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October 13, 2025
Trevor Maxwell Extends Record‑Breaking Service as Rotorua Councillor
Dale Husband
Posted On October 13, 2025
Download AudioTrevor Maxwell has made history as New Zealand’s longest-serving councillor, securing re-election to the Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward on the Rotorua Lakes District Council.
Trevor Horowaewae Maxwell (Ngāti Rangiwewehi) has once again been elected to Rotorua Lakes Council, extending a public service legacy that now spans nearly half a century. As of this 2025 election, Maxwell has been a councillor for 48 years, making him the longest‑serving elected local body politician in New Zealand.
Maxwell first joined the Rotorua City Council in 1977, stepping into public life almost by chance after Sir Peter Tapsell encouraged him to nominate. He was young, had limited knowledge of council workings, but has since built a reputation founded on diligence, cultural leadership, and bridging communities.
Over his long tenure, Maxwell has held multiple roles:
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Deputy Mayor of Rotorua from 2002‑2013.
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Cultural Ambassador for Rotorua since 2013.
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Founding settlor and long‑time board/trustee member of Toi Māori Aotearoa, supporting Māori arts nationally and internationally.
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Leadership in kapa haka: Maxwell, along with his late wife Atareta, led Ngāti Rangiwewehi kapa haka – winning national titles and helping to maintain and extend cultural practice.
In recognition of this service, Maxwell was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in October 2022 for services to Māori and local government.
Maxwell stood for re‑election in 2025, indicating this would be his final term. He contested the Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori Ward, one of the Māori wards in Rotorua Lakes District. In the election, Maxwell secured 1,979 votes among the successful candidates in that ward.
The 2025 result also marked a milestone: he will soon surpass Doug Truman’s longstanding record of continuous service (which spanned from 1968 to 2016 in the Grey District) to become the longest continuously serving councillor in Aotearoa.
Maxwell expressed pride, honour, and gratitude, both for the continued support of his community and for Rotorua having voted to retain Māori wards – something he noted “could easily have gone the other way.”
Throughout his decades of service, Maxwell has held fast to several themes and priorities:
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Cultural leadership: promoting Māori arts, kapa haka, whakairo, and other cultural expressions as central to Rotorua’s identity. His work with Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Toi Māori Aotearoa have been central to this.
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Representative continuity: Being a constant Māori voice in local government even when Māori representation has been minimal. Early in his tenure, he was often the only Māori councillor.
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Stewardship of place: Advocating for Rotorua’s cultural landmarks (such as Ohinemutu), the Rotorua Museum rebuild, and recognition of special zones of significance.
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Inter‑generational service: Working for both current whānau and future mokopuna – maintaining cultural knowledge, infrastructure, and council responsiveness in areas affecting kaumatua, youth, and whānau.
After 48 years, Maxwell is stepping into what he has called his final term. With that context, certain challenges and questions loom large:
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What legacy will be established in his final term – what unfinished projects will he aim to see completed (e.g. Rotorua Museum rebuild, cultural precincts, recognition of Māori heritage zones)?
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Ensuring that Māori wards remain strong platforms for Māori voices in local decision‑making – particularly as opposition to such wards has been a recurring theme nationally. Maxwell himself noted appreciation that the community voted to retain Māori wards in Rotorua.
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Passing the baton: as Maxwell retires at some future point, how will emerging leaders ensure continuity? Which young Māori voices will rise to fill the space?
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Addressing changing political dynamics in Rotorua: balancing tourism, environmental pressures, infrastructure demands, and cultural revitalization in a region heavily shaped by Te Arawa heritage.
Maxwell’s re‑election and long service represent more than just personal milestones. They underscore:
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The importance of institutional memory and Māori leadership that spans generations.
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How cultural advocacy and political service can interweave: Maxwell’s dual roles in kapa haka and the arts alongside council work show that Māori cultural life is embedded in governance, not separate from it.
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That communities value continuity – his re‑election says something about his ability to maintain trust, relationships, and reputation over decades.
For many, Trevor Maxwell serves as a living bridge: between pre‑modern Rotorua, colonial shifts, contemporary governance, and a vision for Māori‑led futures. His last term may well be a time of consolidating those bridges, and making visible what’s possible when cultural identity and public service walk hand in hand.
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