Jason Smith (New Zealand politician)
Jason Smith | |
|---|---|
| 6th Mayor of Kaipara | |
| In office 20 February 2018 – 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Wethey (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Craig Jepson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jason McLaren Smith 1971 or 1972 (age 52–53) Dargaville, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Relations | Lockwood Smith (cousin)[1] |
| Residence | Matakohe |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | Auckland University of Technology |
| Thesis | The creative country: policy, practice and place in New Zealand's creative economy 1999–2008 (2010) |
| Doctoral advisor | Ian Shirley Marilyn Waring |
Jason McLaren Smith (born 1971 or 1972)[2] is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist who served as the mayor of Kaipara from February 2018 to 2022. Prior to entering politics he was a farmer and businessman.[2]
Early life and career
Smith was born in Dargaville in New Zealand's Northland Region, but raised 30 km south in Ruawai.[3] He is a fifth-generation resident of the Kaipara District, but went to school at King's College in Auckland. From 1991 to 1994 he studied in Cirencester at the Royal Agricultural University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in agriculture and land management. He later went on to serve as a research intern for the European Parliament, living in Luxembourg.[4]
By 1997 he had returned to his home district of Kaipara and started his own eco-tourism company called Kauri Country.[4] In 2002 he was appointed chief executive officer of the Kaipara Development Agency, a role he carried out while undertaking part-time study at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), earning a Diploma in Economic Development.[4] He continued further at AUT, graduating in 2010 with a PhD in economic development, with his thesis examining New Zealand's creative industries.[5] One of his PhD supervisors was former National MP Marilyn Waring.[5]
He later worked as a senior policy advisor to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in Auckland before returning to Ruawai to become a beef and sheep farmer on his family farm.
Political career
After Greg Gent announced his resignation as mayor of Kaipara District in November 2017, Smith stood in the by-election to replace him. Smith was successful in the election, held in February 2018, defeating seven other candidates including acting Mayor Peter Wethey, who came second by over 300 votes.[6] Smith took office as Kaipara's sixth mayor on 20 February 2018.[2]
When Smith was sworn in as mayor, the Kaipara District Council had debts of around 58 million dollars.[7] Smith promised a "fresh start" for the district, seeking to attract new ratepayers in order to bring down council debt.[7] Smith stood for re-election as mayor in 2019, when he was challenged for the position by activist Moemoea Mohowhenua, also known as Benjamin Nathan, best known for denting the America's Cup in 1997.[8] Smith won re-election overwhelmingly, garnering 5996 votes to Mohowehnua's 418.[9]
Despite having faced him in the Mayoral by-election, Smith re-appointed outgoing acting Mayor Peter Wethey as Deputy Mayor after taking office.[10] Following his 2019 re-election, he appointed second-term councillor Anna Curnow as Deputy Mayor to replace Wethey, partly to bring a gender balance to the KDC leadership.[11]
In June 2022, Smith announced he would not be standing for re-election as Kaipara District mayor at the
References
- ^ Botting, Susan (18 March 2023). "National's Northland candidates to be known this weekend". New Zealand Herald.
- ^ a b c "Kaipara has a new mayor". 19 February 2018.
- ^ "Detail page, Kaipara District Council".
- ^ a b c "Development agency boss' new skills a boon to district".
- ^ a b Smith, Jason Mclaren (2010). The creative country: Policy, practice and place in New Zealand's creative economy 1999–2008 (Thesis). Auckland University of Technology.
- ^ "KA Mayoral Final Result (19/02/18)" (PDF). Kaipara District Council. 2018.
- ^ a b "New mayor promises fresh start for Kaipara". Radio New Zealand. 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Sitting mayors and slew of councillors keen to stay".
- ^ "KDC Detailed Final Results- 2019 votes" (PDF). Kaipara District Council. 2019.
- ^ "Mayor and Councillors, Kaipara District Council". Archived from the original on 27 May 2019.
- ^ "New Kaipara deputy mayor to bring gender balance in leadership".
- ^ "Kaipara Mayor Dr Jason Smith not seeking re-election".