Tasman's Tim King on the arc of public disengagement

Tasman's newly elected mayor Tim King says he's not sure how to address increasing apathy among voters, or what in fact is driving it. Mr King, who's been an elected member of the Tasman District Council for 21 years - mostly as deputy mayor - has today been elected mayor, based on about 95 per cent of returned voting papers. Voter turnout in Tasman was just over 47 per cent - or 18,000 voting papers excluding votes in transit to the processing centre. It's a three percent drop on the previous three triennial elections. Mr King was out spraying thistles on his Eves Valley farm when RNZ caught up with him and asked how he might tackle falling voter interest.