Have you considered standing
Written on June 8th, 2025 by Grey Blog
Diversity
Have you considered standing for Grey District Council?
As we approach another local government election it is important to once again raise the spectre of diversity around the council table.
Our current Grey District Council includes two females (one of whom is Mayor), 7 males, and 1 iwi representative also male. (all of these categorisations are based on our current understanding, we are unaware of any councillor who identifies as other than male or female, we are happy to be corrected if this is the case)
Based on our understanding and although not knowing the exact ages of our councillors - we would dare to suggest that none of them are in their twenties, and possibly not in their thirties, it would be safe to assume that most of our Councillors are over the age of forty. None would be considered to be the face of youth, although we do know that a number of Councillors and the Mayor are involved in youth based activities, and we thank them for their often volunteer efforts.
The question being raised is are our current set of Councillors diverse enough to represent our community? Let us be clear we at GreyBlog are not suggesting quotas for diversity, nor are we suggesting drafting particular groups and individuals onto council. We believe that the democratic process should hopefully work to deliver us the Council that ratepayers want.
Is diversity important in local government representation? We believe it is.
Diversity around the council table ensures that the voices and experiences of all segments of society are heard and considered in the decision-making process. I am sure that all our Councillors attempt to have empathy with different groups, but empathy is not the same as having a representative at the table.
When representatives come from different backgrounds, they bring unique insights that can lead to better policy formation. Diverse perspectives can help identify issues that may be overlooked by a homogenous group.
We at GreyBlog would like to encourage people from all backgrounds, and all ages (18+ that’s the law), to consider standing for the Grey District Council.
What are the key dates for the 2025 local elections?
4 July 2025 Candidate nominations open and roll opens for public inspection
1 August 2025 at 12 noon Candidate nominations close and roll closes
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