Hamilton City, New Zealand

Matthew Small

I currently work as a Supported Living Facilitator- Mental Health & Disability Support. In 2021 I completed a Mental Health & Addiction Support Work Certificate at Wintec.

I’m very passionate about accessibility and making sure everyone has the opportunity to get around the city.

I believe I will bring the right balance around the council table. We need to invest in critical infrastructure, not nice to haves.

During this cost of living crisis low-middle income residents are suffering the most. Council need to play their part and not focus on fancy, expensive gold platted projects.

I will be a city councillor that looks out for our low-middle income residents.

Cost of living crisis:

Food, fuel, rent and interest rates are high at the moment and low-middle income earners are suffering.

Housing crisis:

I have worked and supported people in emergency housing or applying to be on the social housing waitlist. We need to rebuild new, high quality, warm and dry social housing.

This is the role of central government, they need to team up with social housing providers to help build and increase the amount of social housing in the city.

We need more new, good quality rental housing across the city, so making sure our district plan reflects that when new developments are built.

Political parties need to stay out of local government elections. We should always be independent, so we can work with whoever is in charge down in Wellington.

No political party will dictate my views around the council table. I will always be an independent voice.

Yes I am a member of a political party.

The whole process has been a shambles. Yes there will need to be some sort of reform in the future, but this model is not fit for purpose.

I also think any political party that wants to do reforms like this, should do it during an election campaign. I believe all political parties need to come up with a new alternative option. Let’s have a proper debate in 2023.

I agree with all current elected members that the entities are far too big and need to be smaller and regional based.

I support the decision the current 13 elected members made last year.

I support partnership with Mana Whenua.

I look forward to listening, learning and working with local iwi and new councillors around the council table.

At the moment it’s not good at all. The process with Three Waters is clear that there needs to be signifcant improvements.

No matter who is in charge down in Wellington, I will work with and strongly advocate for our local residents.

Central government need to help fund critical infrastructure, because rate payers can’t afford to keep having significant rate increases every few years.

No. 

Voting options are limited in local elections. There are a few more options of voting this time, but still not enough. I would like to see Countdown and other supermarkets offer voting boths like they are going to do in Auckland.

A large number of residents don’t care or don’t know what local government does. We need to continue education campaigns throughout the three year cycle, not just election years.

I will always live in the ward I would like to represent.

I do believe you should live in Hamilton, but at the end of the day it’s up to the voters. Voters have elected members that don’t live in their ward.

No. 

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