2025 Environment Southland election

2025 Environment Southland election
11 October 2025
Council election
12 seats of Environment Southland
7 seats needed for a majority
Party Seats +/–
Independents

5
to be determined

7
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

The 2025 Environment Southland election was a local election held between 9 September and 11 October 2025 in the Southland Region of New Zealand, as part of that year's regional council elections and other local elections held nation-wide.

Voters elected 12 regional councillors for the 2025–2028 term of Environment Southland (the Southland Regional Council). Postal voting and first-past-the-post voting were used.[1]

Key dates

  • 4 July 2025: Nominations for candidates opened.[1]
  • 1 August 2025: Nominations for candidates closed at 12pm.[1] Updates to the preliminary electoral roll closed at 5pm.[1]
  • 9 September 2025: Voting documents were posted and voting opened.[2]
  • 11 October 2025: Voting closed at 12pm and preliminary results released.[2]
  • 16-22 October 2025: Declaration of final results.[2]
  • October/November 2025: Swearing-in ceremonies for elected members.[2]

Background

Local body elections are held in New Zealand every three years. The last Southland Regional Council election was held in 2022, with 18 nominations for 12 vacancies. Elections were held in all but one ward.[3]

By 1 August 2025, Environment Southland had received 18 nominations for 12 positions. Since the five candidates for the Fiordland, Eastern-Dome, Western and Southern regional constituencies are standing unopposed, elections will only be required for the Hokonui and Invercargill-Rakiura constituencies.[4][5][6]

Other local body elections were also held for the Invercargill City Council, the Gore District Council, the Southland District Council, the Invercargill Licensing Trust and the Mataura Licensing Trust.[5]

List of candidates

Incumbents not seeking re-election

  • Environment Southland chairman Cr Nicol Horrell of the Western regional constituency confirmed on 1 August 2025 that they would not be seeking re-election.[7][8]
  • Cr Neville Cooke of the Invercargill-Rakiura regional constituency.[7][8]
  • Cr Robert Guyton of the Invercargill-Rakiura regional constituency.[7][8]

Councillors

Fiordland constituency

The Fiordland constituency returned one councillor to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Paul Evans Independent Incumbent councillor[8][6]

As the only candidate, Evans was re-elected unopposed.[12]

Eastern-Dome constituency

The Eastern-Dome constituency returned two councillors to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Alastair Gibson None Incumbent councillor[8][6]
Jeremy McPhail None Incumbent councillor and deputy chair[8][6]

As the number of candidates did not exceed the number of positions available, Gibson and McPhail were re-elected unopposed.[12]

Western constituency

The Western constituency returned one councillor to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Ewan Mathieson None Incumbent councillor, dairy farmer and DairyNZ local leader[7][13]

As the only candidate, Mathieson was re-elected unopposed.[12]

Hokonui constituency

The Hokonui constituency returned one councillor to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Peter McDonald None Incumbent councillor[6][8]
David Rose None Farmer and former President of the Southland chapter of Federated Farmers[14]

Southern constituency

The Southern constituency returned one councillor to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Jon Pemberton None Incumbent councillor[6][8]

As the only candidate, Pemberton was re-elected unopposed.[12]

Invercargill-Rakiura constituency

The Invercargill-Rakiura constituency returned six councillors to the regional council.[9]

Candidate[4][10] Affiliation[a] Notes
Joshua Cumberland None River engineer[7][6]
Roger Hodson Independent Environmental scientist and member of the Southland Conservation Board (2024-2027 term)[15]
Lyndal Ludlow Independent Incumbent councillor[8][6]
Phil Morrison Independent Incumbent councillor and Southland Regional Climate Change Working Group co-chairman[16][8]
Nick Perham None WorkSafe New Zealand safety assessor, former Southland District Councillor and unsuccessful National Party candidate for the Southland electorate[17]
Maurice Rodway None Incumbent councillor[8][6]
Eric Roy None Incumbent councillor and former National Party Member of Parliament for Awarua and Invercargill.[8][18][6]
Nathan Surendran Honesty, Responsibility, Resilience Entrepreneur, tertiary tutor and 2019 Southland Regional Council election candidate[19]
Roy Te Maiharoa None Tutor and instructor at the Southern Institute of Technology. He also contested the 2023 Invercargill City Council by-election.[20]
Annette Trent Independent Agriculturalist and chair of the Southern Farmers Market[21]
Geoffrey Young None Unsuccessful 2022 Southland District mayoral candidate,[22] famer and southern South Island director for the farming lobby group Beef + Lamb New Zealand.[23]

Results

Twelve councillors were elected to Environment Southland across six constituencies.[24]

