The 2025 New Plymouth District Council election was a local election held from 9 September to 11 October in the New Plymouth District of New Zealand, as part of that year's territorial authority elections and other local elections held nation-wide.
Voters elected the mayor of New Plymouth, 14 district councillors, and other local representatives for the 2025–2028 term of the New Plymouth District Council. Postal voting and the single transferable voting system were used.
Councillor Max Brough won the mayoralty in a landslide, with incumbent mayor Neil Holdom not having stood for re-election.
The council introduced a Māori ward at the 2022 election; in a referendum on its future held at this election (as part of a nation-wide series of referendums) voters elected to remove the Māori ward for future elections.
Key dates 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12 pm 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12 pm and progress/preliminary results were published 16–19 October 2025: Final results were declared.
Background
Positions up for election Voters in the district elected the mayor of New Plymouth, 14 councillors from 5 wards, and the members of five community boards (Clifton, Inglewood, Kaitake, Puketapu-Bell Block, and Waitara). They also elected members of the Taranaki Regional Council.
Campaign
List of candidates
Incumbents not seeking re-election Tony Bedford, councillor since 2019 Harry Duynhoven, former mayor (2010–2013) and councillor since a 2015 by-election Bali Haque, councillor since 2022 Anneka Carlson Matthews, councillor since 2019 Neil Holdom, mayor since 2016 Marie Pearce, councillor since 2010
Mayor CandidateAffiliation NotesSam Bennett IndependentPreviously ran for the mayoralty in 2022. Incumbent councillor for the at-large ward. Also ran for re-election as a councillor.Max Brough IndependentIncumbent at-large councillor. Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2019.David Bublitz IndependentIncumbent deputy mayor and Kaitake-Ngāmotu general ward councillor. Also ran to be a councillor for the at-large ward.Graham Chard NoneIncumbent chair of the Kaitake Community Board. Also ran to be a councillor for the Kaitake Ngāmotu ward.Sarah Lucas NoneInglewood community board member. Also ran to be a councillor for the Kōhanga Moa general ward.Greg Mackay NonePreviously ran for the mayoralty in 2019 and 2022. Also ran as a councillor in the at-large ward.Peter Marra NoneAlso ran as a councillor in the Kaitake-Ngāmotu general wardBill Simpson NoneAlso ran to be a councillor for the North general wardJohn Woodward IndependentFormer police officer. Also ran to be a councillor for the at-large ward.
Withdrawn Murray Chong, incumbent councillor for the Kaitake-Ngāmotu ward, had indicated in May that he would run for the mayoralty, but instead just ran for re-election as a councillor. Murray "Mullet Muzz" McDowell, had previously indicated that he would run for the mayoralty, but instead just ran to be elected as a councillor for the Kaitake-Ngāmotu ward.
Councillors Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori ward Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori ward returned one councillor to the district council. CandidateAffiliation NotesTe Waka McLeod NoneIncumbent councillor since 2022Peter Moeahu NoneTaranaki iwi representative and father of councillor Dinnie Moeahu
Kaitake-Ngāmotu general ward Kaitake-Ngāmotu general ward returned six councillors to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesEJ Barrett NoneDisabilities advocateGordon BrownIndependentIncumbent councillor since 2013, and former journalist. Ran again after initially indicating that he would not run for re-election.Peter Buis NoneGraham Chard NoneIncumbent chair of the Kaitake Community Board. Also ran for mayor.Ewen Darling NoneDamon FoxACT LocalAlcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) clinicianMoira Irving George NoneFormer Taranaki Regional councillorRoss Johnston NoneLani Mackie-Hunt NonePeter Marra NoneAlso ran for mayorMullet Muzz McDowell NoneFormer truck and trailor operator. Previously ran for the mayoralty in 2022.Michael Morresey NoneKnown as the "Flag Man". Chairperson of Hope Walk New Plymouth/Taranaki Charitable Trust.Michael Paul O'SullivanIndependentDavid Payne NoneAdrian Sole NoneCraig Tonkin NoneNikki Truman NoneBryan Vickery NoneIncumbent councillor, and former broadcasterKerry Vosseler NoneFormer owner of Chaos Cafe
Kōhanga Moa general ward Kōhanga Moa general ward returned one councillor to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesJeremy Brooking NoneChristine Fabish NoneIncumbent chairperson of the Inglewood community boardSarah Lucas NoneIncumbent member of the Inglewood community board. Also ran for mayor.
North general ward North general ward returned one councillor to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesGina Alicia Blackburn NoneIan CummingsIndependentDayna Brent Jury NoneJonathan MarshallIndependentIncumbent chair of the Waitara community boardJane Parker-Bishop NoneIncumbent deputy chairperson of the Waitara community boardBill Simpson NonePreviously ran for council in 2022. Also ran for mayor.
At-large ward Five councillors were elected at-large to the district council.
CandidateAffiliation NotesSam BennettIndependentIncumbent councillor. Also ran for mayor.David BublitzIndependentIncumbent deputy mayor and councillor. Also ran for mayor.Simon Chadwick NoneMurray Chong NoneIncumbent councillor.Shaun Clare NoneAmanda Clinton-Gohdes NoneIncumbent councillorMark CosterIndependentSteve Francis NoneTeresa Goodin NoneTina Koch NoneDebbie HancockIndependentNigel Jones NoneGreg Mackay NoneAlso ran for mayorDinnie Moeahu NoneIncumbent councillorSarah Sutherland NoneWayne Williamson NoneJohn WoodwardIndependentFormer police officer. Also ran for mayor
Results
Summary Ward Previous Elected Mayor Neil Holdom Max Brough At-large ward Sam BennettMurray Chong Max BroughDavid Bublitz Amanda Clinton-GohdesJohn Woodward Harry DuynhovenSam Bennet Dinnie MoeahuDinnie MoeahuKaitake-Ngāmotu General Ward David BublitzGordon Brown Gordon BrownGraham Chard Anneka Carlson MatthewsMoira Irving George Murray ChongDamon Fox Bali HaqueKerry Vosseler Bryan VickeryEJ BarrettTe Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa (Māori Ward) Te Waka McLeodTe Waka McLeodKōhanga Moa General Ward Marie PearceChristine FabishNorth Ward Tony BedfordGina Blackburn – an incumbent who did not run for re-election
Mayor
At-large ward
Kaitāke-Ngāmotu general ward
Kōhanga Moa general ward
North general ward
Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori ward
Māori Ward Poll
Notes
References