Trevor Maxwell will become New Zealand’s outright longest-serving councillor after a pre-election plea for “one more term” became reality for the man known affectionately as “Uncle Trevor”.
Progress results in Rotorua’s local elections have Maxwell retaining his seat on the Māori ward, which will also stay, something that delighted the former deputy mayor.
Maxwell has been an elected councillor for 48 years, putting him level with Doug Truman, who served on Grey District Council from 1968 to 2016, for the national record.
But his re-election, once confirmed, will take him to 51 years and an outright lead.
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting outside his Ōhinemutu home, Maxwell said there was one clear reason why he kept coming back to the council table.
“I love Rotorua,” he said.
“I am born and bred in Rotorua and to think I can go out on my terms; I am very honoured.”
He said things had changed since he first became a councillor in 1977 and it was a role he did not take for granted.
“There’ve been some sad moments when I’ve been the only person of Māori extraction [on the council],” he said.
“There’s enough of us now to join up with other colleagues and do what is best for Rotorua.”
Maxwell has been a big supporter of retaining Māori wards in Rotorua for this very reason. A binding poll alongside the candidate election saw Rotorua vote in favour of keeping Māori wards.
Maxwell called this the “quinella” of his day, topping off his re-election.
“That is also a wonderful thing for us here,” he said.
“I am proud because it means we’ve got the mandate from the community.”
Maxwell, who also served 11 years as Rotorua deputy mayor and fell just short of the mayoralty in 2004, said he hoped to be “an example” to young Māori politicians, such as Te Rika Temara-Benfell, who topped the polling for the Māori ward and will become Rotorua’s youngest councillor, alongside its most experienced.
Temara-Benfell said it would be “an absolute privilege” to work alongside Maxwell for his final term.
“I’m really looking forward to working more closely with him to get insights from his extensive career in council,” he said.
Maxwell also highlighted re-elected Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell as another burgeoning politician of Māori background.
“I’m very happy that she has been re-elected,” he said.
“In the last term, it was a tough time she came into and in the past year-and-a-half or two years, I’ve seen her grow in the job.”
He joked about a potential farewell tour when he reached “50 not out” and confirmed this would be his final term, with no plans to seek re-election in 2028.
Maxwell and Temara-Benfell look set to be joined by returning councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait on the Māori ward. Progress results have her holding a slim advantage over current councillor Rawiri Waru for the final seat.
Preliminary results due Monday are expected to provide extra clarity.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
