The Star: March 30, 2023

The Star Thursday March 30 2023
4
NEWS
• From page 1
MacDonald thinks the
candidate who finished with the
second-most votes should be
promoted to the vacant position
without having to have a byelection.
Another way to alleviate the
cost to ratepayers could be for
the person who has resigned to
pay for the by-election, if it was
not for medical or similar type
reasons.
“(In the result of community
board resignations) the person
who came second would be
elected . . . that’s my preference,”
he said.
“Or the person who resigns
pays for it . . . unless the
individual is under extenuating
circumstances.”
MacDonald said the cost of byelections
should not be borne by
ratepayers.
“They’re a hugely expensive
exercise and actually they don’t
generate a lot of public interest.
I don’t think that is a cost that
should be paid by the ratepayer.”
“At the moment we’re looking
at a hundred grand in by-election
costs that ratepayers will never
see value from.”
MacDonald said that these
were workable solutions and that
the legislation change was not a
council decision, and would have
to come from the Local Electoral
Act.
“I think it’s a discussion worth
having,” MacDonald said.
Davidson says he will donate
his community board fees to the
Mayoral Relief fund.
He would not say when asked
by The Star yesterday if he would
have resigned had The People’s
Choice or he had to pay for the
by-election.
“The People’s Choice believe
in removing barriers to ensure
people are empowered to stand
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
By-elections: ‘There
must be a better way’
Sam
MacDonald
Ali
Jones
HAVE YOUR SAY: Share
your views on local body
politicians resigning soon
after they are elected and
forcing by-elections. Email
heidi.slade@starmedia.kiwi
Keep responses to 200
words or less and supply
your name and suburb you
live in.
and represent their communities
across Christchurch and Banks
Peninsula,” Davidson said.
“Councillor MacDonald has
some good suggestions; however,
they aren’t current electoral
law, I’d encourage Sam to seek
legislative change to enable this.”
Jones said was there must be
a “better way” when someone
resigns.
“People stand down for all
sorts of reasons and often it can’t
be helped but there must be a
better way to respond to this
without having to run another
election.
“The CCC is hardly rolling in
cash and the cost of these byelections
is not insignificant.”
Homeless man
jailed for attacking
disabled woman
• By Emily Moorhouse
A DISABLED woman who let
a homeless man sleep on her
couch was repaid by getting
“thrown around” and sexually
violated in an attack that led to
her sleeping with a bat under
her bed.
Tyler Timu, who prefers the
last name Wotton-Kerr, was
sentenced at the district court
yesterday for his attack on
the woman. He also stole the
woman’s phone and Kiwi Access
Card.
The woman’s victim impact
statement, read by a support
person, outlined how the attack
left her fearing for her safety
and feeling “trapped” inside her
own home.
She told Timu she had been
assaulted by men in the past,
so was wary of letting him into
her home but he assured her she
was safe with him.
The victim, whose name is
suppressed, said she now sleeps
with a bat under her bed. She
rarely goes out and is constantly
looking over her shoulder.
Judge Tom Gilbert said
Timu’s “undoubtedly serious”
offending had a huge impact
on his victim, who now suffers
from post-traumatic stress disorder
and anxiety.
He acknowledged Timu’s
difficult upbringing, which
included abuse and led him to
being homeless for most of his
adult life.
Judge Gilbert gave Timu
discounts for his early guilty
pleas, difficult background and
remorse, arriving at an end
sentence of three years and 10
months’ imprisonment.
Where to get help:
If it’s an emergency and you
feel that you or someone else is
at risk, call 111. If you’ve ever
experienced sexual assault
or abuse and need to talk to
someone, contact Safe to Talk
confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email support@safetotalk.nz
• For more info or to web chat
visit safetotalk.nz
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