Far North Mayor John Carter outside Kaitāia’s Te Ahu centre.
Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael Cunningham via LDR

Far North Mayor John Carter (QSO) will not be slowing down much when he ends New Zealand’s longest-serving currently-active government career next month; he will simply be changing gear.

Carter (72) has been part of New Zealand’s central and local government landscape for 55 years – 35 as a central or local government politician and 20 years as a local government employee.

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Former Northland MP, minister of civil defence, associate minister of local government, minister of racing, minister of senior citizens, government whip and New Zealand high commissioner to the Cook Islands – just some of the central government roles Carter has held, along with his nine-year Far North mayoralty.

On 8 October he leaves that all behind when he steps down from his position as New Zealand’s northernmost mayor.

“I have loved being mayor, but it’s time for someone else to take the helm,” Carter said.

He is already on the board of Kaitāia’s Switzer rest home and has other things lined up. There will also be time for more Ninety Mile Beach walking and golf.

In 1967, a 16-year-old Carter started his government career as an Otamatea County Council clerical cadet. He didn’t know then he would still be in the local and central government sector more than five decades later.

The Te Kōpuru-born Otamatea High School student started on a three-month clerical cadetship.

“I thought ‘Okay, I can do this for three months in the off-season, then go back to shearing. After a while, I thought: ‘I quite like doing this’,” Carter said.

Carter’s 35 years’ publicly-elected service started with 24 years as an MP. Carter was National MP for Northland from 1987 to 2011. He was then appointed high commissioner to the Cook Islands. In 2016 he was elected Far North mayor.

John Carter opens a new Kerikeri Primary School block.
Photo: Northern Advocate / Peter de Graaf

Meanwhile, on the employee side of the coin, Carter shifted south from his 1967 Otamatea County Council start to what was Waitomo County Council but then became Waitomo District Council, where he became treasurer. Carter next moved back to Northland, to become at 27 New Zealand’s youngest county clerk – for the Hokianga County Council.

People have been the driving force throughout his career and still are.

“It’s always about serving the people,” Carter said.

Mandela is the world leader Carter most admires, because of the way he worked with his people, taking them with him rather than forcing change onto them.

Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Queen are among the high-profile leaders Carter has met.

But it’s people like the Moerewa granny who he fought on behalf of for two years to recover the $1.87 she was incorrectly charged for calling an 0800 number – that matter equally to Carter.

“It’s been a great pleasure to be able to help people,” he said.

Travel has been part of the opportunities provided in his career. Carter has travelled to Antarctica. He has seen South America’s Iguazu Falls.

But it is Far North travel that stands out. Carter has driven more than 2 million kilometres in his three decades as a local and central government politician – the equivalent of more than twice to the moon and back. He has driven 1200km of those whilst Far North mayor, journeying about the 7325 square kilometre realm – one of New Zealand’s biggest council areas.

This extraordinary mileage makes him more qualified than most to have a view about the second Mangamukas State Highway 1 closure after recent severe August rain.

“The first closure was major, the second closure is a crisis,” Carter said.

The latest slips were far worse than the first in July 2020 which closed the road for more than a year. Alternatives were needed.

“The Mangamukas are going to be forever unstable and forever have issues with roading and it’s going to get worse,” Carter said.

Roading into the Far North needed more government attention.

“Not only is SH1 closed, our alternative routes are under threat from insufficient roading maintenance,” Carter said.

SH10 around the east coast and alternative western routes through Herekino and Panguru were deteriorating too.

He said the Far North needed government roading support rapidly so its economy did not fall over and its people weren’t cut off.

John Carter presents an award to Kerikeri Fire Brigade’s Steve Edwards.
Photo: Northern Advocate / Peter de Graaf via LDR

Moving between many worlds has been a mark of his career from employee to politician, central to local government.

Carter’s lengthy local and central government service means he’s known in all corners of the Far North, across wider Northland, in the halls of Parliament and internationally via representing the New Zealand Parliament in organisations such as the Commonwealth Association.

His profile includes being infamous for calling talkback radio host and fellow National MP John Banks in 1995 and posing as a jobless Hone. He was sprung by the Northern Advocate, in a move that saw him temporarily stood down from his role as Parliament’s whip.

“It was a learning experience,” Carter said of the event when interviewed by Local Democracy Reporting Northland.

Today the Far North mayor is also a current Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) board member.

He has seen many versions of local government come and go.

Carter said New Zealand was facing among the biggest the local government changes of his career.

He was concerned about where local democracy was heading. Carter said the way the government was dealing with Three Waters was an example of moving in the wrong direction.

Three Waters meant less democracy, less of people being able to have a voice.

“People in Wellington don’t give a dam about those in Te Hapua, Te Kao, Panguru.”

John Carter with one of his trademark Holdens used towards driving more than 2 million km in his career – that’s more than twice to the distance to the moon and back.
Photo: NZME via LDR

Leadership has always naturally come to Carter’s life.

In 2011 as the minister of civil defence, he became the only New Zealand government minister to declare a national state of emergency, in the face of the Christchurch earthquake; that action making him New Zealand’s highest-ranked politician at the time.

Team work has always been part of who Carter is too. He has enjoyed many years alongside the now-named Fire and Emergency NZ. He played in the Hokianga rugby team and later in the parliamentary rugby team. Parliament rugby team games were held around the world in conjunction with Rugby World cups.

“We won quite a few games,” Carter said.

John Carter and his wife Leoni at home at Waipapakauri, Ninety Mile Beach – Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe.
Photo: Northern Advocate / Michael Cunningham via LDR

Today, home for Carter and his wife Leoni in the Far North, is an eagle’s nest-like dwelling at Waipapakauri not far from Kaitāia, positioned prominently above the sand dunes less than 100 steps from the wilds of Ninety Mile Beach – Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe.

The beach has provided relaxation and refreshment amidst the rigours.

He looks out to the wilds of the Tasman Sea, across spinifex-laden sand dunes, where West Coast Road spills onto Ninety Mile Beach – Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe and passing tourist bus drivers point out ‘the mayor’s house’. He is not against vehicles on the beach, but wishes people would take greater care.

The Tasman Sea has taught him to pick his battles.

“Look out there at the Tasman Sea. That can’t be controlled.”

Working with people has remained his career’s enduring highlight.

He has no regrets from his time in the sector.

And what is his message to the people of the Far North as he changes gear in 30 days?

“Thank you, thank you for letting me serve you.”

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air