Local Politics Q&A

QUESTION 1:
What is the role of a Mayor?

ANSWER:

The Role of a Mayor [according to the Local Government Act]:

• Leads the Council

s41A(1)(a) – Leadership to other members of the council.
• Shares a vision


s41A(2)(a–b) – Leads development of plans, policies & budgets.
• Facilitates governance


s41A(2) – Provides strategic leadership in governance.
• Promotes the wellbeing of the people

s10(1)(b) – Purpose of local government: to promote social, economic, environmental & cultural wellbeing.
• Is responsible for social, economic, environmental & cultural wellbeing

s10(1)(b) – Reinforces the council’s purpose.
• Has oversight on the city


s41A(1)(b) – Leadership to the people of the district.
• Works with the CEO


ch. 7, cl. 33–36 – Council employs & oversees the Chief Executive.
• Oversees Council operations


ch. 7, cl. 36 – CEO manages operations but is accountable to the council.
• Oversees service delivery


s11A & Sch. 7 – Council must deliver core services; oversight is through governance.
• Is involved with decision-making & policy development


s41A(2)(a–b), s14 – Leads policy development; guided by principles of decision-making.
References: www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2002/0084/latest/DLM170873.html

QUESTION 1:
If you could pick one area where you believe savings could be made at the Invercargill City Council during the next term, to help reduce rate rises, what would it be?

ANSWER:
It’s time for a serious review of the Council’s projected borrowing; as rising rates bills are directly linked to Council debt. Council currently has some very large projected financial commitments – tied to major developments, involving investment partners & loan agreements. Lots of the companies contracted to develop & maintain our city are based outside of Southland. In order to set things straight we must open up new opportunities for work with businesses that belong in the South, & look at more financially viable solutions.

Projected debts & contractual obligations shall be re-evaluated. Local businesses which will circulate the money in our region & that can provide competitive pricing need our highest priority. We must consider the benefits for everyday locals, rather than token developments that look flash & only appeal to a small proportion of our community.

QUESTION 2:
If there was one area you believe the Invercargill City Council should increase its investment/or focus on during the next term, what do you believe that should be, and why?

ANSWER:
Council must invest in supporting the establishment of local enterprises which are managed by the people of Invercargill.

This should be our highest priority:
We need to develop local products\services, & put systems in place to support their growth [Council needs to focus on non-regulatory services].

Council shall invest in offering deliberate; purpose-built services & resources to support growth – not red tape & more legislation or council fees. This will build wellbeing for the people, strengthen communities & produce true growth for our region.

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QUESTION 3:
Away from your council or work commitments, what are some of your passions, hobbies, or community group involvements, etc?

ANSWER:
I work with an organisation which does group facilitation programmes with men coming out of prison. I am a fully registered teacher, teaching students at both secondary school & primary school level. Over the past few months, I have work with a group to organise Awaken Oho Ake Men’s Conference for our local community (which was on Saturday August 30th).
Much of my work wellbeing focused; encouraging & inspiring others.

I am passionate about developing meaningful & enterprising projects that involve creativity; offering the potential for lasting change.
FOR EXAMPLE: Teaching online about how to create small buildings using innovative, economically viable & sustainable building methods. The online building resource is called ‘BUILDING Initiative’.

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QUESTION 4:
RATES-CAPPING: Do you support the idea of rate capping?
If so, why? And if not, why not?

ANSWER:
No, we don’t need ‘rates capping’ from the government. What our Council needs to do is create its own ‘spending-capping’ system to manage investment & service costs.

Local debt is what actually affects rates. Rates fees are based on regional asset values. Rising rates costs are linked to regional debt & developments.

Council rates are going up, because the ‘working capital ratio’ is a lot lower than it should be. We need to ensure that current assets are not overly burdened by debt & Council incomes are proportionally healthy.

