Disclaimer:
This post is based on my personal observations and public engagement from the 2025 local election campaign so far — including speeches, forums, social media, public presence (or lack of), and candidate materials.
It’s not an endorsement. It’s not paid. It’s not filtered.
It’s a mix of straight talk, some cheek, and a whole lot of watching, listening, and asking: “Will this person actually show up for our community?”
If you want fluff , read a candidate bio.
If you want honesty, keep reading.
How They Stack Up — Taupō 2025 Election Edition
Mayoral Candidates
| Candidate | Strengths | Weaknesses | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Funnell | Crisis leadership, real-world action | No polish, not a career politician | Solid. Understated front-runner. |
| Zane Cozens | Army background, sharp comms, wide appeal | Avoids hard issues, calculated silence | Wildcard. Could lead — or divide. |
| Kevin Taylor | System knowledge, former cop | Didn’t push for change, shuts voices down | Knows the job. Didn’t do the job. |
| David Trewavas | Experience, name recognition | Complacent, silent, self-preserving | More interested in the title than the task. |
Mangakino-Pouakani Ward
| Candidate | Strengths | Weaknesses | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hope Woodward | Strong, resilient | New-ish to politics | Composed, rising star |
| Marlene Johnson | Loud, confident | Divisive, reactive | Could still win, but very messy |
Taupō East Rural Ward
| Candidate | Strengths | Weaknesses | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebecca Stafford | Smart, polished | New to the field | Sharp. The one to watch. |
| Kylie Leonard | Incumbent | Invisible campaign | Missing in action. |
Taupō Ward (7 Seats)
| Candidate | Strengths | Weaknesses | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duncan Campbell | Investigative, active | Blunt, rough edges | Useful watchdog. |
| Nicola de Lautour | Strong speaker, clear ideas | Risk of bias | One of the strongest runners. |
| Ann Tweedie | Facts, bold, energetic | Chaotic, loud | Could bring life to the chamber. |
| Steve Manunui | Balanced, clear-headed | Low profile | Unfiltered but fair. |
| Christine Rankin | Experienced, calm | Too quiet this round | Step up or step back. |
| Steve Punter | Involved everywhere | Risk of bias | Either a bridge — or a bottleneck. |
| Richard Cade | Capable, respectful | Low visibility | Underrated. Could surprise. |
| Belinda Walker | Grounded, quiet presence | Almost invisible online | Not much to go on. |
| Julie Yeoman | Great storyteller | Light on policy | Personal brand > civic plan. |
| Barry Delany | Present, social | Questionable loyalties | David T’s friend? Hmm. |
| Bill Clarke | Education background | Ghost campaign | Not engaging enough. |
| Yvonne Westerman | Incumbent | Conflict questions, silent | Needs to front up or step down. |
| Rachel Shepherd | Soft-spoken | Lacks grit | Doesn’t push back enough. |
| David Freeman | Literally a ghost | Not present | Not serious. |
| Mark Wynyard | Well-spoken, steady | Not based in the ward | Interesting, but distant. |
| Katrin Wilson | — | Pulled out silently | Gone girl. |
Te Papamārearea Māori Ward (2 Seats)
| Candidate | Strengths | Weaknesses | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wahine Murch | Passionate, clear | Young, still growing | Promising. Deserves the seat. |
| Danny Loughlin | Vocal, confident | Aggressive, divisive | Loud, but at what cost? |
| Ngāhuia Foreman (Asher) | Unknown | Total ghost | Is she even running? |
TL;DR – Who’s Making Noise vs Who’s Making Sense?
| 💬 Loud & Present | 🧠 Smart & Grounded | 🫥 Ghost Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Zane Cozens | John Funnell | David Freeman |
| Ann Tweedie | Nicola de Lautour | Ngāhuia Foreman |
| Danny Loughlin | Rebecca Stafford | Kylie Leonard |
| Marlene Johnson | Wahine Murch | Katrin Wilson |
Final Verdict?
Some candidates talk big but act small.
Some show up without screaming.
And some… well… we’re still not sure why they’re on the ballot.
That was the trailer. This is the full feature.
Who’s the main character? Who’s the background extra? Who forgot their lines?
Lets meet the Mayoralty Candidates :
John Funnell
He’s like Zane — but without the polish.
He’s not a politician, and he doesn’t pretend to be. What you get is real: a guy who shows up, tells it straight, and doesn’t waste time on spin. He’s got decades of crisis leadership behind him, the boots-on-the-ground kind, not the boardroom kind.
He fumbles his words sometimes, but at least they’re his.
Verdict: He’s not running for glory. He’s stepping up to serve. Old-school, unfiltered, and possibly the only grown-up in the race.
Zane Cozens
Served in the army. Smart, calculated, confident. Has built a base of older service-minded voters and younger digital voters — a rare combo.
But here’s the catch: he talks big, then goes silent when things get tricky — especially around Māori wards and other hot topics. That silence might be strategy… or a red flag.
Verdict: He’s either playing chess while everyone else plays checkers or dodging the real issues. Still, he’s sharp, present, and absolutely a contender.
