Porirua City Councillor Mike Duncan has died suddenly, according to Stuff and Porirua News, both reporting on 14 June 2026.

Duncan represented Onepoto ward — an area in western Porirua that includes Tītahi Bay — since 2016. He had served for ten years. No cause of death has been made public.

Mayor Anita Baker said the news had "come as a shock to all." When a councillor dies in office, councils usually have no warning and little time to prepare.

Duncan's decade on the council happened during major change for Porirua. The city has grown, faced big infrastructure decisions, and dealt with new rules around water services. The Onepoto ward has specific issues around coastal areas and community facilities that need someone who understands the local situation. Duncan had built that knowledge over ten years.

When a council member dies in office, a formal process kicks in. Porirua City Council must announce the vacancy publicly and then decide: do they hold a by-election, or do they appoint someone? The choice depends on how much of the current three-year council term is left. The current term runs to October 2025. The council will make this decision soon.

Losing a councillor with ten years of experience leaves a real gap. That councillor knows the relationships within the council, has built ties with the community, and understands how things work day to day. A new councillor does not have any of that yet. For a council the size of Porirua's, the loss is felt right away.