Andrew Judd

Andrew Judd is a New Zealand local government politician and activist. He won the mayoralty off one-term incumbent Harry Duynhoven with a resounding 9,206 vote majority in 2013^[1] and served one term before announcing he would not stand again in 2016.^[2]

Māori wards

In 2014 Judd caused controversy when he and his council supported the establishment of a special Māori ward in New Plymouth in a move intended to increase Māori representation, lift Iwi participation in council decision-making and fulfill Treaty of Waitangi obligations. Additionally, Judd also called for all councils in New Zealand to be half-Māori.^[3] The proposals were widely criticised by politicians and the media, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters calling arguments for the ward "childish nonsense" ^[3] and right-wing media personality Mike Hosking labeling Judd "completely out of touch with middle New Zealand".^[3] In the months following a publicly-initiated referendum on the creation of a Māori ward, which Judd lost in a landslide, the Mayor spoke to media about "a man in a Nazi uniform" coming to see him, getting removed as a patron of a club, being abused walking down the street in a Santa parade and being spat on whilst out with family at a local supermarket.^[4] Judd, a New Zealand European, labels himself a "recovering racist".^[5]

However, Judd gained the admiration and recognition of notable political figures, including MP Marama Fox who called for his critics to apologise in a general debate speech before parliament.^[6] Support for Judd also flowed on social media, with a Facebook group named "Andrew Judd Fan Club" reaching 10,500 members.^[7]

References