Better Services. Better Governance. Better Tauranga
Campaign for Better Council Governance is committed to educating voters about all candidates standing for election to Tauranga City Council. This includes reviewing those standing for re-election, so we engaged retiring councillor Max Mason to rate in a similar format to that previously done by John Cousins.
Max has the advantage of listening to councillors’ contributions in the regular informal meetings in the Councillors’ Lounge where many opinions and policies are informally shaped and influenced, the same councillors say similar things whether in the Councillors’ Lounge or in the debating chamber.
Max Mason has rated from 10-1 highest to lowest in terms of both contribution in the Council Chamber, and their influence in the Councillors’ Lounge.
Larry Baldock (9/10)
Strengths
-
- Intelligent, hard working and a strategic thinker 9/10
- Very experienced in local government and his parliamentary experience is valuable
- Principle driven and very good grasp of detail
- Naturally canny politician with good debating skills. Has provided political leadership in a leadership vacuum
- Good committee chair
Weaknesses
-
- Can appear unforgiving and somewhat combatitive
Kelvin Clout (7/10)
Strengths
-
- Hard working, smart and good with numbers
- Pleasant, personable and decent
- Good understanding of the issues and has an aspirant vision for the city
Weaknesses
-
- Too nice – Needed to have shown some
mongrel in the last triennium
- Too nice – Needed to have shown some
Terry Molloy (7/10)
Strengths
-
- The conscience of the community – has a big heart
- Deeply concerned about city centre retailers impacted by transformation
- Very long history serving his constituency with
genuine commitment and skill
Weaknesses
-
- Feels the pain of his constituents too personally,
which may affect his objectivity
- Feels the pain of his constituents too personally,
Steve Morris (6/10)
Strengths
-
- Works hard for his constituency
- Only councillor to regularly attempt Te Reo Maori in debates
Weaknesses
-
- Too political?
- Occasionally immature
Greg Brownless (5/10)
Strengths
-
- Very hard working
- Good committee chair
- Amusing and personable
- Many years in local government
Weaknesses
-
- Lacks strategic perspective
- Excessively concerned with costs at the expense of opportunities in my opinion
- Too conservative and risk averse
- Contributions to debates very predictable – save money and blame the government
Rick Curach (5/10)
Strengths
-
- Many years in Local Government
- Great advocate for transparency
Weaknesses
-
- Too many knee-jerk amendments apparently on a whim, in debates
- Did not make the most of leadership opportunity in Transport Committee
Max Mason (5/10)
Strengths
-
- Pleasant and personable
- Wide experience of different sectors in Tauranga
Weaknesses
-
- Persisted with unrealistic expectations on how quickly positive change could occur
- Not politically minded enough
- Too collegial and not assertive enough in criticizing poor performance of councillors and staff
John Robson (4/10)
Strengths
-
- Had some business consultancy experience years ago in the UK
- Attention to detail
Weaknesses
-
- In debates he frequently and tediously repeats his history, experience and superiority.
- Unpredictable
Bill Grainger (4/10)
Strengths
-
- Generally amiable until he gets roused
Weaknesses
-
- Has a few passions such as Welcome Bay slipway, and an aquarium but doesn’t add much to debates
- Too black and white, little nuance
