A man who barely spoke English when he arrived in Palmerston North as a refugee is set to replace his former history teacher on the city’s council. Progress results released on Wednesday afternoon had Orphee Mickalad​ leading in the Palmerston North City Council by-election. In an interview with Stuff when he declared his intention to run, 30-year-old Mickalad said he moved to Palmerston North with his family from Congo in 2006 with minimal English skills. He ran on a platform of preventing a brain drain from Palmerston North, boosting the city’s social housing stock and improving communication between the council and community. Voter turnout was 25.06 per cent, well down on the 2019 election turnout of 37.32 per cent.

Source: Stuff February 17, 2021 01:41 UTC