Kia Ora, I’m Orphée Mickalad
I’m running to become your Mayor for Palmerston North!
I am running for Mayor because I believe that Palmerston North is at a turning point, and we need a change of leadership, direction, and approach.
Grounded in lived experience, civic leadership, and a deep love for the city, I am standing to offer practical, forward-thinking leadership that delivers on Palmerston North’s potential.
At present, Palmerston North is facing mounting pressures, from rising rates and housing costs to climate challenges, ageing infrastructure and sweeping central government reforms. These issues demand not just management, but leadership with a clear plan. With the cost of living biting hard, Palmerston North is becoming increasingly unaffordable for families, for businesses and for residents on fixed incomes.
I believe that more needs to be done to ease the burden on ratepayers and protect the things that make our city so unique.
This isn’t about just managing the status quo. It’s about setting a clear direction for where our city can go.
💚PALMYPROUD
My campaign will focus on:
Reviewing Council’s spending priorities and deliver value-for-money for ratepayers.
Supporting housing and economic growth.
Diversifying Council’s revenue streams, and introduce targeted user pays for non-essential services to reduce cost pressures on ratepayers.
Proactively lobbying central government to get the best investment deals for Palmerston North.
Strengthening our Emergency Management preparedness and climate resilience.
Gradually sell some of our airport shares to pay off debt and reinvest in key infrastructure.
Reduce the number of councillors and committees to streamline decision-making.
Improve Council’s operational efficiencies and support better environmental outcomes.
I welcome the opportunity to lead our council and community into the future. If you share my vision, I invite you to elect me as our city’s Mayor.
Progress is never a straight line.
Since February 2021, I had the privilege of being elected as a Palmerston North’s City Councillor.
I bring fresh perspectives and a deep commitment to making our city an even better place to live and thrive. My experience as a Councillor has demonstrated my ability to be an effective voice and a dedicated team player, and as Mayor, I will leverage this foundation to provide the collaborative leadership needed to not only maintain our city's momentum but to propel it forward for the benefit of all residents.
Our
Story.
Stop the brain drain.
Our youth will inherit the future of our city. It is therefore important that we engage them in the political process. I am committed to be a councillor with an eye on the future — governing in our current environment but with a focus on enhancing Palmy’s long-term success.
Right now, many young people feel like they must leave Palmy for other cities to access opportunities and to fulfil their potential. It doesn’t have to be this way. Our biggest export should not be our young and brightest. We need to invest in opportunities so that everyone has the choice to pursue their dreams at home.
I am keen to see more young people connecting with local politics, and I believe that this would work better if people saw more diversity in ages and cultures on the council.