So we need to think about the roots of the rates rises & get innovative. Of course, infrastructure costs money, but to make a way forward in infrastructure we need Southland’s senior retired engineers, builders, plumbers, electrical experts & infrastructure specialists to be the first to be consulted on this [not central government controls or non-local consultants who have no vested interest in keeping Invercargill City debts & consequent rates bills down].

QUESTION 5:
What would you focus on if representing local government?

ANSWER:
I believe in designing developing solutions. If elected into Council, I will focus on:
+ Making decisions that reflect the true interests & wellbeing of the people.
+ Setting up initiatives that protect community well-being.
+ Being innovative when setting up new services & infrastructure needed for locals to thrive.
+ Building transparent, accountable & responsive financial accountability.
+ Shapibng the future of our region with interests steered by locals (not pushed on us by national government & international authorities).
+ Acting with integrity.
+ Partnering with the community.
+ Listening to & consulting with the people.
+ Delivering social, economic, environmental & cultural outcomes that reflect the unique needs & aspirations of the people.
Healthy local governance sets up a foundation for the community to flourish.

FOCUS:

= Make decisions to improve personal & community wellbeing.
= Find ways to provide services & infrastructure that are financially viable.
= Empower the future of our Southland, so that it servse the needs of our people.
= Serve community, & consult with community professionals.

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QUESTION 6:
An art gallery has not been included in the new museum, and the budget for the previously planned Invercargill City Council-led Arts Creativity Centre has been removed from the Long-term Plan. Do you think the council should reintroduce an arts gallery/arts centre development?
If so, do you have a vision for what role the council should play in the arts sector?

ANSWER:
Invercargill’s new Museum space should exhibit Southland history, alongside art – to inspire & encourage creativity among all visitors.

Museums & art galleries go hand in hand. Exhibits presented in a museum ought to be culturally significant, & creatively inspired. Council should provide a space for locals to present their understanding of history, & be expressive through the arts. Our duty as Council is to do what is best for the people.

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QUESTION 7:
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Invercargill, & how should Council respond?

ANSWER:
The biggest challenge facing Invercargill is that we lack creative input & solutions focused ideas. We need a Mayor who can work with the Council, CEO & community to design, develop & action great ideas that empower the people.

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QUESTION 8:
How do you think we can balance progress & affordability for our community?

ANSWER:
Council needs to learn to serve the public on a knew level. We need to re-evaluate Council spending, contractual arrangements & priorities for this coming time. Council needs to make a more deliberate effort to foster an enterprising local economy.
LINK: www.southern.nz/topics

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QUESTION 9:
How should your council balance the need for infrastructure spending with concerns about rate rises?

ANSWER:
It’s time for a serious review of the Council’s future borrowing.

Council currently has large projected financial commitments – linked to overpriced developments. Lots of the companies contracted to develop & maintain our city are based outside of Southland, & have no vested interest in the economic stability of Invercargill City & Greater Southland.

In order to set things straight we must open up new opportunities for work with businesses that belong in the South, & look at more financially viable solutions – not flashy projects.

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QUESTION 10:
How do you envisage working with others in council – especially those who don’t agree with you?

ANSWER:
I’ll be presenting creative ideas alongside facts; discussing the implications of financials & projects, then encouraging Councillors to share potential new solutions rather than to simply disagree & debate. This approach is much more useful for designing & developing vibrant, well thought-out ways forward.

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QUESTION 11:
What are your thoughts around the role of local and central government in NZ?
What could be improved?

ANSWER:
As Mayor, my role would be to serve as the community’s representative; advocating for local interests at various levels of government.

My priority is to influence policy development that benefits the local area. The strongest families & businesses are run by people who govern their own lives with integrity & a healthy work-ethic.

To improve council need less regulatory services & control, & more non-regulatory services. We need a strong & enterprising localised economy that is well resourced.

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QUESTION 12:
Where do you stand with a proposed merger of councils to create two new local authorities in Southland?

ANSWER:
I oppose merging councils. The best way to save costs is by reassessing the each area’s financial, contractual & structural commitments – not to blend everyone & everything together!

