'I'd rather put a hot needle in my eye than stand for mayor of Dunedin'

Which prominent Dunedin resident said this?

The Municipal Chambers, Dunedin. Photo: Stuff

It is just over 200 days until the local body election (QUICK: pencil October 8 into your calendar).

And already the rumours have started. So lets get to the bottom of those.

Welcome to The Mish’s 2022 initial guide to the Dunedin mayoralty.

My first call was to the man who is always rumoured to be standing: Sir Ian Taylor.

He answers the phone while at Sydney Airport and was unequivocal.

‘‘Absolutely not.’’

Instead he was focused on his Dunedin-based company Animation Research Limited, which employs 45 people.

I expect I’ll be calling him again in another three years.

Next up was a left-field suggestion - or is that right-field?

Michael Woodhouse, Dunedin-based list MP, was equally forthright.

‘‘I’d rather put a hot needle in my eye than stand for mayor of Dunedin.’’

He stressed that the mayoralty was an important role, and it was equally important to have good councillors around the table, but ‘‘I can’t say that about all of them’’.

He declined to name those current councillors.

C’mon Michael!

Unlike caucus-driven central Government, a council in a city like Dunedin was effectively ‘‘15 islands in an archipelago’’.

That aside, he urged anyone interested to put their name forward.

His previous political rival, former Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran, said she would not be standing for council - or for mayor.

First term mayor Mayor Aaron Hawkins, currently self-isolating due to Covid, said he was focused on the ‘‘job I currently have’’.

Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins. Photo: Stuff

‘‘But I would expect to make any announcement on the future sooner rather than later.’’

He’s running.

Meanwhile councilor Jules Radich, who was behind the ticket ‘Team Dunedin’ which features two current councillors; Andrew Whiley and Carmen Houlihan, said he would be running for the top job.

He confirmed there were seven other names on that ticket, but he was not yet in a position to name those aspiring councillors.

Team Dunedin was business friendly, not right leaning but “centre centre’’, he said.

‘‘Because we have left-leaning concepts within the group, and policies, ideas and thoughts and we also have right-leaning . . . we are very centrist.’’

The group was yet to determine a policy platform, he said.

Councillors who had previously indicated they would to stand for the top job include Cr Houlihan, while Cr Lee Vandervis did not respond to messages.

Lee Vandervis. Photo: Stuff

Another councillor who was tipped to stand was Cr Sophie Barker, who confirmed she had been approached, but ‘‘I haven’t made a decision’’.

Deputy Mayor Christine Garey confirmed she would not be standing for the mayoralty but offered Mayor Hawkins her “total support’’.

Whereas Cr Whiley, who was not running for the mayoralty, pledged his support to Cr Radich.

Cr Steve Walker said he would only run for the mayoralty ‘‘if I possessed the ability to do it . . . I don’t’’.

‘‘On principal, I believe its completely disingenuous to ‘run for Mayor’ in the hope (via greater media exposure) of squeezing onto council.’’

He supported Mayor Hawkins who was ‘‘doing an excellent job in extremely difficult circumstances’’.

Previous mayoral candidate Cr Jim O’Malley said he was not planning to stand. Nor was councillor Rachel Elder.

Former ACT MP Hilary Calvert, a current Otago Regional Councillor, said she would not be standing for the Dunedin City Council.

Nor would she stand for council - that is ‘‘very unlikely . . . beyond unlikely’’.

Glad to have cleared this up.

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Little John. Photo: Stuff

I had a nice text from Little John after driving him to his father’s home, where they were reunited for the first time in 25 years.

‘‘After all this time we had a lot to talk about.’’

That included the death of his mother, and he planned to visit the spot where her ashes were scattered.

Thanks for the update Little John.

I also checked in with Public Trust about a small slice of Dunedin land.

That 186sqm largely undeveloped land on Silverton St, Andersons Bay was the subject of a public notice in the Otago Daily Times.

A few pot holes on the land in question. Photo: Stuff

Since issuing a notice about the land, Public Trust had become the manager of the property.

The land in question was last owned by Simon Every, who died in 1888. But his long ownership of the land will soon be over.

“We are now in the process of ensuring the land is put to best use, which includes the possibility of selling it,’’ Public Trust chief executive Glenys Talivai said.

As part of considering any sale, Public Trust would have regard to existing access rights and uses of the land, she said.

“If the land is sold, the proceeds of the sale become assets of the estate and Public Trust will consider distributing them to any beneficiaries’’

Anyone who was a potential beneficiary was urged to contact Public Trust.

If no beneficiaries come forward, Public Trust would hold any proceeds from the land for seven years from the date of the notice before that money was transferred to the Crown.

If the land didn’t sell, it would be transferred to the Crown 20 years on from the date of the notice.

“Once Public Trust takes on management of land, confidentiality obligations in the Public Trust Act prevent us from publicly disclosing further details about our administration of the property,’’ Talivai said.

The section in question is next to a former kindergarten.

The former kindergarten looks like toddlers are doing the gardening. Photo: Stuff

And now it is time for Tweet of the Week. It is a sad one, but a nice reminder of the great work the Wildlife Hospital do each day.

Dr Andrew Digby @takapodigs

Sad to report that Jemma has died. She had severely diseased lungs and could not have survived. Waiting for confirmation of aspergillosis. Huge thanks to @lisabirdvet and @DunedinWH team for their determined efforts to save her. 200 #kakapo left. #kakapo2022 Pic: Lydia Uddstrom

Here’s an oldie but a goodie from a Radio One live to air featuring Coyote. Always amazing to see a guitarist using his teeth.

And in a new feature: ‘It is a big week for…’ I’d like to say it is a big week for Cr Lee Vandervis, who has taken his fight over a parking ticket all the way to the Court of Appeal.

As an aside, no tickets for me this week.

See you next week.