Far North Mayor Moko Tepania (right) and council chief executive Guy Holroyd hongi at the end of the swearing in ceremony. Photo: SUSAN BOTTING / LDR
Far North mayor Moko Tepania will not be seeking his council's top job at the next local elections in 2028.
Tepania made the soft launch announcement about his future to gasps of surprise at the Far North District Council's [FNDC] meeting on Wednesday.
The colourful pōwhiri and swearing in ceremony was full of kōrero, waiata, and haka in front of the newly-elected politicians in Kaikohe.
Around 200 people attended the ceremony including students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kaikohe, Kaikohe East School and Kaikohe West School.
Tepania said he was humbled to be elected for a second term and to be leading a mana wāhine council where women now make up 73 per cent of those at the council table.
"I am looking forward to giving my all for the people of the Far North and setting up for success with the council and its community boards to do that," Tepania said after the ceremony.
The inauguration was the start of the term, while his departure would mark the end.
Tepania was voted New Zealand's most popular mayor earlier this year, in a Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll.
Far North District Council's newly-elected politicians at the swearing in ceremony in Kaikohe. Photo: SUSAN BOTTING / LDR
He said he loved the job of Far North mayor, but he was looking forward to moving into other areas after the local elections in 2028.
"I think for me, three terms of service on the Far North District Council - one as a councillor and two as mayor - will be enough for me to have given to the people of the Far North," he said after the meeting.
Tepania chose new councillor Kaikohe East School principal Chicky Rudkin as his Deputy Mayor.
But in a surprise move, he backed returning four-term councillor Felicity Foy for the next mayoralty at the ceremony.
He said Foy would have been his additional choice if he could have had two deputy mayors.
FNDC councillor Felicity Foy (right) was backed for the council's future Mayoralty from 2028 by Mayor Moko Tepania at the swearing in ceremony. She is with new Te Hiku General Ward's Rachel Baucke. Photo: Susan Botting / LDR
He backed Foy for the Mayoralty, should she choose to accept that.
"If she made a decision to run for Mayor I would endorse her," he said.
Foy said later she had no idea he was going to make this announcement.
But, subject to talking to her family, she was interested in standing for the top job.
Foy said she was humbled by Tepania's comments backing her.
Tepania said indicating this position at the ceremony had been a "soft prompt forward" and he wanted to give others notice of his intention.
Kaikohe's Mutunga Rāmeka challenges incoming Mayor Moko Tepania (in light brown suit) and council with a wero at the start of the pōwhiri. Photo: Susan Botting / LDR
"It's a huge decision for someone to make to stand for mayor.
His response was lukewarm when asked later whether he would pursue a Government MP's role after 2028.
He said that was not his goal in the short term, but it might be something he considered in the longer term.
Tepania said in the shorter term he wanted to work toward a Doctor of Education, further developing his work on the use of maramataka or the Māori lunar calendar in education.
He also wanted to spend more time with whānau and family, including more time working on the ground with his marae - Mātihetihe Marae in Mitimiti, remote North Hokianga and Waihapa Marae in Whangaroa.
Tepania swore in new councillors Deputy Mayor Chicky Rudkin, Arohanui Allen, Rachel Baucke, Ann Court, Felicity Foy, Hilda Halkyard-Harawira, Davina Smolders and John Vujcich.
FNDC Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori Ward councillors (from left) Arohanui Allen, Deputy Mayor Chicky Rudkin and Hilda Halkyard-Harawira. Photo: Susan Botting / LDR
Rākena was not at the ceremony due to being in China.
Meanwhile, the council's 19 politicians across three community boards will be sworn on Friday.
Tepania bestowed FNDC's new deputy mayor Rudkin with the title Te Kohepu o te Hiku o Te Ika - the flower of the kohekohe tree.
He said the name acknowledged Rudkin's deep roots in Kaikohe where she was born and grew up with close ties to Hokianga and Whangaroa.
The kohekohe flower with its sweet smell has a strong connection to Ngāpuhi. The mid north town's Kaikohe name originates from the native tree.
Rudkin was FNDC Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board chairperson for the last council term.
FNDC deputy mayor Chicky Rudkin (foreground). Photo: Susan Botting / LDR
Tepania said she would be retiring from her role as principal at the end of the year.
Rudkin told the about 100 students present she was proof that local people could achieve, even if they had not gone to university.
They would have the opportunity to one day be standing where he and the councillors at the ceremony were.
Tepania said a youth council would be returning to FNDC next year.
Meanwhile, a unique father and son combination will be among FNDC community board members.
New FNDC politicians father (at left) Panguru's Doug and son Kaitaia's Mike Te Wake have been elected to two different community boards. Photo: Susan Botting / LDR
Kaitaia's Mike Te Wake is Te Hiku Community Board's Kaitaia representative
His father Panguru's Doug Te Wake is Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board's North Hokianga representative.
-LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
