A Far North councillor whose council‑issues Facebook page incorrectly claimed that Mayor Moko Tepania had become Northland's new Labour Party MP will be formally dealt with by the Far North District Council which has noted its timing during Waitangi Day celebrations week in Northland.
The post appeared on Act Local councillor Davina Smolders’ public Facebook page, "Davina Rates Rescue", a platform she has used regularly since late 2025 to comment on council activities she believes are important to local ratepayers.
Smolders' post congratulated Tepania during the height of national Waitangi commemorations, a week when the Mayor plays a key role in hosting national leaders, dignitaries and thousands of visitors at the Treaty grounds.
Tepania has been approached for comment.
Far North District Council group manager community and engagement Ruben Garcia confirmed the post was false and said the council had taken note of its timing, given the district's significant responsibilities during Waitangi week.
He said that the Mayor and councillors were focused on representing the district during events that drew national attention.
Smolders' post remained visible for at least 10 hours before its removal on Wednesday morning.
She later said she acted in good faith and that the post’s timing had nothing to do with Waitangi week, and that she believed the information to be true when she shared it.
Labour Party general secretary Rob Salmond confirmed Labour had not yet selected a candidate for the Northland electorate.
He would not comment on whether Tepania was being considered or on the identities of any nominees.
Smolders, who owns a Kerikeri business and was elected to the Bay of Islands‑Whangaroa General Ward in October under the Act Local banner, said she had been told by several individuals that Tepania had secured the candidacy.
"I believed that to be public information," Smolders said.
Her now-deleted post also raised concerns about three new positions within the Mayor's office.
She questioned whether these were justified, transparent and fully focused on council business.
She said ratepayers deserved assurance these positions would not be used to assist with political activities or compensate for time spent on external commitments, particularly if the Mayor was considering a run for Parliament.
Smolders said she had posted the information after hearing it from what she described as multiple credible sources.
She said mistakes could happen and that the important thing was correcting the error once it became clear the information was not correct.
Smolders said she had removed the post as soon as she realised the information was incorrect and had not intended to mislead anyone.
Garcia said Far North District Council elected members were bound by the council’s code of conduct, which required them to act with integrity and ensure any information they shared, especially in a public forum, was accurate.
He said the issue would be handled through formal Far North District Council processes after Waitangi week concluded.
Smolders said she believed she had acted responsibly and in line with the expectations of integrity placed on elected representatives.
She said transparency was important and that if any Mayor was seeking parliamentary office, the public should be informed about how potential conflicts and workload would be managed.
Smolders said clarity on whether a Mayor would step down if elected to Parliament was also important.
Meanwhile, Salmond said that candidate nominations opened in August with candidate lists due to be submitted to the Electoral Commission by October 8.
Labour had confirmed candidates in around 30 electorates so far, with roughly 40 more to be considered in the coming months.
He would not provide a specific timeline for the Northland decision but said the party was working through its standard selection procedures.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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