2025 Election Nominations & Candidates

The biggest questions facing Hawke's Bay currently are water, and trust in our councils. We either have too much, or not enough. The future of our stopbanks should be looked at in a pragmatic manner based on how much risk we are prepared to accept. Water security is critical for the economic future of Hawke's Bay.

Whilst water storage sounds like the solution to all our problems we should also be taking a serious look at water conservation. Having previously served a term on HBRC I have the experience to look at issues with a critical eye and know how the system works.

I describe myself as a pragmatic environmentalist and appreciate that the solutions to the challenges that confront us are going to take time to resolve and cost money. It is important that we get value out of every dollar spent.

See bailey4hbrc on facebook for more details.

I’m standing to protect what matters most to us: our communities, our environment, and the future we’re shaping together.

Our region faces big challenges, including climate adaptation, coastal hazards, flooding, and how we live safely alongside our rivers. As a Napier City Councillor serving on regional committees, I’ve brought my engineering background to help navigate these complex issues.

There are no quick fixes, but practical, responsive leadership makes progress possible. We need leaders who are honest about the challenges, understand the risks, and are committed to helping communities prepare, not just react.

Strong leadership also means facing what’s gone wrong, listening with humility, and staying focused on the solutions that move us forward. That is the approach I bring: collaborative, grounded, and mana-enhancing.

I’m ready to represent Napier at a regional level with clarity, courage, and love for our people, our place, and future generations.

www.linkedin.com/in/hayleybrownefornapier

Chartered Engineer, Environmental Hearings Commissioner, Local Community Leader.

I am standing because I care deeply about Napier, our people, land, and future. Over the past decade, I have fast tracked climate resilience across New Zealand. However, this is not just about experience; it is about action. Some have served for years, ask what they have delivered. I offer action where delays have cost our communities.

I live in Napier with my family and have listened to residents concerned about floods, water quality, and coastal erosion. Yet, delays persist; rates are rising while services decline; transport costs are up 48%, while buses are cut; 35% of aquifers exceed nitrate limits; and erosion action is delayed until 2030.

Treasury forecasts $500 million in flood damage, ESR warns of 10,000 health cases, and Business predicts 150 closures. I will act now in collaboration to deliver infrastructure that safeguards our people, land, and future.

Neil Kirton has been a very effective voice for Napier. He has been tireless in focusing the council's attention on the threat of flooding and has demanded urgent action to improve flood protection and civil defence capability for the city. Cyclone Gabrielle proved his concerns well founded. We cannot keep building houses in high flood risk zones.

Neil has a post-graduate science degree. He is a justice of the peace and a former member of parliament, having served as the Minister of Customs and Associate Minister of Health. He was responsible for introducing free healthcare for children under six. Neil is a director on the council's investment company HBRIC, with over $400million of council assets under management, including Napier Port and Foodeast.

As a regional councillor, HB Today described Neil as outspoken and constantly thinking about how the council is spending ratepayers money and its responsibility to the public.

Phone:  027 28 66 200
Email: ndkirton@gmail.com

Hinewai Ormsby is passionate about Napier and the people who call it home.

A proud local ratepayer, small business owner, and mum, she understands the pressures families face and works hard to make life better for our community.

As Chair of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hinewai helped steer the region through Cyclone Gabrielle. Critical upgrades like the Taradale stopbank proved life-saving, and now she’s focused on accelerating flood protection in vulnerable areas like Napier South and Te Awa — making sure every dollar of the $260 million fund delivers real results.

A former Napier Girls’ High student and teacher, Hinewai has served her community in the classroom and around the council table. She’s committed to smarter council spending—cutting waste, building resilience, and ensuring ratepayers see value.

Above all, she’s determined to secure clean, reliable water for every Napier resident, so everyone can have confidence in their future.

•  021 077 0088
•  hinewaiforhbrc@gmail.com

I live just 3km away in Eskdale, where I’m deeply connected to the Napier community. 

With over 22 years as a successful local business owner of Dale Carnegie Training, I bring proven leadership, commercial expertise, and a lifelong commitment to Hawke’s Bay. As a founding trustee of the Sensible Sentencing Trust, I’ve worked to influence law reform and champion victims’ rights. When Cyclone Gabrielle struck, I was immediately on the ground helping flood-stricken communities. I led public meetings to confront the looting crisis and have spent the past 2½ years advocating for victims, many who felt the HBRC response was worse than the disaster itself. This work reflects my inner strength and compassion for our people. I stood up when our region needed leadership, not silence. I’m here to overhaul the current council, drive real change, and use my experience to ensure our environment and economy thrive together.

