Candidate Questions and Answers

This page features questions that have been asked by candidates, and answers provided by the Council.

Candidate Questions and Answers

Questions and answers will be uploaded as they are provided throughout the election period.

Question: How can I access the Māori Iwi roll numbers for Porirua i.e.: by tribe (22 June 2022)

Answer: We are waiting for the Electoral Commission to produce a Māori Roll for Porirua. As soon as one is available we will update our website accordingly.

If you don’t wish to wait for the Porirua Māori Roll you could procure a Māori Roll for the Mana electorate from the Electoral Commission - www.vote.nz.

There is also an organisation called Tūhono that provides a Maori Affiliation service. The Trust assits Maori to register with their iwi and other entities to develop registers of their members. You may wish to have a look at their website to see if there is any information that might assist you https://www.tuhono.net/en/about-tuhono/tuhono-organisation.

Below is some general StatNZ’s data on iwi groupings, however this data is not at an individual level.

Stats for Maori population by iwi

Question: Where can I find a nomination form and can I fill it out electronically?

Answer: Nomination forms will be available from Friday 15th July 2022. Candidates can access nomination forms on Council’s website, pick up a form at the Administration Building, 16 Cobham Court, Porirua or phone 0800 922 822 and have a form posted to them.

The nomination form on our website will be an editable PDF – candidates will be able to open it, and type directly into the fields.

Candidates can choose to print it off (containing typed content) and submit it in hard-copy to Council’s Administration Building, or scan and email it to [email protected]

Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday 12th August. Nominees will need two nominators who are on the electoral roll in the ward in which they are standing. For more information see our Information for Candidates page.

Question: What would the commitment of a ward councillor be in terms of time? If a Councillor has a full-time job would the councillor role count as secondary employment?

Answer: A Councillor role at Porirua City Council is considered part-time. Currently the majority of meetings and workshops are scheduled on a Thursday morning from 8.30 to 12.30 p.m. Councillors also need to set aside time to read agendas, which can sometimes be quite lengthy, and attend community events in the evening and on the weekend.

Councillors who have no additional responsibilities (e.g. are not a committee chairperson) are currently paid $51,564 per annum. The Remuneration Authority requires that post-election Councillors with no additional duties must be paid a minimum of $42,136. The Authority provides a funding pool, the Council then determines how it is to be divided amongst the Councillors, on top of the required minimum.

With regard to the correct tax code for an elected member, please seek independent tax advice.

Please refer to our website for information on the elections, being a candidate and the role of a Councillor. https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/mayor-councillors/elections/2022-local-government-elections/

Agendas and meeting information can also be found on our website. https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/mayor-councillors/meetings-minutes-and-agendas/

We will be providing an in-depth induction period from 10 October through to the end of November that will be held on various days of the week. We encourage all elected members to participate as it will prepare them for their decision-making role https://poriruacity.govt.nz/your-council/mayor-councillors/elections/2022-local-government-elections/information-for-candidates-ng%C4%81-whakam%C4%81rama-m%C5%8D-ng%C4%81-kaitono/#induction

Question: Can I please get a copy of a detailed general ward map?

A web based GIS map is available here, which can be zoomed in to a street or individual property level if needed.

Question: Where should I get my signs designs and printed?

Council cannot give advice on campaigning including the design and printing of signs.

Question: How will I know where and when the "meet the candidates" events are?

Meet the Candidate events are run by community groups, not by Council. Council will list these on our Elections 2022 website as these are received. Additionally, if you permit the release of contact details as part of your nomination, your details will be listed on our website, for these groups to contact you directly.

Question: Can I get copies of the past four years Annual Plans, Long-term Plans, and Annual Reports?

These can be downloaded from our website at the following links:

Long-term Plan 2021/51

Annual Plans

Annual Reports

Question: Can I see a detailed map of the General Wards?

A detailed map of the two general wards is available as a web GIS map. This allows you to zoom into an individual property level if desired. This map can be found on our website.

Question: How many electors are in the Parirua Māori Ward?

As at 2 May 2022, there were approximately 4,646 electors in the Parirua Māori Ward.

Question: What support has the Council's Economic Development team provided to local CBD businesses in recent times?

A list of initiatives the Economic Development team have recently undertaken or supported are as follows:

  • Working with Central Government to bring Ministeries out to Porirua - expect an announcement soon on what this looks like.
  • Ran Porirua Business Month which provided information and updates to various business sectors.
  • Held a developer's hui to encourage further private investment in the CBD.
  • Working with developers to find ways to encourage and increase office space and CBD living.
  • Love Local event at the Arena - two years running over 120 local businesses attended with 1000's of consumers attending the free event. Love Local database of local businesses has created a strong relationships between local businesses and the Economic Development Team.
  • The Transport Plan and the Te Manawa Central City Plan are improving walking, cycling, bus and train station connections from our central city to the East and the West.
  • The Te Manawa Plan is creating connections from the train station and central city to the harbour’s edge recreation and business area.
  • Covid: Economic impacts on local businesses varied depending on the nature and location of the business. With more consumers working from home, some businesses experienced growth, others closed. Council got rid of paid parking for one year to help local businesses and encourage people to come to the city for vaccinations.
  • The old Information Centre was pulled down and lightboxes and murals were placed in Ferry Place to create a safe and welcoming passage way from the train station into the central city.
  • Built a database of businesses that enables better and more timely communications.
  • Building facade programme - https://poriruacity.govt.nz/business/why-porirua/building-facade-programme/. This has lifted the appearance of retail stores.
  • The Economic Development Team purchased an outdoors concrete tile cleaning machine to clean the pavers in the central city looking beautiful.
  • Facilitated a regular Police hui with businesses for them to express concerns and address any negative activity.
  • Working with businesses to improve their sustainable outputs including waste minimisation.
  • Promotion of new and existing businesses through Council channels.
  • Choctober Fest - soon to be announced but will see at least 16 local cafes battle it out to be crowned the best chocolate drink and baking for 2022.
  • Activations such as:
    • Christmas (December)
    • Tables and chairs out for consumers to use
    • Food carts
    • Cycling to work events
    • Art market on the waterfront