# 1983 Porirua local elections

The 1983 Porirua local elections were part of the 1983 New Zealand local elections, to elect members to sub-national councils and boards. The Porirua elections covered one regional council (the Wellington Regional Council), city council, hospital board, and various local boards and licensing trusts. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

## Porirua City Council

The Porirua City Council following the 1983 election consisted of a mayor and sixteen councillors elected from six wards (Pukerua Bay, Plimmerton-Paremata, Whitby, Tairangi, Cannons Creek and Titahi Bay).

### Mayor

1983 Porirua mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Burke | 5,392 | 41.18 | |
| | Independent | Maxine Arnold | 3,824 | 29.20 | |
| | Independent | Charles Hudson | 3,033 | 23.16 | |
| | Mana Motuhake | Mark Metekingi | 742 | 5.66 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 101 | 0.77 | −0.33 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,568 | 11.97 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,092 | | |

#### Ward One, Pukerua Bay Ward

The Pukerua Bay Ward elected one member to the Porirua City Council
Pukerua Bay Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Bill Taylor | 498 | 73.02 |
| | Independent | Wayne Marshall | 184 | 26.97 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 | 46.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 682 | |

#### Ward Two, Plimmerton-Paremata Ward

The Plimmerton-Paremata Ward elected three members to the Porirua City Council
Plimmerton-Paremata Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Charles Hudson | 2,085 | 91.89 |
| | Independent | Jenny Brash | 1,725 | 76.02 |
| | Independent | Jan Bennett | 1,638 | 72.19 |
| | Independent | Alwyn Parry | 1,358 | 59.85 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 280 | 12.34 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,269 | |

#### Ward Three, Whitby Ward

The Whitby Ward elected one member to the Porirua City Council
Whitby Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Neville Peach | 448 | 58.94 |
| | Independent | Pat Clarke | 312 | 41.06 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 17.90 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 760 | |

#### Ward Four, Tairangi Ward

The Tairangi Ward elected three members to the Porirua City Council
Tairangi Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Raewyn Hunter | 1,046 | 70.86 |
| | Labour | Matthew Nolan | 980 | 66.39 |
| | Labour | Tom Janes | 905 | 61.31 |
| | Independent | William Nathan | 478 | 32.38 |
| | Independent | Teremoana Hodges | 438 | 29.67 |
| | Independent | Bruce Copeman | 421 | 28.52 |
| | Socialist Unity | John Van de Ven | 159 | 10.77 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 427 | 28.92 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,476 | |

#### Ward Five, Cannons Creek Ward

The Cannons Creek Ward elected four members to the Porirua City Council
Cannons Creek Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Sandra Meredith | 1,783 | 68.65 |
| | Labour | Elaine Annandale | 1,536 | 59.14 |
| | Labour | Hec Stuart | 1,456 | 56.06 |
| | Independent | Bill Hereweni | 1,267 | 48.78 |
| | Labour | David Isaia | 1,205 | 46.39 |
| | Independent | Robert Telfer | 1,131 | 43.55 |
| | Independent | Melville Williams | 1,117 | 43.01 |
| | Independent | Sonny Hosking | 553 | 21.29 |
| | Socialist Unity | Ken Stanton | 338 | 13.01 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 2.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,597 | |

#### Ward Six, Titahi Bay Ward

The Titahi Bay Ward elected four members to the Porirua City Council
Titahi Bay Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Maxine Arnold | 2,025 | 59.15 |
| | Labour | John Burke | 1,866 | 54.51 |
| | Values | Helen Smith | 1,578 | 46.09 |
| | Labour | Eric McKenzie | 1,246 | 36.40 |
| | Independent | Ivan Hardgrave | 1,087 | 31.75 |
| | Independent | Rex Willing | 968 | 28.27 |
| | Labour | David Stanley | 964 | 28.16 |
| | Independent | Alf Mexted | 943 | 27.54 |
| | Labour | Phil O'Connell | 870 | 25.41 |
| | Independent | Dennis Hansen | 666 | 19.45 |
| | Mana Motuhake | Mark Metekingi | 632 | 18.46 |
| | Independent | Mere Grant | 424 | 12.38 |
| | Independent | Thomas Kenny | 422 | 12.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119 | 3.47 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,423 | |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ As Burke won the Mayoralty his election to the council was voided and his seat was awarded to the highest polling unsuccessful candidate.

## Wellington Regional Council
### Porirua Ward

The Porirua Ward elected two members to the Wellington Regional Council
Porirua Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Maxine Arnold | 7,158 | 61.85 | +20.58 |
| | Independent | Whitford Brown | 6,489 | 56.07 | +2.64 |
| | Labour | Eric McKenzie | 4,414 | 38.14 | +7.41 |
| | Labour | Sandra Meredith | 4,390 | 37.93 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Ken Stanton | 693 | 5.98 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,075 | 17.93 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,572 | | |

## Wellington Harbour Board
### Porirua/Tawa Ward

The Porirua/Tawa Ward elected one member to the Wellington Harbour Board
Porirua/Tawa Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Dick McLaren | 8,924 | 51.61 | +30.73 |
| | Labour | Colin Beyer | 7,574 | 43.80 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Ken Stanton | 793 | 4.58 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,350 | 7.80 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,291 | | |

## Wellington Hospital Board
### Porirua/Tawa Ward

The Porirua/Tawa Ward elected two members to the Wellington Hospital Board
Porirua/Tawa Ward :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Marion Bruce | 10,583 | 70.71 | −23.86 |
| | Labour | Don Borrie | 6,175 | 41.26 | |
| | Independent | Alf Mexted | 5,524 | 36.91 | |
| | Independent | Dick McLaren | 3,945 | 26.35 | |
| | Independent | Ian McLauchlan | 3,704 | 24.74 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 651 | 4.34 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,966 | | |