Fiordland constituency

Fiordland constituency[24]
Affiliation Candidate Votes
Independent Paul Evans† Unopposed
Registered
Independent hold
† incumbent

Eastern-Dome constituency

Eastern-Dome constituency[24]
Affiliation Candidate Votes
Independent Alastair Gibson† Unopposed
Independent Jeremy McPhail† Unopposed
Registered
Independent hold
Independent hold
† incumbent

Western constituency

Western constituency[24][25]
Affiliation Candidate Votes
Independent Ewen Mathieson Unopposed
Registered
Independent gain from Independent

Hokonui constituency

Hokonui constituency[24]
Affiliation Candidate Vote %
Independent David Rose 1,378 52.38
Independent Peter McDonald† 1,142 43.40
Informal 2
Blank 109
Turnout 2,631
Registered
Independent gain from Independent
† incumbent

Southern constituency

Southern constituency[24][25]
Affiliation Candidate Vote
Independent Jon Pemberton† Unopposed
Registered
Independent hold
† incumbent

Invercargill constituency

Invercargill constituency[24]
Affiliation Candidate Vote %
Independent Eric Roy† 8,658
Independent Lyndal Ludlow† 7,883
Independent Maurice Rodway† 7,096
Independent Roger Hodson 5,921
Independent Geoffrey Young 5,469
Independent Phil Morrison† 5,354
Independent Joshua Cumberland 5,316
Independent Nathan Surendran 5,295
Independent Annette Trent 4,923
Independent Rob Te Maiharoao 4,686
Independent Nick Perham 3,782
Informal 9
Blank 1,953
Turnout 18,163
Registered
Independent hold
Independent hold
Independent hold
Independent gain from Independent
Independent gain from Independent
Independent hold
† incumbent

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f A candidate may leave their affiliation blank, run as an independent, or run with an affiliation to an organisation, local body ticket or political party. Environment Southland does not allow whānau, hapū, or iwi details to be used for the affiliation.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "NOTICE OF 2025 TRIENNIAL LOCAL AUTHORITY ELECTIONS". Environment Southland. 1 July 2025. Archived from the original on 2 July 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Elections". Environment Southland. Archived from the original on 2 May 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  3. ^ Miller, Grant (8 October 2022). "Last-minute voting for local body elections finishes at noon". The New Zealand Herald. Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g "Final-day flurry for Environment Southland seats in 2025 elections". Environment Southland. 1 August 2025. Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b Savory, Logan (4 August 2025). "Limited candidate numbers for Environment Southland". The Southland Tribune. Substack. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rosenberg, Matthew (1 August 2025). "Fewer people want seat at Southland councils". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e Kelly, Rachael (1 August 2025). "Environment Southland chairman Nicol Horrell not seeking re-election". The Press. The Southland Times. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Your councillors". Environment Southland. Archived from the original on 1 July 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Determination of representation arrangements to apply for the election of the Southland Regional Council to be held on 11 October 2025" (PDF). www.lgc.govt.nz. Local Government Commission. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Environment Southland - Final Nominations". www.electionz.com. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Pukapuka Aratohu Kaitonopōti | Candidate Handbook" (PDF). www.es.govt.nz. Environment Southland. p. 14. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d "Candidates". www.es.govt.nz. Environment Southland. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  13. ^ "DairyNZ: How dairy environment leader Ewan Mathieson helps his community". The New Zealand Herald. The Country. 31 March 2023. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  14. ^ "David Rose lifetime member of Southland Federated Farmers". The New Zealand Herald. Otago Daily Times. 9 May 2018. Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Southland Conservation Board members". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  16. ^ Doppenberg, Gerrit (30 April 2025). "Climate change work hits pushback from councillors". Otago Daily Times. The Ensign. Archived from the original on 19 May 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  17. ^ Telfer, Ian (31 July 2017). "Three vie to replace Barclay after farmer rejected". Radio New Zealand. Archived from the original on 10 December 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  18. ^ Goodwin, Eileen (10 October 2016). "Ex National MP calls for diversified land use". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Environment Southland nominees". Otago Daily Times. 18 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  20. ^ Fallow, Michael (9 June 2023). "Invercargill by-election candidates pledge commitment". Stuff. The Southland Times. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  21. ^ Trent, Annette (8 May 2025). "Greenyard Veges". southlandnz.com. Great South, Southland Regional Development Agency. Archived from the original on 13 May 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  22. ^ Kelly, Rachael (10 January 2023). "Young challenging Morrison for a position on Beef + Lamb board". Stuff. The Southland Times. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Geoffrey Young is Beef + Lamb New Zealand's new southern South Island director". The New Zealand Herald. The Country. 24 March 2023. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g "2025 Election results - Final results". Environment Southland. Archived from the original on 18 October 2025. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  25. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference unopposed was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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