Our focus should be on developing services & infrastructure that foster a localised & dynamic economy that empowers enterprise – not top-down control. We need well connected local community groups that grow & share what they create.

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QUESTION 13:
What is the most important role of a mayor?
Does a mayor need to have more power?

ANSWER:
Leadership: Sharing vision & developing solutions that serve the local community. Leadership involves engaging residents – not just receiving their ‘submissions’.

Leadership as mayor means overseeing council operations & service delivery, local policy development & working directly with the CEO. The mayor’s most important job is to empower the public, & to lead council.

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QUESTION 14:
Why are you running for election?

ANSWER:
I’m running to empower Southlanders — keeping decisions local, fostering innovation, & building a resilient future where our communities thrive with purpose, enterprise & opportunity.

I’m concerned with the direction we are going; as we are overspending & lacking a Southland driven strategy.

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QUESTION 15:
Why will you make a good elected representative?

ANSWER:
I will make a good elected representative because I combine grassroots experience with vision & action. As a teacher, entrepreneur & community advocate, I know how to connect people, spark innovation & deliver real outcomes. Born & raised in Invercargill with deep Southern roots, I understand our challenges & opportunities. I stand for transparency, smart investment & local decision-making.

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QUESTION 16:
What is the biggest issue facing your community & what do we need to do to make a way forward?

ANSWER:
Our biggest issue is that many people feel a loss of autonomy & optimism about their position in the community. Locals often feel that opportunities are lacking & community is strained; that there are too many rules which are hindering growth.

Southlanders need to innovative new ways to manage developments – energy, infrastructure, transport, waste management & local food.
To achieve this, we will need to develop a creative, Southland initiated strategy to map out ways forward.

QUESTION 17:
What shall we do about rates rises?
How can we keep rates down?

ANSWER:
Rates changes are based on Council debt. I will be advocating for ways to make the Southland District & entities more financially viable, so rates do not scale significantly larger as projected. The Council is a business entity, so it should act like one; with a business plan & action that is financially viable & projected for growth.

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QUESTION 18:
What do you think of Government capping council rates rises?
Do you support this?

ANSWER:
What our local government needs to do is create a new ‘spending-capping’ system to manage Council investment. Local debt is what actually affects rates – rising costs are linked to regional debt & developments. So we need to cap our own spending to keep costs down.

QUESTION 19:
If the Government implements a rates rises cap, what should it be set at?

ANSWER:
We don’t need government creating rates-capping. It simply comes down to debt to income ratio of a Council. Councils are corporations; they should be able to create income using the assets that they have & offer services to the people. Rates may be involved but they shouldn’t be topping up an entire region or rural area!

The only way to manage rates rises is to develop an economy that is not progressively going into decline. So we need to think about the roots of the rates rises & get innovative. Of course, infrastructure & services cost money, but to make a way forward we need Southland’s senior retired engineers, builders, plumbers, electrical experts & infrastructure specialists to be the first to be consulted on infrastructure [not central government controls or non-local consultants who have no vested interest in keeping Invercargill City debts & consequent rates bills down].

QUESTION 20:
How can a we keep rates costs down?

ANSWER:
For Southland’s economy to be viable it needs to offer services that add value to our region & bring funds in, without needing to continually increase fees for locals. Councils can support the growth of tourism, empower farming, & invest in ways that improves the region’s financial situation rather than forever plunge deeper into debt.

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QUESTION 21:
EFFICIENT DELIVERY: If you choose not to use/reduce the number of consultants, how will you ensure Council has the right skills in-house to deliver effectively and get things done in a timely manner?

ANSWER:
Invercargill & wider Southland need reasonably paid local consultants who have a vested interest in the wellbeing of our local economy – building capacity for homegrown businesses. In-house work is not to be underestimated, but we need community involvement to set the path straight.

