying the Ahuriri estuary into drinking water, when people get put in charge of entities, spending other people money is a very happy habit, good luck but a complete and utter waste of time and effort!! unless you can convince 9 others to stand in line with you, ohh and don’t forget no breakfast on the ratepayers hard earned!!