October 11, 2025 • 5 mins
Former Hamilton West MP and current Hamilton city councillor Tim Macindoe's won the mayoral race in Hamilton.
He's committed to bringing down wasteful spending and improving resources for the city.
Macindoe says Hamilton ratepayers have faced some of the highest rates rises in the country - a fact that's not set to change.
"They are really feeling the pain - and unfortunately, there are no easy options for us to take that can suddenly get things down in a hurry. But we have to eliminate wasteful spending."
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Another former MP has been appointed mayor in Hamilton. Are
electing Hamilton's elected former national MP, Tim Macindo, and Tim
joins me now, congratulations.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Tim, good morning Francesca, and thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I believe you're also initially reluctant to enter the race.
How are you feeling now being there? Is it a reality?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
It's certainly becoming a reality. And yes, I was initially
reluctant but changed my mind for a variety of reasons,
and I'm now very excited and grateful to have been
given the support that I've received.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You said that you think Hamilton needs significant change. What
change you're talking about? What's needed?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, our rate players have faced some of the highest
rates rises in the country over the last couple of
years and that's been projected for the foreseeable future as well.
They are really feeling the pain. Unfortunately, there are no
easy options for us to take that can suddenly get
things down in a hurry, but we have to eliminate
(01:12):
wasteful spending and focus on delivering core priorities. Well, I
think make much greater use of it, which should enable
us to reduce costs, improve our procurement and do a
arrange in other different things. So the aim will be
certainly to reduce the burden for rate payers, but unfortunately
it's all going to be pretty challenging. Nothing can happen overnight,
(01:33):
but we've just got to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What's your approach going to be? What kind of may
will you be? Are we going to see a change
up from what Hamilton has had under Paula Southgate?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well, I've got a lot of respect for Paula on
a personal level and I've always enjoyed it warm relationship
with her. I think that my style is fairly collegial.
I'll be looking to harness the talents of all MYNU
council team to best advantage. I want them to feel
fulfilled by sitting around the council table, so I'll look
(02:04):
to work well with them and provide leadership that I
hope will inspire them to follow the general direction that
I want us to take.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
You've been in central government, do you think that brings
a different approach to local government.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I've certainly found it very different, and I'm delighted that
I've had that experience because the context that I have
in Wellington, I hope will be very helpful. I was
briefly a minister under Civil English, I was an MP
for twelve years, so I know many people in the
Wellington political environment pretty well. In those contexts should be helpful,
(02:41):
but local government operates in a much narrower lane focusing
on different issues. I've enjoyed the nineteen months I've had
since I won a by election early last year to
learn the job, and now I feel ready to get
stuck and lead the city a little bit.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Like Wayne Brannon Orgland. Are you interested in having sort
of closer relationship with central government.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Absolutely, it's going to be crucial as part of trying
to ensure that we can deal with the challenges that
we face. And one of those real challenges is the
fact that the government has made it pretty clear that
they are introducing rates capping that will constrain us and
councils right around the country quite significantly. So we have
to have a good understanding of central government as to
(03:24):
what they expect of us and how they will step
in and help us to deliver some of the things
that are reduced rates. Income will inevitably ensure that we
need to look elsewhere to be able to provide Do you.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Think you need that rates capping? I mean, isn't that
the job of counsel to have a budget and to
stick to it. That's your responsibility.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, that's right. We have the three year long term
plan process where we do exactly that. My preference would
have been for us to set our own rates cap
in the sort of way that I was talking before,
But if this is what Central Government is planning to do,
and they have signal that they will, then we're going
to have to work with that make the adjustments necessary.
(04:05):
And that's part of the reason why it will be
really important to have those strong relationships with ministers in
Wellington to ensure that we can be successful in it.
And longer term that will also include working closely with
neighboring councils, trying to improve efficiencies through greater shared services
and that type of thing. Because even the possible question
that others will want to discuss of amalgamation, I'm not
(04:28):
going to be out there leading the charge on that,
but I'm certainly willing to be part of that discussion.
If in the long term that's in the best interests
of our region and our ratepays.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
How is your voter turn out? Tim, Were you happy
with that?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
No? I wasn't we see disappointing. We've had quite low
turnounced nows of several elections. I think that there are
a number of factors for that, not the least of
which is that we have an STV system for our
city council and mayor election, but on the same ballot
patter we have a different voting system to the regional council.
(05:02):
And also, of course we have the Murray Woods referendum,
and a lot of peop found that really really confusing.
They saw the long list of names and thought it
was too hard. Plus, it is absolutely ludicrous that in
twenty twenty five we're still relying on an erratic postal
service for an election. Many young people don't have to
go to a letterbops wouldn't have ever posted a letter
(05:24):
in their lives. Many of them didn't receive their voting
papers even last week. Other's still meeting people who hadn't
received them, so they had to go to the effort
of making a special vote. That's really bad in a
democracy where we need to make voting simple and accessible
for everybody, so I'll be looking for changes in that regard,
and I think that most people would agree that we
(05:46):
cannot carry on with the crazy arrangements that we have
at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
To mecan do. I really appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Thank you very much for more from the Sunday session
with Francesca Rudken. Listen live to news Talks it'd be
from nine am Sunday, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Another former MP has been appointed mayor in Hamilton. Are
electing Hamilton's elected former national MP, Tim Macindo, and Tim
joins me now, congratulations.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Tim, good morning Francesca, and thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I believe you're also initially reluctant to enter the race.
