Wikipedia

Rohan O'Neill-Stevens

Rohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens (born 2000) is a New Zealand politician who served as deputy mayor of Nelson from 2022 to 2025.

Rohan O'Neill-Stevens
O'Neill-Stevens in 2026
20th Deputy Mayor of Nelson
In office
2022–2025
Preceded byJudene Edgar
Succeeded byPete Rainey
Nelson City Councillor
In office
2019–2025
Personal details
BornRohan Tomas Sean O'Neill-Stevens
2000 (age 25–26)
Nelson, New Zealand

In 2019, he was elected to Nelson City Council as its youngest ever councillor, and was reelected in 2022.[1] He did not seek reelection in 2025.

He is standing as the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand candidate in the electorate of Nelson for the 2026 general election.[2] He convened their 2023 general election campaign,[3] and previously served as the co-convenor of the party's youth wing.

Early life and education

edit

O'Neill-Stevens is of Māori and European descent, and is of Ngāti Apakura.[4] In 2017, while studying at Nelson College he was awarded a scholarship to attend UWC Robert Bosch College in Germany.[5]

Political career

edit

Nelson City Council

edit

In the 2019 New Zealand local elections, O'Neill-Stevens was elected to the Nelson City Council, aged 19.[6][7] O'Neill-Stevens campaigned on issues such as public transport improvements, youth engagement, and housing.[8]

In the 2022 New Zealand local elections, O'Neill-Stevens ran for re-election and for mayor of Nelson, campaigning on three pillars: "a strong city, resilient communities, and healthy nature".[9][10] He finished in third place for the mayoralty and was reelected as a councillor, as the highest polling At Large candidate.[11] Following the election, O'Neill-Stevens was appointed deputy mayor by Mayor Nick Smith to "provide balance", with Smith highlighting their different political leanings.[12]

While on Council, O'Neill-Stevens led the City Revitalisation Taskforce, overseeing the council's $78 million "Bridge to Better" project,[13] served as Chair of the Arts and Creativity Taskforce and City Centre Business Forum, and as Deputy Chair of the District Licensing and Infrastructure committees.[14][15] He also served as Co-Chair of Local Government New Zealand's Young Elected Members Committee and as President of Trafinz, the New Zealand Local Authority Traffic Institute.[16]

In June 2025, O'Neill-Stevens announced he would not stand for reelection in the 2025 New Zealand local elections, citing a commitment to be in "the most effective position ... to drive change" and did not rule out a shift to central government.[17] Mayor Nick Smith said he "disappointed for Nelson" that O'Neill-Stevens was not seeking reelection, calling his appointment as deputy mayor as one of his best decisions, and predicted O'Neill-Stevens would be elected to Parliament "sooner rather than later".[18][19]

Political positions

edit

Housing

edit

O'Neill-Stevens supports housing density, calling "subpar and unaffordable housing" a "stain" on New Zealand.[20] 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.[21]

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.[22]

Transport

edit

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.[23]

Gambling

edit

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.[24]

Personal life

edit

O'Neill-Stevens is queer.[25]

In 2014, O'Neill-Stevens' older brother died after falling through a skylight at Wellington Cathedral.[26][citation needed]

References

edit
  1. ↑ "Nelson deputy mayor won't seek re-election". The Press. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Ex-deputy mayor of Nelson, Rohan O'Neill-Stevens, to run for seat as Green candidate". RNZ. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "Professionals, true believers and mad men: the teams behind the election campaigns". The Post. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "Young tāne Māori puts his hand up to lead storm-battered Nelson Council". NZ Herald. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "Nelson College student aims to gain a world of knowledge from scholarship". Stuff.co.nz. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  6. ↑ "Nelson City Council 2019 Triennial Elections Final Result and Expense Returns – Nelson City Council". Nelson City Council. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  7. ↑ "'A women-quake' for Nelson council with six female councillors". Stuff.co.nz. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "A Nelson teen is running for council after watching along for two years". Stuff.co.nz. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Youngest councillor announces mayoral bid with call for dynamic leadership". Stuff.co.nz. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "Young tāne Māori puts his hand up to lead storm-battered Nelson Council". NZ Herald. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Nelson City Council 2022 Triennial Elections Final" (PDF). Nelson City Council. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Nelson's new deputy mayor chosen to 'provide balance'". Stuff.co.nz. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  13. ↑ "Media release: Next phase for Bridge to Better project". Nelson City Council. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Members Interest Register 2022 – 2025" (PDF). Nelson City Council. 11 August 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "'Big shoes to fill' – Nelson's deputy mayor stands down". Nelson App. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "Members Interest Register 2022 – 2025" (PDF). Nelson City Council. 11 August 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  17. ↑ "Nelson's deputy mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens to step down at next election". Radio New Zealand. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  18. ↑ "Hugs and tugs at final council meeting". The Post. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "Nelson deputy mayor won't seek re-election". The Press. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  20. ↑ "Close to home: Intensification action plan approved by Nelson Council". Stuff.co.nz. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "Development strategy 'lacks vision' in climate crisis, councillors say". Stuff.co.nz. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "Nelson City Council recommends changes to controversial high density plan". Radio New Zealand. 12 July 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  23. ↑ "Council turns down free fares campaign". Nelson App. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  24. ↑ "15 September 2021 by Top South Media". Issuu. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  25. ↑ "What it's like to be a queer person in local politics". The Spinoff. 7 October 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  26. ↑ "Friends in shock over teen's death". Stuff.co.nz. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rohan_O%27Neill-Stevens&oldid=1350921712"