After a strong victory in the Bay of Plenty Regional Council byelection, Victor Luca says he is ready to fight for both the Eastern Bay and local government.

Final results released on Monday showed Luca received 3491 votes, 1459 more than the nearest candidate, Toi Iti, with 31% of eligible electors voting in the byelection.

“To have a resounding endorsement from the community – the people who count – that’s a great thing,” Luca told Local Democracy Reporting.

“I’m very grateful to supporters and friends. The people who always kept the faith.”

The former Whakatāne mayor put his success down to his strong background in science as well as local government.

“The regional council is a producer, user and integrator of science, so it’s right in my wheelhouse. So, this is also a victory for science, really.”

Luca acknowledged the regional council role would be very different from the district council.

“I’ve no doubt I’ve got a lot of learning to do, but that’s what I’ve been doing all my life. I’ve been teaching and learning, so I’m no alien to that.”

Luca said he was ready to argue against local government reform.

“I was involved in all the original discussions on all of this as mayor. Looking at the international literature on this, there’s no evidence that I’ve been able to find for improved efficiency.”

He expressed concern that disestablishment of regional councils would further weaken the environmental framework.

“I will be pressing for [Government] to prove their case with whatever voice I have.

“I’ll fight for the Eastern Bay. I’ve got the mana, I’ve got the scientific and academic credentials, as well as the local government credentials.

“We get the short end of the stick in many ways.”

He considered there to be much unfairness shown to large districts with small populations when it came to funding allocation for infrastructure.

“They’ve got to spend more money in the provinces to protect the industries that produce the export earnings, beef, dairy, kiwifruit and other produce. None of that is made in Tauranga.

“We also produce about 11% of the country’s energy in our three [Eastern Bay of Plenty] districts and we only account for 1% of the population. We should get credit for what we produce, rather than be trampled on.”

Toi Iti. Photo / LDR

Toi Iti received 2032 votes.

It was Iti’s first time standing for a general roll seat, having previously served as a regional councillor in the Kōhī Māori constituency for two terms.

“I really enjoyed the campaigning. I enjoyed connecting with a whole new community who I hadn’t quite engaged with before. It was really quite heartening,” he said.

He saw the result as a reflection of the demographic of electors who turn out to vote at elections.

“It just goes to show, the demographics that vote and those that are quite difficult to get across the line. Because I thought I ran quite a strong campaign.”

He said the low turnout in voting was extremely disappointing.

“A 30% turnout is pretty rough. Hopefully, in the general election it speaks up a bit better.”

While he was disappointed, he also confessed to a “mild sense of relief”, given his existing commitments with the Ātea arts hub in Whakatāne.

“I am busy and it was going to be a juggle. The work at Ātea is full on. But I felt like I could do the job on a two-year basis.”

Dayle Hunia received 804 votes.

Dayle Hunia. Photo / LDR

Having extensive experience in environmental management and governance roles, including as a hearing commissioner, this was Hunia’s first time standing for a local or regional council seat.

“It was a really good learning experience for a first-time candidate. I will definitely be putting my name forward for whatever this future structure looks like,” she said.

“At this point we have no idea what that will be.”

She appreciated the people who staged meet the candidates events in places such as Matatā, Ōpōtiki and Galatea.

“They were neat, and good on them because they’re the ones holding up the place. I really appreciated my running mates. They were a really good group of people.”

Chief executive Fiona McTavish has congratulated Luca.

“Victor brings valuable local government experience to the role, and we look forward to working with him. It’s also encouraging to see voters engaging in the democratic process and having their say on who will represent the Eastern Bay of Plenty community,” she said.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chief executive Fiona McTavish. Photo / George Novak

McTavish thanked all candidates for putting their names forward to be considered for the role during a time when significant change to local government in New Zealand was being worked through.

A declaration ceremony will be held for Luca in Whakatāne at the start of the regional council meeting on Monday, October 12.

Final results of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council byelection for the Eastern Bay constituency seat

Victor Luca 3491, Toi Iti 2032, Jessica Sneha Gray 894, Dayle Hunia 804, Richard Collins 516

Informal - 31

Blank voting papers - 15

Voter return was 31.74%, being 7783 votes.

Jessica Sneha Gray and Richard Collins have been approached for comment.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.