In October 2022, a 23-year-old named Ben Bell made history by becoming the youngest mayor in New Zealand’s history. He achieved this by winning the mayoral race in Gore, a town in the South Island, by a mere eight votes, defeating six-term incumbent Tracy Hicks .
In today’s feature article, I am going to give you a short recap of Ben’s Life, how he got to where he is now, and how his resilience helped him along the way.
Bell grew up in Ōtaki and attended Paraparaumu College. After high school, he worked various jobs, including a stint as a ski instructor in Canada, despite initially not knowing how to ski. He later founded a company called Random42 Limited, focusing on water-monitoring technology and portable wind turbines. Before stepping into the political arena, Bell was already making waves. At just 12 years old, he invented a GPS-enabled wristband designed to help hospitals track patients. This innovation earned him the youth category award at the Wellingtonian of the Year in 2016 .
Bell’s tenure as mayor began with challenges. Shortly after taking office, he faced opposition from several councillors over his leadership style and decisions, including a proposal to hire a personal assistant, which was rejected. Tensions escalated when councillors boycotted a team-building retreat he organised, and a motion of no confidence was considered but ultimately abandoned. Bell admitted that during this tumultuous period, he briefly considered resigning but decided against it after receiving support from the community.
Despite the rocky start, Bell managed to mend relationships within the council. This showed resilience to put the bad things behind him and showed the people around him that he was the bigger person. In August 2023, an external facilitator was brought in to help improve communication between Bell and the council’s chief executive, Stephen Parry.
Bell has made some very important decisions during his time as mayor. He took decisive action during the 2023 southern New Zealand floods, declaring a state of emergency in the Southland Region and coordinating efforts to protect the community. Along with this, Ben decided to discontinue the ‘Streets Alive’ initiative, emphasised the importance of “getting back to basics”, and he implemented changes to the council’s upper management structure.
In early 2025, Bell announced his intention to run for re-election, emphasising his commitment to delivering value for ratepayers and focusing on essential infrastructure and services .
Ben Bell’s journey from a young inventor to the mayor of Gore shows ambition and resilience. Despite facing significant challenges, he has demonstrated serving his community and continues to make important decisions.
Comprehension Questions:
1. How old was Ben Bell when he became the Mayor of Gore?
2. What are some challenges Ben has faced as a young mayor?
Activities:
1. Be the Mayor for a Day – Write a short speech about what changes you’d make in your town if you were mayor.
2. Design a Town Map – Create your own town or city layout, including places like parks, libraries, and bike tracks. Label it with creative names.
