Tim Cadogan

Tim Cadogan (born 1965 ) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Mayor of Central Otago between 2016 and 2024. He is the younger brother of Bryan Cadogan, the Mayor of Clutha.

Early life and family Tim Cadogan grew up in Balclutha, South Otago. After working for 12 years as a radio broadcaster, he started work as a family and criminal lawyer in 2005. Cadogan was a single father for eight years before marrying Linda Cadogan. During the election campaign, Cadogan capitalised on widespread unpopularity with Lepper's unpopular district-wide water rates and campaigned on improving communications between the Council and local community. Cadogan later credited that trip with piquing his interest in learning about Māori language and culture after seeing a bilingual screen while catching a flight from Christchurch to Guanzhou.

In April 2020, Cadogan and several other Otago local government leaders including Mayor of Dunedin Aaron Hawkins, Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan, Queenstown-Lakes Mayor Boult, Mayor of Waitaki Gary Kircher and Otago Regional Council chair Marian Hobbs agreed to donate ten percent of their salaries to charities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand. Cadogan donated his salary to the Central Otago Salvation Army Foodbank.

In May 2020, Cadogan issued a public apology for wearing blackface while dressed as African American jazz musician Louis Armstrong at a 2001 variety show hosted by New Zealand celebrities Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.

In April 2022, a Vincent Community Board deputy chairman wrote a letter of support for a newspaper column which had stated that the use of both English and Te Reo by a Radio New Zealand (RNZ) host was "educating no-one, patronising Maoridom and barking up a barren linguistic plum tree". In response, Cadogan emailed an RNZ journalist stating that the chairman's view was not that of the Central Otago District Council. After this email came to light on June 3rd, the chairman resigned and lodged a formal complaint with the council against Cadogan for misusing his official position, further stating in their complaint that they had "no issue with anyone wishing to learn the Maori language". An investigative report was ordered by the council from an independent lawyer who found that Cadogan had acted improperly and violated the council's code of conduct. Cadogan, following the recommendation of the report, issued apologies to the former chairman and the board stating that his actions were "improper" and that "I accept fully I should not have sent the email and I am disappointed with myself for having done so."

Third mayoral term, 2022–2024 During the 2022 New Zealand local elections, Cadogan was reelected as Mayor of Central Otago again, this time unopposed.

In late May 2024, Cadogan was the sole member of the Central Otago District Council to support renaming the Maniototo Community Board to its correct Māori name Māniatoto. While the CODC acknowledged the error, the majority of councillors voted against the name change since it was not supported by the community board. According to board member and Councillor Stu Duncan, 90% of the community opposed the name change.

In June 2024, Cadogan attracted criticism from Central Otago ratepayers after suggesting ratepayers could consider reverse mortgages as a means of paying the proposed 18.3% rate increase; with some areas reporting a 30% rate increase due to hikes in water and waste water costs. He was also criticised for implementing a restructure of the district's rating system known as "districtisation." On 30 October, Cadogan was succeeded as Mayor of Central Otago by second-term councillor and former policewoman Tamah Alley, who became the district's first female Mayor.