Invercargill City Councillor and former mayoral candidate, Ria Bond, has today (10 Jun) announced she will be running for the Invercargill mayoralty in the upcoming 2025 local body elections.

She will also be standing for the City Council, a position she has held for the past 3-years.

In 2022 Bond unsuccessfully bid for the mayoralty but was the highest polling female elected to council. She has previously been a New Zealand First list Member of Parliament (2015 to 2017).

Bond said her decision to stand stemmed from a profound respect for the community and a determination to lead into a future defined by unity, opportunities and sustainability.

Local Government is the cornerstone of democracy, the place where decisions influence the daily lives of residents in the most tangible ways, she said.

However Bond said the Invercargill City Council faced a crisis of confidence, with a lack of trust in council by members of the community.

Bond said that necessitated a change in how the council engaged with the community by fostering open in-depth communication, consultation and active listening to rebuild trust and effectively address local challenges.

Maintaining a consistent approach to being effective, open and transparent can be challenging over time, she said.

“The governance arm of council must ensure that their actions align with their promises and that they continuously work towards building trust within our community."

"I believe our Council needs to do better and I have a plan for this.” Bond said.

Bond joins fellow Councillor Alex Crackett who has also confirmed she is standing for the Invercargill mayoralty.

Voting in the 2025 local body elections opens on 9th September and close on 11th October.

Local Body elections are held every 3-years and, in Southland, decide who will represent the public on the Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council, Gore District Council and Environment Southland.