New Plymouth Mayor Max Brough Spends $26,570 on Campaign

The mayor of New Plymouth, Max Brough, significantly outspent his rivals in the recent local body election, declaring a total campaign expenditure of $26,570. His spending was more than $21,000 higher than that of any other mayoral candidate, according to the election expenses released on March 5, 2024, by the New Plymouth District Council.

Brough’s campaign expenses included $7,857 for services provided by Taranaki Media, owned by Tony Skilling. Other notable expenditures comprised $10,000 for signage, $1,065 for a commercial photographer, and $1,035 in rental costs for his unofficial “Mayor’s Office” located on Devon Street East. Additionally, he allocated $2,875 for a magazine feature to boost his visibility.

Voter support was evident, with Brough receiving 13,984 votes, which placed him 7,688 votes ahead of his closest competitor, former deputy mayor David Bublitz. Bublitz reported the second highest campaign expenditure at $5,331, balanced somewhat by a $2,000 donation from Dr. Murray Cox.

Sarah Lucas, who also ran for mayor while seeking a council seat, incurred the third-highest expenses at $4,219. She received $1,350 in donations from four contributors. Among the eight mayoral candidates who declared their expenses, Greg MacKay had the least expenditure, reporting only his $200 nomination fee.

Deputy Mayor and Other Candidates’ Spending

Following the election, Moira George, one of Brough’s newly appointed deputy mayors, recorded the second highest declared expenditure among council candidates, with expenses that included $6,095 paid to a social media management company.

In a broader context, Damon Fox emerged as the candidate with the highest declared expenses in the district’s wards, spending nearly $13,000. His campaign costs included $3,184 to ACT New Zealand for campaign management and design services, along with $4,256 for the installation and removal of campaign hoardings. Fox, who won a seat in the Kaitake-Ngāmotu ward, also garnered $11,222 in donations, which included $4,256 from Morris Hey and $3,000 from Dorothy and George Doeg.

In contrast, Murray Chong, the deputy mayor seeking re-election, adopted a more frugal approach, spending just $13 of his own money on A4 paper. He also secured a $595 donation from Taranaki Media for billboard usage.

The election expenses reveal a notable disparity in campaign spending, with several unsuccessful candidates expending substantial amounts. For instance, Murray “Muzz” McDowell spent $8,889, while Sarah Sutherland and Bryan Vickery reported expenditures of $8,110 and $7,592, respectively. McDowell’s expenses were offset by donations totaling $8,889.

The release of these figures not only highlights the financial landscape of local elections but also the varying levels of financial support candidates received, shaping the outcomes in New Plymouth’s political arena.