1989 Christchurch City Council election

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1989 Christchurch City Council election
← 1986 14 October 1989 1992 →
Turnout121,680 (60.56%)
 
Candidate Vicki Buck Morgan Fahey Margaret Murray
Party Independent United Citizens Christchurch Action
Popular vote 63,824 30,891 25,666
Percentage 52.45 25.39 21.09
Mayor before election

Hamish Hay
Christchurch Citizens' Association

 Elected mayor

Vicki Buck
Independent

Councillors
All 24 seats on the City Council
13 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
United Citizens Dennis Rich 30.49 7 −3
Labour Alex Clark, succeeded by David Close[a] 21.62 6 −3
Christchurch Action Margaret Murray 26.16 6 New
Independents for Papanui ward Des King & Gordon Freeman 4.51 2 New
Independent n/a[b] 3 +3
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Results by ward

The 1989 Christchurch City Council election was a local election held from September to 14 October in Christchurch, New Zealand, as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters elected the mayor of Christchurch and 24 city councillors for the 1989–1992 term of the Christchurch City Council. Postal voting and the first-past-the-post voting system were used. These were the first elections held after the Fourth Labour Government's 1989 local government reforms.

Vicki Buck, an independent, was elected with more than double second place. The council was split mainly into three camps; conservative United Citizens on 7, Labour also on 7, and the new conservative Christchurch Action group on 6.

Key dates relating to the local elections were as follows:[2]

2 September Final possible day for returning officers to give public notice of location and closing date for candidate nominations.
8 September Last day of candidate nominations and withdrawals, closed at noon. Unopposed candidates are declared nominated to office.
28 September – 6 October Postal ballots to be sent out where required.
14 October Polling day – Polls open 9am to 7pm. Postal ballots must be returned to returning officer before poll close.
1 November New councils come into existence, elected members take office.

Mayoral election

Incumbent mayor Hamish Hay had been mayor for five terms, and his intention was to contest another mayoralty. Less than two months out from the election, he pulled out of the contest due to ill health.[3] Prior to the election there was a schism on the right wing Citizens' Association resulting in two conservative tickets running against each other. The first to leave the union was councillor Carol Evans.[4] United Citizens was the successor of the Citizens' Association and Christchurch Action was founded by Margaret Murray.[5] Christchurch Action was set up, comprising former councillors from districts that merged with the city as part of the 1989 local government reforms.[6] The three main contenders were Vicki Buck (Independent), Morgan Fahey (United Citizens), and Murray (Christchurch Action). Buck won the election with 52% of the vote.[7]

Ward results

As part of the 1989 local government reforms the number of local government wards increased from five to twelve with each ward electing two members, as opposed to the three or four that wards previously elected. The number of councillors increased from 18 to 24.

The Christchurch Action team was founded on 13 August by Margaret Murray. The ticket's goals were based on improving city services, additional police, and improving efficiency of the council.[8]

There were changes in political affiliations during the council term. Carole Evans, councillor for the West Ward who ran under the Citizens' team in 1986 ran as an independent. Two sitting councillors from the abolished Waimairi district council, Gordon Freeman and Des King, stood under the Independents for Papanui ward team. Philip Carter, who was the son of councillor and deputy mayor Maurice Carter ran for the Action team as opposed to his father's affiliation of Citizens.

Councillor Alex Clark seemingly endorsed Buck for mayor at the Labour council campaign launch on 16 August as well as endorsing the Independents for Papanui Ward ticket. However, chairman of the local body committee of Canterbury Labour, Maggie Hillock, clarified that Clark's endorsement did not represent the views of the party. The accidental endorsement was seen to offend Councillor David Close who had considered standing for Labour on the mayoral ticket.[9][10]

Burwood ward

Burwood ward (2)[7][11][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Carole Evans* 4,461 46.87
Independent Mike Stevens 3,183 33.44
Labour Arthur Adcock 3,181 33.42
Labour Alister James* 2,540 26.69
United Citizens Judith Bruce 1,767 18.56
United Citizens Colin Harry Russel 1,442 15.15
Action Roger Maaka 1,363 14.31
Action Butler Graham 1,099 11.55
Informal votes 432
Turnout 19,468

Fendalton ward

Fendalton ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens Ron Wright* 4,559 42.02
Action Philip Carter* 4,531 41.76
Action Barbara Stewart 4,231 39.00
United Citizens Bea Stokes 4,127 38.04
Independent Alan Falloon 2,891 26.65
Independent Daniel Visser 1,359 12.53
Informal votes 724
Turnout 21,698

Ferrymead ward

Ferrymead ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens David Cox* 4,486 45.53
Labour Charles Manning* 3,644 36.99
United Citizens Clive Cotton* 2,859 35.40
Labour Carl Horn 2,871 29.14
Action Jamie Tulloch 1,869 18.97
Independent Sara (Sadie) Scott 1,773 18.00
Action Roy Hughes 1,573 15.97
Informal votes 370
Turnout 19,704

