Councils
Nobby Clark still has a sense of humour seven months into his new job as Mayor, but there’s no denying the role is hard work.
He said landing the top job has been better than he expected – and he’s stopped dropping ’N’ bombs, but more about that later. Nobby thought there would be some “residual impact” from the last council when he stepped into the position, but the transition has been smooth.
It can’t be easy having to be available to council staff and the public for up to 15 hours a day – sometimes finding only 10 minutes for lunch, and that might be the only time he sees his partner Karen Carter, all day. But they’re working on that.
The best part of his new life is that people have been coming up to him every day and saying, “you are doing a great job.”
Acknowledging one person can’t do everything and it was a team effort, even Karen has noticed the change at the Invercargill City Council.
“He has managed to turn that council around and pull together as a team… it’s not the staff leading the council anymore, it’s the council leading the staff and I think everyone is enjoying their new role.”
Nobby’s leadership style is inclusive, Karen says, but it has taken time to earn that respect.
Being available to everyone at all times, it has definitely impacted his closest relationship, and the new Mayor is still learning where to put boundaries.
“I don’t like saying no to people, and I try to be informal but they always want the ‘Mayor’ there,” Nobby said, referring to all of the events that involve late nights and weekend work.
So is the Mayor still your old Nobby? I asked Karen.
“No, he’s not the old Nobby. He’s tired and works long hours and I don’t see him very much,” she said. But we always have good communication,” she said.
The couple both have a real interest in politics and Karen is “absolutely in touch” with what is going on at council, “and sometimes I give him a different perspective on things.”
It’s like Nobby has two Deputies – one to keep him honest at work (Tom Campbell), and another at home.
“I fear nobody but Karen,” Nobby says. Yes I have heard him say that before.
Not even the Invercargill Art Gallery board that want to talk to him on Anzac Day about the museum – and perhaps some past issues that made national news.
“I haven’t used the ’N’- word again, not publicly anyway.”
Nobby was still trying to get his head around why rappers can use the ’N’-word and poets can use the ‘F’- word, and everything seems okay in an artistic setting.
“But as a politician I don’t like it in an artistic setting.” And it was his strong views about it that sparked a media frenzy when he used the racial slur to make his point at a recent meeting.
Nobby pulled me up on not asking anything about 3 Waters, but I figured that was a separate story in itself. However, I understood enough to know he thought the new proposal of 10 entities was an absolute sham.
How does he handle all of the extra responsibility every single day?
“I thrive on it. I can move from one issue to another really quickly.”
It’s all part of negotiating the world as a high profile person.