We should consult with professionals in our own community who want Council debts to stay down & money to circulate within the region. Consultants from outside our region are often overprice development work being investigated (& this process can blow projects & plans into grandiose schemes that often don’t serve our best interests).

We can gain a lot of wisdom & perspective by consulting with loyal retired professionals in their field. This will positively influence quotes, development recommendations & the discovery of innovative strategies to create efficient infrastructure with effective service.

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QUESTION 22:
ASSET MANAGEMENT: Would you vote in support of the council selling, recycling or reducing its investment in any particular assets?

ANSWER:
Our default setting for the next phase should be to hold back from borrowing more. Before borrowing & looking to develop further infrastructure under our current model – we need to thoroughly analyse & critique spending, commitments & responsibilities – then engage deeply into searching for innovative new ways to develop the region.
It is time to pause & rethink; re-evaluate how we will get things done, engage in research, enterprise, science & learning, then propose new ways to run the region that could more effectively empower growth & set up our future.

QUESTION 23:
FREE SPEECH: What is the single biggest free speech issue facing our community?
How can you make decisions about transparency, public art, personal expression & lawful speech in a public space?
Should any lawful expressions & opinions be shared openly without content-based restrictions?

ANSWER:
The biggest issue is that we don’t have a a vision of where our community is going. Just promoting liberal free-expression – a ‘decide who you want to be’ society doesn’t get results.

The challenge here with free speech is that there are two layers.
Layer 1: Freedom of expression.
Layer 2: Values, morals & integrity.

If we are expressing in a way that does not have progressive vision, if it is not based on love, uplifting & solutions focused then ultimately it may not contribute to the community in a constructive way. So, it’s not as simple as just ‘free expression for all’.

We need to build a community that has love & a strategy at the forefront to build what is best for the people.

QUESTION 24:
EXPERIENCE: What experience or understanding do you have with owning, running, or directly supporting small businesses in Invercargill or Southland to be successful?

ANSWER:
I have a strong understanding of the opportunities & challenges facing businesses in Southland. Having been a company director since 2004 & had involvement with several startups, brand development & marketing – I can see pathways forward to build on our innovative potential & overcome challenges holding Southland business back.

I have worked in property development, hospitality, the design/marketing space & education. I’ve learned from practical experience; with active involvement in both successful & failed enterprises. I’m not afraid to reflect on lessons learned & listen to the reality of situations to see pathways forward in business..

QUESTION 25:
OPPORTUNITIES: What is your vision for small & medium sized enterprises in Invercargill & Southland?

ANSWER:
Our businesses need new pathways to grow. I’ve outlined a strategy for increasing the capacity of local businesses & creating opportunities here in this ‘Future Forecast’ talk: WEB LINK: www.southern.nz/strategy

To put it simply, we must be very deliberate about finding & developing opportunities; for building an enterprising localised economy. To do this, we need to plan the short term, medium term & long term growth of our communities, & the region.

QUESTION 26:
How would you support small to medium sized enterprises to achieve that vision?

ANSWER:
If elected as Mayor, I can influence local policy, work with the CEO & Council to ensure that we take a creative design centred approach to developing new solutions, rather than just voting on & signing what is presented.

Councils can support local business growth by placing a strong emphasis on creating new ‘non-regulatory services’ – resources & redirecting staff to support the growth of our local economy – rather than focusing on red tape, legislation & control.

QUESTION 27:
If elected as Mayor, how would you create from that position?

ANSWER:
Local Southland Businesses need results. There are many millions of dollars being projected through various Council projects that can be redirected.

According to the Local Government Act, a Mayor is responsible for representing the best interests of the community, being effective, efficient & strategic, developing planning & decision making processes, showing leadership, vision, direction & guiding discussions.

A Mayor needs to be fostering collaboration; representing the people as a community spokesman both regionally & nationally, working with he CEO – to find resources, support & target community wellbeing. This is effective governance, & I am putting my hand up for this with integrity, honour, experience that is not tainted. I have the insight, creativity, confidence & personality to support local business to prosper.