Hagley ward

Hagley ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Linda Constable* 4,046 59.57
Labour Denis O'Rourke 3,126 46.02
United Citizens Noel Wesney 1,926 28.35
United Citizens Rae Mills 1,757 25.87
Action Don Donnithorne[13] 1,405 20.68
Action Phillip Donnelly 1,325 19.51
Informal votes 461
Turnout 13,585

Heathcote ward

Heathcote ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens Rex Arbuckle* 3,803 37.86
Action Oscar Alpers 3,450 34.34
Independent Ann Lewis 2,877 28.64
United Citizens Gil Laurenson 2,372 23.61
Action Raywyn Ramage 2,099 20.89
Labour Richard Budd 1,885 18.76
Labour Peter McGrail 1,805 17.97
Independent David Drayton 1,801 17.93
Informal votes 489
Turnout 20,092

Papanui ward

Papanui ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Papanui Independent Gordon Freeman 5,253 50.65
Papanui Independent Des King 4,889 47.14
Action Bruce McFadden 4,113 39.65
Action Gil Simpson 2,783 26.83
United Citizens Gail McIntosh 1,933 18.64
United Citizens Kate Fraser 1,773 17.09
Informal votes 500
Turnout 20,744

Pegasus ward

Pegasus ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Close* 5,103 57.14
Labour Noala Massey* 4,301 48.16
United Citizens Bob Andrews 2,884 32.29
United Citizens Bill Morgan 2,051 22.97
Action Denise Ward 1,840 20.60
Action Christian Birch 1,301 14.57
Progression with Pride David Nation 381 4.27
Informal votes 485
Turnout 17,861

Riccarton ward

Riccarton ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Action David Buist 3,654 38.06
Action Derek Anderson 3,598 37.48
United Citizens Brian Harman 3,342 34.81
Independent Jim Adlam 3,173 33.05
Independent Peter Yarrel 3,037 31.63
United Citizens Mervyn Cooper 2,397 24.97
Informal votes 711
Turnout 19,201

Shirley ward

Shirley ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens Newton Dodge 3,992 45.07
United Citizens Dennis Rich* 3,556 40.15
Labour Linda Purves 2,836 32.02
Labour Hinemoa Conner 2,151 24.29
Independent Phillip Norman 2,007 22.66
Action Sarah Armstrong 1,670 18.86
Action Ian Shrimpton 1,502 16.96
Informal votes 444
Turnout 17,714

Spreydon ward

Spreydon ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens Morgan Fahey* 4,319 49.79
Independent Alex Clark*[c] 3,671 42.32
Labour Ruby Fowler* 3,186 36.73
United Citizens Pearl Quigley 2,686 30.97
Action Kevin Trerise 1175 13.55
Action Graham Catley 1,077 12.42
Progressive Independent Peter Yearbury 1,065 12.28
Economic Euthenics Tubby Hansen 169 1.95
Informal votes 362
Turnout 17,348

Waimairi ward

Waimairi ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Action Pat Harrow 5,019 47.01
Action John Hanafin 4,877 45.68
Independent Fred Blogg 3,509 32.86
United Citizens Ralph Skjellerup 2,942 27.55
United Citizens Honor M. Bonisch 2,423 22.69
Town & Country Angus Mackenzie 1,053 9.86
Independent Paul Telfer 1,053 9.86%
Independent Te Waikanau Taylor 479 4.49
Informal votes 633
Turnout 21,355

Wigram ward

Wigram ward (2)[7][12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
United Citizens Mary Corbett 2,866 35.15
Labour Ishwar Ganda 2,489 30.53
Independent Barry Anderson 2,413 29.59
Labour Rod Falconer 1,741 21.35
Action Dennis J. Cunningham 1,625 19.93
United Citizens John Butler 1,614 19.80
Action John Dunnett 1,581 19.39
Independent Norman Davey 1,054 12.93
Independent Leslie Fibbens 924 11.33
Informal votes 448
Turnout 16,307

Ward summary

Christchurch city councillors elected
Ward Party Elected
Burwood Independent Carole Evans*
Independent Mike Stevens
Fendalton United Citizens Ron Wright*
Action Philip Carter
Ferrymead United Citizens David Cox*
Labour Charles Manning*
Hagley Labour Linda Constable*
Labour Denis O'Rourke*
Heathcote United Citizens Rex Arbuckle*
Action Oscar Alpers
Papanui Papanui Independent Gordon Freeman
Papanui Independent Des King
Pegasus Labour David Close*
Labour Noala Massey*
Riccarton Action David Buist
Action Derek Anderson
Shirley United Citizens Newton Dodge
United Citizens Dennis Rich*
Spreydon United Citizens Morgan Fahey*
Labour Alex Clark*[d]
Waimairi Action Pat Harrow
Action John Hanafin
Wigram United Citizens Mary Corbett
Labour Ishwar Ganda

Footnotes: * denotes incumbents

Aftermath

Footnotes

References

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