Kevin Taylor
He knows council inside and out. Former cop. Current Deputy Mayor.
But here’s the real problem: he had three years to change things under David Trewavas — and didn’t. Now he’s suddenly singing the “change” song?
He also has a habit of shutting people down instead of listening. Respect goes both ways — and Kevin hasn’t quite figured that out yet.
Verdict: You don’t get to campaign for change when you’ve spent four years co-signing the status quo.
David Trewavas
The incumbent Mayor. His approach? “If it works, why fix it?”
But it works for him. The mayoral credit card still works. The $100k salary still arrives. But for the rest of us? The cracks are showing.
If he loses, he loses the perks. And frankly, he doesn’t seem ready for the pensioner life.
Verdict: Comfort isn’t leadership. And silence isn’t service. David’s not running to lead he’s running to keep his seat.
Mangakino-Pouakani Ward (1 Vacancy)
Marlene Johnson
Talks a big game, often about herself. Not much to show publicly in terms of action, unless you count shouting at her fellow candidate. This race feels deeply divided, and she’s also part of that tension. Still, she might pull enough support to win.
Hope Woodward (Let’s Go Taupō)
Strong, driven, grounded. Despite all the noise and division in this election, she’s held her head high and stayed focused. Whether you agree with her or not, she’s shown leadership and honestly? It looks like she might have this one in the bag.
Taupō East Rural Ward (1 Vacancy)
Kylie Leonard (Independent)
Who? No Facebook, no signs, no visibility. It’s hard to vote for someone you’ve never seen or heard from.
Rebecca Stafford (Let’s Go Taupō)
Now here’s a surprise package — sharp, articulate, and clearly done her homework. She might just be the wild card this ward didn’t see coming. One to watch.
Taupō Ward (7 Vacancies)
Richard Cade
A quiet contender. Seems experienced, possibly competent; just hasn’t broken through the noise. He’s a bit of a mystery.
Duncan Campbell
Unpolished and a bit stubborn, but vital. He’s been digging into council shadows and asking the awkward questions no one else will. Not always polished — but definitely present.
Bill Clarke
Ex-principal. Beyond that? Nothing. No Facebook page, no campaign presence. Unknown to most.
Nicola de Lautour
Confident speaker, knows her stuff, and holds her ground. Probably one of the stronger communicators in the Taupō Ward race.
Barry Delany
Lots of social posts, not much substance. Known to be mates with David Trewavas — which raises the question: Where does his loyalty really sit?
David Freeman
Complete no-show. No public presence, no campaign, no Facebook. The literal ghost of this election.
Steve Manunui
Balanced, unfiltered, and says what others won’t. Smart voice in the room. One of the better newcomers this round.
Steve Punter (Independent)
He’s on every board you can think of, which could mean experience… or bias. Hard to tell. Might be too plugged in.
Christine Rankin
Well-known name, but hasn’t made much noise. We need more doers, not just familiar faces. Time to speak up,or step aside.
Rachel Shepherd
Nice enough… but mostly air. Didn’t speak out when the dump went cashless — and that silence could cost her. Still feels like she’s towing the party line without much spine.
Kevin Taylor (Independent)
See: Mayor critique. Knows the system, but didn’t push for change when he had the chance.
Ann Tweedie (Let’s Go Taupō)
Loud, bold, a little chaotic, but smart and full of facts. Could make council a lot more interesting, and probably less sleepy.
Belinda Walker (Independent)
Quiet campaigner. One video on Facebook, that’s it. Apparently she’s out there in person — just hasn’t reached the digital crowd.
Yvonne Westerman (Independent)
Silent. Hasn’t answered questions about potential conflicts. Rumours swirl of collusion with Kevin Taylor (same designer, same video crew). Needs to front up.
Katrin Wilson (Independent)
Appears to have pulled out without a word. No press release, no explanation. Just vanished.
Mark Wynyard
Lives outside the Taupō Ward, but running anyway. Rotary forum and cozzie club forum was decent — said the right things. But is he passionate or just looking for something to do?
Julie Yeoman
Lots of “about me” videos… but not much about what she’d actually do on council. Feels more like a personal brand campaign than a civic one.
Te Papamārearea Māori Ward (2 Vacancies)
Ngāhuia Foreman (née Asher) – Toitū Te Tiriti
Hasn’t shown up anywhere. No media, no speeches, no public footprint. Is she even in this race?
Danny Aperahama Loughlin
Fiery. Went off during a radio (Lakefm comment section) column, calling people names. Very anti-Pākehā vibe. Might be trying to out-Māori the other Māori candidates, but there’s a difference between passion and bitterness. The name change thing? It feels performative.
Wahine Murch
Young, bold, and rising. She’s got mana, and she’s learning fast. Might be using this as a stepping stone, but she’s the kind of voice council desperately needs. Would take her over Danny any day.
Final Thoughts?
Some candidates are fighting for us.
Some are fighting each other.
And some just vanished into the candidate list like it’s a high school reunion they forgot to RSVP for.
Choose wisely. Because we only get one shot every three years to clean house.
Bones Appétit.
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