How are you feeling now being there? Is it a reality?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
It's certainly becoming a reality. And yes, I was initially
reluctant but changed my mind for a variety of reasons,
and I'm now very excited and grateful to have been
given the support that I've received.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You said that you think Hamilton needs significant change. What
change you're talking about? What's needed?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Well, our rate players have faced some of the highest
rates rises in the country over the last couple of
years and that's been projected for the foreseeable future as well.
They are really feeling the pain. Unfortunately, there are no
easy options for us to take that can suddenly get
things down in a hurry, but we have to eliminate
(01:12):
wasteful spending and focus on delivering core priorities. Well, I
think make much greater use of it, which should enable
us to reduce costs, improve our procurement and do a
arrange in other different things. So the aim will be
certainly to reduce the burden for rate payers, but unfortunately
it's all going to be pretty challenging. Nothing can happen overnight,
(01:33):
but we've just got to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
What's your approach going to be? What kind of may
will you be? Are we going to see a change
up from what Hamilton has had under Paula Southgate?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Well, I've got a lot of respect for Paula on
a personal level and I've always enjoyed it warm relationship
with her. I think that my style is fairly collegial.
I'll be looking to harness the talents of all MYNU
council team to best advantage. I want them to feel
fulfilled by sitting around the council table, so I'll look
(02:04):
to work well with them and provide leadership that I
hope will inspire them to follow the general direction that
I want us to take.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
You've been in central government, do you think that brings
a different approach to local government.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
I've certainly found it very different, and I'm delighted that
I've had that experience because the context that I have
in Wellington, I hope will be very helpful. I was
briefly a minister under Civil English, I was an MP
for twelve years, so I know many people in the
Wellington political environment pretty well. In those contexts should be helpful,
(02:41):
but local government operates in a much narrower lane focusing
on different issues. I've enjoyed the nineteen months I've had
since I won a by election early last year to
learn the job, and now I feel ready to get
stuck and lead the city a little bit.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Like Wayne Brannon Orgland. Are you interested in having sort
of closer relationship with central government.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Absolutely, it's going to be crucial as part of trying
to ensure that we can deal with the challenges that
we face. And one of those real challenges is the
fact that the government has made it pretty clear that
they are introducing rates capping that will constrain us and
councils right around the country quite significantly. So we have
to have a good understanding of central government as to
(03:24):
what they expect of us and how they will step
in and help us to deliver some of the things
that are reduced rates. Income will inevitably ensure that we
need to look elsewhere to be able to provide Do you.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Think you need that rates capping? I mean, isn't that
the job of counsel to have a budget and to
stick to it. That's your responsibility.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, that's right. We have the three year long term
plan process where we do exactly that. My preference would
have been for us to set our own rates cap
in the sort of way that I was talking before,
But if this is what Central Government is planning to do,
and they have signal that they will, then we're going
to have to work with that make the adjustments necessary.
(04:05):
And that's part of the reason why it will be
really important to have those strong relationships with ministers in
Wellington to ensure that we can be successful in it.
And longer term that will also include working closely with
neighboring councils, trying to improve efficiencies through greater shared services
and that type of thing. Because even the possible question
that others will want to discuss of amalgamation, I'm not
(04:28):
going to be out there leading the charge on that,
but I'm certainly willing to be part of that discussion.
If in the long term that's in the best interests
of our region and our ratepays.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
How is your voter turn out? Tim, Were you happy
with that?
Speaker 3 (04:41):
No? I wasn't we see disappointing. We've had quite low
turnounced nows of several elections. I think that there are
a number of factors for that, not the least of
which is that we have an STV system for our
city council and mayor election, but on the same ballot
patter we have a different voting system to the regional council.
(05:02):
And also, of course we have the Murray Woods referendum,
and a lot of peop found that really really confusing.
They saw the long list of names and thought it
was too hard. Plus, it is absolutely ludicrous that in
twenty twenty five we're still relying on an erratic postal
service for an election. Many young people don't have to
go to a letterbops wouldn't have ever posted a letter
(05:24):
in their lives. Many of them didn't receive their voting
papers even last week. Other's still meeting people who hadn't
received them, so they had to go to the effort
of making a special vote. That's really bad in a
democracy where we need to make voting simple and accessible
for everybody, so I'll be looking for changes in that regard,
and I think that most people would agree that we
(05:46):
cannot carry on with the crazy arrangements that we have
at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
To mecan do. I really appreciate your time this morning.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Thank you very much for more from the Sunday session
with Francesca Rudken. Listen live to news Talks it'd be
from nine am Sunday, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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