Outgoing Ashburton District councillors reflect on their careers and look to their futures following this month’s local body elections. And unsuccessful mayoral candidates talk about how they feel as they give consideration to the election results.
Susan Sandys and local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask report.
Lynette Lovett
Lovett followed in her father’s footsteps into local government after serving as president of the Ashburton A&P Association.
The highest polling candidate in the Eastern Ward for each of her three terms spoke to Local Democracy Reporting.
“I can honestly say I have loved serving my community. It was the hardest decision I made to say no this time around.”
Her daughter had told her ‘You’ve only got 10 good years left. You’re 71. Time for yourself to do what you want to do.’
Her biggest disappointment was missing the first day of public hearings on the Long Term Plan while on holiday, meaning she wasn’t able to take part in debates on the Tinwald Pool and Balmoral Hall.
She also noted the time she hit national headlines in 2021 after referring to 110 unemployed young people in Ashburton as entitled youth.
Stepping away from the district council, she said “The wheels on the camper van might finally turn more frequently. It has sat in the shed for too long”.
Leen Braam
Braam moved from Amsterdam to New Zealand in 1982 to be a landscape architect for Millichamps garden centre (now Lushingtons), arriving to Ashburton with “two backpacks and an empty house”.
Braam and his wife Lianne still live in Tinwald 43 years later.
He first stood for the district council in 2016, but his nomination was initially declined because he wasn’t yet a New Zealand citizen. Three weeks later, after sorting his paperwork, he re-entered the race on the final day and was elected.
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting, he said his first term was completely different to what he expected.
“There is more progress and respect in a kindergarten than with some of the councillors in that time.
“There were some here to learn. There were also some people there who came for the free lunch.”
He said the second term under new mayor Neil Brown “was a team”.
“We respect each other, and we worked for the whole district. What a difference. And you could feel it in the community.”
In his third term he suffered the effects of Long Covid, which ultimately had him decide not to stand again.
As he put it “No more councillor Braam. But Leen Braam, husband, father, opa, friend, and hopefully a decent bloke”.
Rob Mackle
Mackle told The Ashburton Courier he had enjoyed working as part of a team during his one term on the district council.
‘‘The people I have been involved with through this council have been exceptional, I have been very lucky in that respect in terms of councillors and staff.’’
The farmer became well known in the wake of the Christchurch 2011 earthquake for climbing into the collapsed Pyne Gould Corporation building to rescue trapped survivors.
He said among rewarding aspects of serving on the district council had been reigniting a project of getting the district council out of stockwater delivery.
‘‘Which is very good for farmers in the area, because it was costing them an absolute fortune,’’ Mackle said.
He had no regrets on having stood for the mayoralty, even though he lost that race.
In fact, he had seen it as a learning process, on ‘‘putting yourself out there’’, as that was something he was not used to doing.
‘‘There can only be one winner in a game like that, and Liz is the one. I’m very pleased to be part of that process,’’ Mackle said.
He told Local Democracy Reporting running for mayor had been “all or nothing”.
“Now it’s nothing, so I’ll break free for a while and carry on with other things.”
He still hoped to attempt a return to the district council “when the time is right”.
Fellow unsuccessful mayoral candidates
Mid Canterbury’s two remaining unsuccessful mayoral candidates also spoke to Local Democracy Reporting on how they felt after the election.
Russell Ellis, who won a seat on the district council, vowed to support McMillan in her role as the new mayor.
Ellis said while he disappointed to lose the mayoral election, he was happy to be returning for a fourth term on the district council.
He won a seat on the Ashburton Ward, being one of the five highest polling candidates.
“The public has spoken, and for me it’s still a big achievement to get back for a fourth term where I’ll get in behind and support Liz,” Ellis said.
Ashburton resident Jeff Ryan missed out on not only on the mayoralty, but on a seat on the district council as well. Ryan told Local Democracy Reporting ‘‘I feel like I’ve been to my own funeral’’.
He said he was “absolutely devastated”, and didn’t see the result coming.
“I’m a bit humiliated by it to be honest. It’s not a good result.’’
He had campaigned on big ideas, such as a canal to Lake Hood, getting the district council into gravel extraction, and fast-tracking an extension of the EA Networks Centre stadium.
“I really thought I had found my destiny, a passion, and was going to fulfil that dream, and I’ve got nothing out of it,’’ he said.
“People have the right to vote how they want, and I hold no resentment. I wish those elected all the best.”
