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Kaipara’s newly-elected councillors took their oaths of office at a ceremony in Matakohe on November 12, including Mayor Jonathan Larsen, who is returning for his fifth term.
The event was held at the Matakohe War Memorial Hall, whose central district location chief executive Jason Marris described as symbolic of a fresh start.
“Today marks a poignant moment, especially for our incoming elected members,” he said. “With five new faces, there’s a whole new personality around the table.
“Putting your hand up to represent your community is no small thing – it’s a tough job. Imagine going to the supermarket and everyone wants to talk to you. I take my hat off to everyone who stands for office.”
After receiving the mayoral robes and chains from Marris, the mayor and councillors were individually sworn in, followed by Larsen’s inaugural address, which began in te reo Māori.
“Kaipara is a vast and unique district, it’s an honour to be elected as mayor,” he said. “The councillors before you are, without exception, passionate about Kaipara. They’re committed to doing their best and leading our district forward in unity. I can’t achieve anything without their cooperation and I sincerely thank the community for electing such a talented group.”
Raised on a farm in Topuni and educated locally, Larsen reflected on his deep ties to the region. His dedication to Kaipara has seen him serve two terms each on the Otamatea and Kaiwaka-Mangawhai wards, with the last three years as deputy mayor.
Larsen outlined several key priorities for the 2025-2028 triennium, including rates affordability, clear communication on council expenditure, navigating upcoming water reforms and the “hot topic” of roading, with plans to improve the resilience of Kaipara’s network.
He also hinted at the possibility of an airport for Dargaville, saying a much-needed local aerodrome was vital, especially with Northland roads frequently closing due to volatile weather.
Managing high growth areas such as Mangawhai and Hakaru, while simultaneously taking economic advantage from the proposed district plan and the anticipated four-lane Northern Corridor, would be another key focus for council, Larsen said.
“More properties and more businesses mean a stronger economy, more jobs and more vibrant local towns. This will allow local services such as doctors, dentists and hospitality to be profitably established, and it will also help weekend markets to thrive.
“It’s safe to say that the stars are really starting to align for our district. Kaipara really is becoming the place to be.”
Larsen also expressed gratitude to KDC staff and his family, including his parents, Graeme Larsen and Judith Cain, and her husband David, for their enduring support and “putting up with” his enthusiasm for local body politics for the past 15 years.
His mother said she was amazed her son had stuck with council work for so long – “he’s never wavered.”
“Jonathan didn’t show an obvious interest in politics, but he always questioned things that didn’t seem right,” she said. “If something felt wrong, he’d figure out what should happen. He’s always wanted to make things better.”
Kaipara’s 2025 local election was marred by controversy, with the then-mayor Craig Jepson calling an emergency meeting just one day before final results were announced, raising concerns about the conduct of the KDC election and the Northland Regional Council Māori constituency referendum.
The race proved to be incredibly tight, with several candidates requesting recounts, including mayoral hopeful Snow Tane, who trailed Larsen by only 21 votes and two-term Otamatea councillor Mark Vincent, ending up with a margin of only two votes behind newly-elected Denise Rogers.
Nearly 60 per cent of Kaipara’s 486 special votes, which potentially could have tipped the balance, were rejected due to issues such as voters not being on the electoral roll, outdated enrolment details, missing declaration forms, as well as a small number of duplicate submissions.
