Upper Hutt has never been a city built on polish. It thrived on effort, on straight talk, and on people who delivered. Rugby players, entrepreneurs, local politicians – they kept it real and on track. That legacy now sits awkwardly beneath a leadership style that feels performative.

Mayor Peri Zee often gives the impression of being perched on that legacy rather than extending it. Her approach leans on statements, messaging, and optics more than on listening or compromise. The Silverstream Spur decision highlights the problem: a firm, declarative letter sent while the matter sits before the Environment Court. Legal? Perhaps. Wise? Not necessarily. It reads as a signal that debate is over, even before the process has played out.

Upper Hutt residents notice when leadership substitutes media and communications work for real governance. They notice when decisions are framed to attract attention rather than to solve problems. They notice when criticism is treated as a nuisance, rather than part of the process. The city has never needed to be impressed. It needs to be led.

Ratepayers are left asking hard questions: why is energy spent on image management while infrastructure ages, housing pressure mounts, and long-term economic opportunities face delays? If leadership is going to focus on visibility, it might be worth asking if that visibility is making the city stronger – or just louder.

Leadership that relies on being noticed will find it brittle. Headlines are fleeting; credibility is not. Upper Hutt risks political isolation if its councils are seen as more concerned with performance than with outcomes. Influence with central government, neighbouring authorities, and investors is not built on statements alone.

It is not too late for a course correction. Leadership in Upper Hutt should start with honesty. Stop over-investing in messaging at the expense of action. Treat residents as adults capable of understanding nuance. Reconnect with the practical, grounded style that built the city. Try being normal, in the best sense of the word.

Graham Bloxham is an Upper Hutt old boy who has long enjoyed the humour and banter of local government. He is not shy about pointing out when politics feels childish, performative, or out of touch – even when it comes wrapped in media-friendly statements. Upper Hutt deserves leaders who act like adults first, and communicators second.

By Graham Bloxham, former owner of Wellington LIVE and part owner of One Network Wellington Live