I am standing for Mayor because I am committed to ensuring that Hamilton and its residents thrive
It’s tough economic times, and I know people in our community are struggling right now with the cost of living.
We need to identify where we can reduce costs while protecting the valuable services that make Hamilton a great place to live, such as city maintenance, libraries, parks, pools and City Safe.
As mayor, I will lead a council that makes every dollar count — focusing on real, long-term cost savings rather than short-sighted cuts.
This means teaming up with other councils to reduce duplication, reviewing how we contract to drive down costs, and bringing services in-house where it saves money.
Safety in our public spaces matters. As your mayor I’ll take a strong lead on advocating for more support services, and partner with police, to build a safer city for all.
Together, we can build a city we’re all proud of — one where people love to study, work, and call home for generations to come.
A Strong Voice For Hamilton
“Hamilton needs a mayor who will advocate tirelessly for our city. We’re expecting another 84,000 people to be living here in Hamilton over the next 30 years. I’ll push for central government investment that matches the needs of our fast-growing city — including housing, schooling, public transport, and fire and emergency services — so Hamilton can remain a great place to live for decades to come“
- Sarah
What I Stand For
Working Smarter to Keep Rates Affordable
I’m committed to making future rates more affordable while protecting what people love about Hamilton and keeping our city well-maintained. That means innovating to do more with what we’ve got — not making short-sighted cuts.
Key priorities include:
Growing shared services with other councils (already saving over $3 million a year
Benchmarking against other councils to ensure we’re getting good value for the services we pay for.
Advocate to bring back services in house to save money.
Using technology to solve problems and do things better, cheaper and faster.
Carefully managing how infrastructure for growth is funded.
Advocate strongly to central government for removal of GST on rates.
Prioritising Our Community Wellbeing
Facilities like parks, pools and libraries are essential for community wellbeing. Places where people connect, stay active and enjoy our city.
Let’s:
Keep our libraries open and ensure they meet the needs of our growing city.
Partner with schools to address the city’s lack of pool and indoor recreation space.
Look after natural spaces, including our parks, gullies and river walk.
Supporting
Our Local Economy
The council plays an important role in Hamilton’s economy.
As mayor, I’ll support local jobs and growth by working to:
Keep it local and ensure more of the council’s spending on services and infrastructure stays within our local economy.
Ensure continued funding for events that contribute to the growth of the local economy and attract tourism.
A Safe and
Well-maintained City
Everyone deserves to live in a clean, safe and well-maintained city that they can feel proud of.
I’ll work to:
Continue to fund City Safe officers, and advocate for greater policing resource for Hamilton.
Prioritise existing transport budgets to fix roads and footpaths faster.
Better maintain our neighbourhoods and central city.
Looking After Our
Residents
We need strong partnerships with the central government and community organisations to build a safer city that cares for its people.
I’ll take action to:
Ensure funding for community centres and neighbourhood houses keeps pace with population growth.
Advocate to central government and support community services to reduce homelessness. Secure funding for a central community hub.
Explore park-and-ride options in highly congested areas such as the University and the Hospital to solve parking pressures for staff, patients and visitors.
Infrastructure
to Unlock Housing
Hamilton needs more homes and it’s essential that the council fixes the city’s wastewater constraints which are stopping new homes from being built across large parts of the city.
As Chair of the Strategic Growth Committee, I’ve taken a lead on solving this issue and will continue to work to:
Make sure the new water company focuses on upgrades that allow housing to happen.
Support developers using short-term solutions (like holding tanks that release wastewater at off peak times) so new homes can be built while public infrastructure upgrades are worked on.
About Me
I bring a track record of rolling up my sleeves and solving tough problems
I was first elected as a Hamilton West Ward councillor in 2019 and it’s been a huge privilege to serve our community over the last six years.
I currently chair the council’s Strategic Growth and District Plan Committee, which makes decisions about how and where the city grows and the key infrastructure required to support growth.
As chair, I’ve led progress on big issues including solutions to wastewater constraints, making it easier to build homes, increasing the city’s supply of industrial land to support local manufacturing, and improving city maintenance.
As a councillor, I’ve also been a strong advocate for restoring Hamilton’s gullies with native trees and improving the city’s public transport.
I grew up in the Waikato and was head girl at Fairfield College before studying law at the University of Waikato.
Previously I worked as commercial lawyer before making the move into community law. This gave me an opportunity to help clients with a range of issues that spanned across employment, consumer, criminal and family law.
My husband Lloyd and I love bringing up our two young children here in Hamilton. It’s fantastic city with so much to offer including its many parks, playgrounds, and opportunities for school and work.
I’m committed to our city’s future and would be proud to serve you as your next mayor of Hamilton.
I want Hamilton to be a city where people love to live, now and for decades to come.
I Need Your Help
to make this campaign a success.
It’s contributions from people like you that make the difference, and any amount you’re able to contribute is hugely appreciated.
Donations
If you prefer a direct bank transfer, the campaign account number is below. Please include your name as a reference.
Sarah Thomson
12-3118-0695016-02
If you can’t donate but would love to help out in a different way, please fill out the volunteer form below. All contributions are valued.
Support The Campaign
To create change I need your help!
I am looking for volunteers to help spread the word.
This could be as simple as allowing me to put a sign on your fence, or helping to deliver flyers. If you can lend a hand, I would love to hear from you!