Born and bred in Hawke’s Bay, I’ve worked here all my life, building strong relationships across the region’s primary industries – from horticulture and viticulture to pastoral farming.
I bring a practical, common-sense approach backed by decades of experience in support industries, food processing, post-harvest, and market access. For the past 25 years I’ve been with Heinz Wattie’s, serving as Agricultural Manager since 2019.

I’ve been actively involved in water access and security for over a decade, which has given me a broader understanding of the diverse values and priorities in our region. I’m particularly passionate about resource management – especially water, but also land and air. I firmly believe in the 100-year vision and the principle of maintain or improve when it comes to water quality and land health.

I’m a proud local, a strong believer in good governance, and someone who says can do – not can’t do.

When I wrote this statement for the 2022 election I said I will advocate for our environment and our economy. We can do better in both, especially if we manage our water well.

I’m pleased to say that HBRC is well advanced with its water security initiatives including a detailed investigation into a medium-scale water reservoir that will capture winter water and release it in summer. This will boost summer river levels in the Ngaruroro and it will benefit our economy through irrigation and town water supply. We are investigating a range of water efficiency measures too.

A few words about me. I am married to Bridget and we have three grown up children (Kate, Jess and Tom). I have lived here most of my life, served on two school boards, coached rowing and been immersed in the community though my former role as CEO of Mitre 10 sports park.

•  021 808 303
•  jock@jockmackintosh.nz

In 2023, just three months into my term as a regional councillor, I found myself helping lead a massive recovery operation in response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

I’d love to say the past three years have been inspiring and satisfying, but truthfully, it’s been a time of frustration, emotional highs and lows and relentless hard work, just as it has been for our wider community. But in the past six months, I’ve begun to see results from all the planning and groundwork, real signs that regional resilience is building.

As Chair of the Environment Committee, I’ve worked hard to achieve practical outcomes through science-backed programmes. I bring hands-on farming experience, a thorough understanding of local government process and commitment to this region.

I am standing again to ensure continuity of the good works and efficiencies that have been achieved and to have the opportunity to bring meaningful results to our community.

•  021 082 007 88
•  books@millwoodpress.com

Protecting your water quality and supply is crucial, including addressing contamination, declining aquifer levels, and ensuring safe drinking water.

Flood resilience upgrades are necessary to protect homes and livelihoods from increasingly severe storms and climate change. Balancing land use change and housing needs with environmental protection is vital as the central government categorises flood-prone areas.

Uncertainty around RMA reforms demands leadership to safeguard local planning, growth, and water management. Transparent decisions will support sustainable prosperity.

Raised and educated here for 50 years, with 27 years of experience in governance, community service, and business, including banking and insurance.

I am a business owner and an active member of the community, holding a Master’s degree that enhances my analytical and critical thinking skills. I live in Havelock North with Verena, enjoying empty nest status.

Your Vote means I will represent the future of the place we call home with integrity and dedication.

Ko Takitimu te waka. Ko Te Wairoa Hōpūpū Hōnengenenge Mātangirau te awa. Ko Whakapūnake. Ko Taraia ngā maunga. Ko Hinemihi te marae. Ko Ngāti Hinemihi te hapū. Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa te iwi. Ko Michelle McIlroy (née Lewis) ahau. Ko Hirini McIlroy tōku hoa rangatira, nō Ngāti Paarau o Waiohiki, me Ngāti Hinemanu o Ōmahū Marae.

Mama of five tamariki and nanny to five mokopuna. A wahine Māori with over 20 years’ experience advocating for our taiao and mātauranga Māori in freshwater and environmental spaces. Unafraid to challenge systems that exclude iwi and hapū voices, upholding rangatiratanga and kaitiakitanga across governance.

Former Co-Chair of the HBRC Māori Committee, current member of the Regional Planning Committee, and Director of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa. Currently completing a Bachelor of Environmental Management to strengthen our collective capability and influence.

027 919 5363

hinemihi316@gmail.com

Kia ora tātau. Born and raised in Wairoa, I am a 71-year young Māori male with the strength and support of a proud and close-knit whanau behind me. I've always enjoyed working alongside our people, driven by a shared passion to achieve meaningful goals for our community.

