The inside story on Mark Hammel, the young gun most likely to take over from Mayor Tom Tate
OPINION: Acting Mayor Mark Hammel faces mounting pressure as he juggles multiple roles and seeks to win crucial support from fellow councillors.
Our city has had a new acting Mayor.
Tom Tate has been on leave and planning more mayoral missions next month.
How is Mark Hammel filling his boots?
The most obvious point of difference is age.
He is much younger leader than Mr Tate and former Deputy Donna Gates.
Mr Hammel was 32, a business manager for JJ Richard and Sons when he ran arguably the most professional and well-funded political campaign to win Division 1 in 2020.
Colleagues have watched him build working relationships, but as City planning chair and now Deputy Mayor it’s been observedhe stands to lose some in a steep power climb.
“He’s not doing that intentionally. Sometimes he’s not the most diplomatic guy. That’s a challenge he has to navigate,” a colleague says.
On the political spectrum, he’s regarded as a “pragmatic Liberal” or “old-style National” — his family’s deep farming roots having giving him both a firm handshake and green touch.
“Mark’s unapologetic about his own interests and things he can achieve. One of the things I love about that is you always know where you stand with Mark. He’s not a deceptive guy,” the colleague adds.
There’s consensus among councillors about his hard work ethic — and for some, legitimate questions about whether he can combine the Deputy role with being City Planning chair.
“I think he’s struggling with work right now. He’s just swamped. People all over the city are writing to him. At 9pm he’s drafting emails, his appointment book is full,” an insider says.
What Mr Hammel wanted to achieve began with upgrading rural roads, and now extends to building a super green plant (ARRC) in the north.
He is the lead on delivering the new City Plan which must accommodate growth across all suburbs to meet a one million population target by 2040.
His eye is on affordable housing.
These political aims need support of a majority of 14 councillors.
“Unfortunately, in the chamber, he has the support of eight people,” the insider says.
A political source says: “It’s a big vote of no confidence. A majority of councillors on the planning committee wanted to roll him on this.”
Another challenge will be to conduct “soft diplomacy” with the Coast’s MPs.
Many are not happy about reading council developments in their patch first in this newspaper.
But Mr Hammel differs by reaching out to peak groups like the Community Alliance.
A City staffer says: “He said, if a community group has a problem, he will meet with them. He’s a breath of fresh of air.”
But the elephant in the room remains a politician with long experience, whom he replaced, and who continues to struggle with the succession plan and quite rightly, in the council chamber, challenges some of his ideas.
At any moment, around the next corner — at City Hall — there could be a collision.
More Coverage
Originally published as The inside story on Mark Hammel, the young gun most likely to take over from Mayor Tom Tate
