The Star: December 13, 2018

The Star Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday December 13 2018 13
News
CHRISTCHURCH
CASINO’S
TEAM: Lianne Dalziel and city councillors. She will stand again for mayor in the local body
elections next year. People’s Choice leader and Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner (front row, third
from left) won’t now contest the mayoralty.
Achieving milestones and
resolving unfinished business
IT WAS June when my husband,
Rob, and I went to the Cancer
Society Ball.
We heard the message loud and
clear – each day 60 New Zealanders
will hear the words “I’m sorry,
you have cancer.”
For us it was only a few weeks
later. Rob came back from overseas
feeling unwell. He went to
the doctor and began a barrage
of tests. Finally a bone scan and a
biopsy confirmed it was prostate
cancer. It came as a big shock.
I haven’t talked publicly before
now, because the question from
the media since July is whether
I’m going to run for mayor again.
As I’m sure you will understand,
this has required additional
thought.
I personally don’t think it’s
necessary to make the decision
so far out from the election, given
that so much can occur between
now and then.
• By Julia Evans
LIANNE DALZIEL’S decision
to run for a third term means
left-aligned People’s Choice
will wait another three years
before putting up a mayoral
candidate.
Leader and Deputy Mayor
Andrew Turner said he would
only stand for the position in the
October 12 local body elections in
the event that Ms Dalziel bowed
out.
“Lianne is very aware of my
position – that I would run only if
she did not,” he said.
It is the reason Ms Dalziel has
announced her intentions 10
months early, in spite of saying in
June she would make a decision
However, with some potential
candidates indicating that they
would be willing to serve if I was
not going to put my name forward,
I’ve decided to make that
call now.
Rob has responded well to
treatment, and there is every
Mayor
Lianne Dalziel
after the Long Term Plan had been
finalised.
“I personally don’t think it’s necessary
to make the decision so far
out from the election, given that so
much can occur between now and
then,” she said.
“However, with some potential
candidates indicating that they
would be willing to serve if I
was not going to put my name
forward, I’ve decided to make that
call now.”
Ms Dalziel won her first mayoral
race in 2013 to take over from Bob
Parker, who did not stand.
She had a majority of almost
50,000 over closest rival, businessman
Paul Lonsdale.
At the time, she said it would be
her only term.
reason to be confident we have
many years ahead of us.
I’ve also been encouraged to
run again by many community
and business leaders, as well as
countless residents who have offered
their support as we’ve come
into contact on the street, in the
supermarket and at events.
We’ve come a long way as a city
in the past five years, and there
are a few more milestones to be
achieved before the election.
However, there is unfinished
business, which I believe I am
well-placed to help resolve, and
therefore I intend to stand next
year.
Turner: ‘I would run only if she did not’
In 2016, Ms Dalziel announced
her intention to run five months
before the election. That year she
received 75,524 votes, 62,407 more
than closest rival, activist John
Minto.
Previously Ms Dalziel was a
Labour cabinet minister and MP
for Christchurch East.
Cr Turner said he believed
he would be an “effective and
successful” mayor. But he
would be happy to remain a
councillor.
“If that is not the opportunity
which is present for me in 2019, I
will also be very happy to continue
to achieve the best for my Banks
Peninsula Ward and for the city
by continuing in my current role,”
he said.
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