My business management skills has provided me with valuable experience, working closely with local business partners, meeting deadlines and motivating teams to get the job done. These experiences have helped shape strong communication and leadership skills, grounded in respect, accountability and collaboration. Looking ahead, my focus is clear; To promote the health and well-being of our people and to enhance the environment we live in, ensuring a better future for the next generation.

Wairoa Tapokorau e kōrero nei, Tihei Kahungunu, Whānau mai ai ahau ki roto i te iho o Te Wairoa, me taku pākeke 71. E horopaki nei i te taituara o tōku whanau e *tū whakahī nei ki tō taha. Kō te mahi o te Hāpori tēnā e ngākau nui ana e au, ko te taha ki ahau kia nanaiore kia mahi tahi ki a tatau whānau o te takiwā, ano nei ko te Hāpori tēnā e ānga i roto i ngā moemoea mō tēnei hāpori, whanau hoki. Ko Shelton White ahau.

E ora ai te taiao, e ora ai ngā uri whakatipu When the environment thrives, so too do the generations to come. Thompson is a bilingual academic and iwi leader standing for re-election.

Born in Hawke’s Bay, he carries six generations of whakapapa in the shearing industry and on the whenua, working tirelessly for his people. He holds qualifications in Freshwater Management, Mātauranga Māori, Whakairo, Tertiary Teaching, and a Masters in Māori and Indigenous Leadership.

His current governance roles include Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, NZ Māori Council, and the HB Regional Sports Park.

Thompson advocates for Māori water rights, opposes unsustainable dam solutions, and champions natural approaches like wetlands that restore mauri and uphold Te Mana o te Wai. He believes water security must be equitable — whānau deserve clean, reliable wai. His leadership blends climate resilience, cultural integrity, and economic fairness. Thompson represents not just governance, but whakapapa in action.

•  021 253 7717
•  thompson4hbrc@gmail.com

Proven Leadership. CHB Focus. Practical Solutions.

I’m Tim Aitken, a long-time Central Hawke’s Bay resident, farmer, and former district councillor with nine years of governance experience. I’m standing for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council because I believe our region needs practical, experienced leadership that understands both the land and the people who rely on it. I bring decades of hands-on business and farming experience, backed by multiple environmental and farming awards.

I know the importance of protecting our natural resources because I live it every day. Our region is at a turning point. We face significant challenges: water security, climate impacts, biodiversity loss, and infrastructure strain. These require leadership that’s grounded, collaborative, and committed to real outcomes, not bureaucracy.

I’ll be a strong voice for Central Hawke’s Bay, someone who listens, understands realities, and delivers balanced, common-sense decisions. Vote Tim Aitken for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

Wouldn’t it be great if councils can’t add another rule unless they have to take one away? Farmers look after the environment every day. We need to protect and improve soils.

My family and I live on a small farm outside Waipukurau. I run a garden/landscaping business around CHB and am a volunteer rural firefighter. The Regional Council needs to promote economic growth while looking after the environment. I am standing for gravel extraction, pest control, and reimagining rivers. I stood for Regional Council 6 years ago, and I continue to feel passionately about the need to remove shingle from our rivers and improve greatly the maintenance of our stop banks. Cyclone Gabrielle showed that the Regional Council wasn’t doing its job properly. I will make sensible decisions that are researched, reasonable and practical. I will ensure prudent spending of ratepayer’s money.

About Me: Keri Victoria Ropiha (20 July 1973).

As a former member of the HBRC Regional Planning Committee, I had the privilege of serving on the Corporate and Strategic Committee, RPC Lead in the water security team and participating on the Cyclone Recovery Committee.

My academic qualifications are: Bachelor of Applied Management (Distinction) majoring in Strategic Management; Master of Professional Practice (2024); Diploma in Wool Technology (2013).

Other achievements include Making Good Decisions: Environmental Commissioner Certificate; Institute of Directors governance training, and a range of certifications from Day Skipper to Bee Keeping.

These are a reflection of my commitment to work better and smarter, no matter the obstacles in my way. My interests lie in environmental protection, preservation, and community wellbeing.

I want my presence at the table to be representative of the voice you wish the council to hear. My experience is your supporting backbone.