Rohan O'Neill-Stevens
{{Short description|New Zealand politician (born 2000)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Rohan O'Neill-Stevens
| image = Rohan O'Neill-Stevens 05.jpg
| caption = O'Neill-Stevens in 2024
| office1 = 20th Deputy Mayor of Nelson
| predecessor1 = Judene Edgar
| successor1 =
| term_end1 =
| term_start1 = 2022
| office2 = Nelson City Councillor
| termstart2 = 2019
| termend2 =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|2000}}
| birth_place = Nelson, New Zealand
| birth_name = Rohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens
}}
Rohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens (born 2000) is a New Zealand politician and deputy mayor of Nelson City Council. In 2019, he was elected as the youngest councillor of Nelson City Council.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-body-elections/116527875/the-new-nelson-city-council-lineup |title='A women-quake' for Nelson council with six female councillors |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=12 October 2019 |accessdate=4 April 2023}} He is a member of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand,{{cite web|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/local-elections-2022/13-09-2022/the-queen-floods-toxic-culture-and-dancefloor-dicks-debate-day-in-nelson |title=The Queen, floods, toxic culture and dancefloor dicks – debate day in Nelson |publisher=The Spinoff |date= 13 September 2022|accessdate=4 April 2023}} convened their 2023 general election campaign,{{cite news |url= https://www.thepost.co.nz/politics/350015012/professionals-true-believers-and-mad-men-teams-behind-election-campaigns|title=Professionals, true believers and mad men: the teams behind the election campaigns|publisher=The Post|date=26 May 2023 |accessdate=14 July 2024}} and previously served as the Co-convenor of the party's youth wing.
Early life and education
O'Neill-Stevens is of Māori and European descent, and is of Ngāti Apakura.{{cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/young-tane-maori-puts-his-hand-up-to-lead-storm-battered-nelson-council/2I6RW7YEA4OAOZW5YZRVC7JFHQ/ |title=Young tāne Māori puts his hand up to lead storm-battered Nelson Council |publisher=NZ Herald |date=19 August 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2023}} In 2017, while studying at Nelson College he was awarded a scholarship to attend UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/91923301/nelson-college-student-aims-to-gain-a-world-of-knowledge-from-scholarship |title=Nelson College student aims to gain a world of knowledge from scholarship |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=4 May 2017 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
Political career
= Nelson City Council =
In the 2019 New Zealand local elections, O'Neill-Stevens was elected to the Nelson City Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.nelson.govt.nz/council/elections/previous-elections/elections-2019/nelson-city-council-2019-triennial-elections-final-result/ |title=Nelson City Council 2019 Triennial Elections Final Result and Expense Returns – Nelson City Council |publisher=Nelson.govt.nz |date= |accessdate=4 April 2023}} O'Neill-Stevens campaigned on issues such as public transport improvements, youth engagement, and housing.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/114239998/a-nelson-teen-is-running-for-council-watching-from-the-sidelines-for-two-years |title=A Nelson teen is running for council after watching along for two years |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=16 July 2019 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
In the 2022 New Zealand local elections, O'Neill-Stevens ran for re-election and for mayor of Nelson,{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/300578528/youngest-councillor-announces-mayoral-bid-with-call-for-dynamic-leadership |title=Youngest councillor announces mayoral bid with call for dynamic leadership |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=3 May 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2023}} finishing in third place for the mayoralty and was re-elected as a councillor, as the highest polling At Large candidate.{{cite web|url=https://www.nelson.govt.nz/assets/Our-council/Downloads/elections/elections-2022/Final-results/Nelson-City-Council-2022-Triennial-Elections-Final-STV-Result.pdf |title=Nelson City Council 2022 Triennial Elections Final |publisher=nelson.govt.nz |accessdate=4 April 2023}} Following the election, O'Neill-Stevens was appointed deputy mayor by Mayor Nick Smith to 'provide balance'.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/300725297/nelsons-new-deputy-mayor-chosen-to-provide-balance |title=Nelson's new deputy mayor chosen to 'provide balance' |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=28 October 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
Political positions
= Housing =
O'Neill-Stevens supports housing density, calling "subpar and unaffordable housing" a "stain" on New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/close-to-home/122845874/close-to-home-intensification-action-plan-approved-by-nelson-council |title=Close to home: Intensification action plan approved by Nelson Council |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=23 September 2020 |accessdate=4 April 2023}} He voted against Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council's Future Development Strategy for having "lowballed intensification" and failing to change the way council's approach urban planning.{{cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/local-democracy-reporting/300650035/development-strategy-lacks-vision-in-climate-crisis-councillors-say |title=Development strategy 'lacks vision' in climate crisis, councillors say |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=31 July 2022 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
In August 2023, O'Neill-Stevens was appointed to a Nelson City Council hearings panel as a resource management commissioner, to consider Plan Change 29, the council's controversial proposed housing intensification planning rule changes.{{cite web|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/522013/nelson-city-council-recommends-changes-to-controversial-high-density-plan |title=Nelson City Council recommends changes to controversial high density plan |publisher=rnz.co.nz |date=12 July 2024 |accessdate=16 September 2024}}
= Transport =
O'Neill-Stevens has advocated for public and active transport improvements, and in 2021, moved a motion for Nelson City Council to support free public transport for students, under-25s and community services card holders which was narrowly defeated.{{cite web|url=https://nelsonapp.co.nz/news/council-turn-down-free-fares-campaign |title=Council turns down free fares campaign |publisher=Nelson App |date=24 November 2021 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
= Gambling =
O'Neill-Stevens has spoken out against the harm of gaming machines, and in 2021, he moved a motion to adopt a sinking lid policy to reduce the number of machines in Nelson.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/nelsonweekly/docs/15_september_2021_-_nw |title=15 September 2021 by Top South Media |publisher=Issuu |date=15 September 2021 |accessdate=4 April 2023}}
Personal life
In 2014, O'Neill-Stevens older brother died after falling through a skylight at Wellington Cathedral.{{cite news |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/10323207/Friends-in-shock-over-teens-death |title=Friends in shock over teen's death|publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date= 29 July 2014|accessdate=16 September 2024}} O'Neill-Stevens identifies as queer.{{cite news |url= https://thespinoff.co.nz/local-elections-2022/07-10-2022/what-its-like-to-be-a-queer-person-in-local-politics |title=What it’s like to be a queer person in local politics|publisher=The Spinoff |date= 7 October 2022|accessdate=21 August 2024}}
References
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Category:Nelson City Councillors
Category:Deputy mayors of places in New Zealand
Category:Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politicians
Category:People educated at Nelson College