The Asian candidates contesting mayoral seats in local elections

Five Asian candidates have put their hand up to contest mayoralty races in their local governments, vowing to damp down rates and improve public services.

Only a handful people of Asian descent have been elected as mayor in New Zealand's history to date, with all of them serving at least two terms.

This includes George Gee, the first Asian and Chinese New Zealander to be elected to a mayoral seat.

Gee served four terms as mayor of Petone from 1968 to 1980.

The list of Asian mayors goes on to include, but is not limited to, Dame Sukhi Turner (Dunedin, 1995-2004), Peter Chin (Dunedin, 2004-10), Meng Foon (Gisborne, 2001-19) and K Gurunathan (Kapiti Coast, 2016-22).

This year's Asian mayoral candidates include Ash Nayyar for Kaipara District, Eric Chuah for Auckland, Ray Chung and Joan Shi for Wellington, and Prabha Ravi for Hutt City.

Ash Nayyar (Kaipara District)

Currently a councillor in Kaipara District Council, Ash Nayyar is trying for the second time to become mayor.

He came to New Zealand from India with his family in 2001, ultimately choosing to settle in Dargaville in Northland in 2016.

The former banker's interest in politics started in 2019 after being encouraged by an elderly resident at a rest home where his mum was staying, but his first attempt at winning a local government seat failed.

He was eventually elected to a Kaipara District Council seat in 2022 but lost the mayoral contest.

Issues that concern him the most include rising rates, road maintenance and water infrastructure.

Nayyar campaign pledges include keeping rates at their current level over the next three years, improving council operations by cutting staff and consultancy costs, diverting relevant savings to road maintenance and youth services, and redirecting some funding to water infrastructure.

He also promises to explore tourism and technology opportunities for Kaipara, which traditionally is a district that relies on agriculture and forestry.

"I have ... decades of commercial experience to fix the three issues," Nayyar says, highlighting the high rates, road maintenance and infrastructure. "I also have the integrity to carry on with commitment."

Nayyar is also running for a council seat on the Wairoa Ward.

Eric Chuah (Auckland)

Eric Chuah came to New Zealand from Malaysia with his wife and young daughter in 1993 and settled in Mt Roskill.

Chuah started to show an interest in politics not long after 1996 when the mixed member proportional voting system was introduced for the country's general election.

He says some politicians used migrants as a "political football to gain votes" as the new system was rolled out, which made him realise there is a need for Asian communities to have a voice.

Chuah has since been involved in a few different political parties, including the Ethnic Minority Party, which later deregistered and merged with the United New Zealand Party before the 1999 general election.

The mayoral candidate also made an unsuccessful bid for the Auckland electorate seat of Maungakiekie in the 2023 general election.

Chuah pledges to focus on mitigating or lowering rate rises by cutting spending on such things as funding spent on road cones.

"I see the need to bring my policy expertise and problem-solving skills to mitigate excessive rate increases, which leads to higher rents and cost-of-living," he says.

He also wants to ensure transparency and accountability in the council tendering process, as well as staff recruitment to avoid corruption and nepotism.

Chuah is also running for a council seat in the North Shore Ward as well as a seat on the Kaipātiki Local Board.

Ray Chung (Wellington)

Ray Chung is one of the two Asian candidates standing for mayor of Wellington.

The incumbent councillor made headlines in July for sending an email to three fellow councillors that contained third-hand claims about a sexual encounter involving Mayor Tory Whanau.

Chung later apologised for his actions.

Chung's father emigrated from China's Guangdong province to New Zealand in the 1940s and eventually settled in Wellington.

Chung says he's concerned about where the council is heading, especially in terms of its unaffordability.

"Wellington residents are struggling as the council continues an unjustified spending spree, treating ratepayers like never-ending ATMs," he says.

"Operational expenditure is exceeding our income, and the council is borrowing to pay for the shortfall."

Chung wants to cut at least $100 million from the council's operating expenditure and remove the $1 billion cost of social housing from the council's books.

"These are concrete examples of how a zero rates increase is achievable," he says.

Chung is also standing for a council seat on the Wharangi/Onslow-Western General Ward.

Joan Shi (Wellington)

Joan Shi came from the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen with her family in 2010 and moved to Wellington in 2012 after living in Dunedin for two years.

Having worked in an export business and banking in China, Shi spent a few years as a full-time mother looking after her young daughter and son before rejoining the workforce as an IT developer.

She later studied data science after her IT role was disestablished.

Shi contested a seat in the Lambton Ward by-elections last year, coming fourth out of seven candidates.

A desire to change the status quo has inspired her to stand in the upcoming elections.

"What motivated me to stand for local government elections was also the belief that I couldn't do any worse than the current council," Shi says.

Focusing council spending on core infrastructure and essential services will be a priority if elected, she says.

She also wants to improve the council's financial management and create a better and more affordable public transport system.

"I will listen carefully, be honest and transparent, and use my expertise in financial management to deliver real results," Shi says.

Shi is also standing for a council seat in the Takapū/Northern General Ward.

Prabha Ravi (Hutt City)

Prabha Ravi arrived in New Zealand nearly 30 years ago from India with her husband.

She started a dancing school and later worked as a management consultant, in which she helped businesses and public institutions operate more efficiently.

Ravi is standing for mayor of Hutt City after missing out on a council seat in 2022.

Hutt City Council is a large organisation with a multimillion-dollar turnover, and it is not being run with the financial discipline or strategic oversight that residents deserve, she says.

"I am standing for mayor of Lower Hutt because I have the proven business and governance skills to stop wasteful spending and deliver better value for ratepayers," Ravi says.

She wants the council to focus on core council services and infrastructure such as ageing pipes and roads.

"I will make fixing these essentials that are urgent and important our top priority before we commit to any new 'nice to have' projects," Ravi says.

She also wants to introduce new parking policies, including a "first-hour and weekends free" rule to encourage people to visit shopping areas in the city.

"My journey from a new arrival, building a small business to a consultant and director, has given me a unique understanding of both grassroots community needs and high-level financial discipline," she says.

"It's this blend of experience I want to bring to the council table."

Ravi is also standing for the Council At Large.