TO DEVELOP LOCAL ENTERPRISE: www.southern.nz/strategy

QUESTION 28:
COMMITTEES: How will you ensure that Council committees, especially Chairs, take SME needs into account when making decisions or recommendations?

ANSWER:
As Mayor, I will need to influence local policy, ensuring Council follow these processes: = Council is to develop helpful non-regulatory services, equipping, educating & empowering locals to make the most of local facilities & opportunities.

= Council spending & infrastructure developing must prioritise local Southland businesses over national & international service providers.
= Invercargill & greater Southland need a locally Council managed tendering system for contracted work.

QUESTION 29:
EMPLOYEES/WORKFORCE: Small to medium sized enterprises consistently struggle to find and keep good staff.
What will you do to help attract and retain the right people for Invercargill & Southland businesses?

ANSWER:
The truth is that healthy, inspired, outgoing & enterprising people like to have fun. Invercargill lacks adventure & the vibe that many seek. When cities & regions grow they have strong tourism, exciting activities, & cultural vibrancy.

Local businesses, music, cultural activities, outdoor attractions & businesses that run them need to grow to bring the South into its true potential.

QUESTION 30:
How will you promote the City and Southland as a place where talent wants to stay, rather than leaving for elsewhere?

ANSWER:
Southland is an international retreat. It is an outdoor wonderland; a cultural centre where the people are not afraid to express themselves. We attract startups, established businesses & people who aren’t afraid to chase their dreams. We are a solutions focused people & decisively strong; visionaries who are prepared to design do what really matters.

Southlanders keep it real, we mean what we say & we do what has meaning. We are a local & enterprising economy, serving our own communities, our neighbours, the wider region & the world.

City folk are technologically savvy, yet we truly live vibrant lives off-line; connect well with each other, grow great ideas & share our beautiful place with the world.

QUESTION 31:
How will you ensure Council and community assets are maintained & managed to deliver their promises?

ANSWER:
I stand in this position to reimagine the South’s financial, contractual & structural commitments — unlocking fresh opportunities for locals & chart exciting new pathways forward.

I offer visionary leadership dedicated to sparking transformation across Southern New Zealand. With a deep belief in the power of connection, I create environments where bold ideas flourish, collaboration thrives & real progress becomes possible.

QUESTION 32:

The local economy is flat, although there are signs of green shoots..

What will you do to help Invercargill and Southland bounce back and grow into the future?

ANSWER:
My mission is to inspire individuals & communities to walk with purpose. I will lead with a clear vision & courageous action.

We can awaken the potential within ourselves & our region. By fostering purpose, alignment, innovation & localisation we will be empowered — fully able to shape a brighter, more dynamic future for all.

QUESTION 33:
REGIONAL PROMOTION: How will you promote Southland positively to the rest of New Zealand and overseas?

ANSWER:
We must show the immense beauty of our landscapes, forests & water. This is something that is achievable within a short space of time & a reasonable budget.

We then show a people who have autonomy over their lives, fun, healthy, adventurous lives. The truth is that we will gain a lot more traction attracting tech savvy adventurers with healthy social media profiles – than pumping millions into Council marketing.

QUESTION 34:
How will you get the most value form every dollar in your regional promotion budget?

ANSWER:
Promote the region’s attractions to visitors who can then promote the region to the world through social media.

Get drone footage throughout Southland that can be accessed to show high definition, highly interesting perspectives of our water & land.

QUESTION 35:
REGIONAL PROMOTION: How will you promote Southland positively to the rest of New Zealand and overseas?

ANSWER:
Invercargill & Greater Southland have invested a lot into events over the years, but what is offered lacks engagement.

The best event I have seen in Southland recently was ‘Burning Horse Music Festival’ which was held near Riversdale in 2024 & attracted a lot of talent, fun & expressive people into the region.

Attractions need to be run by business minded creatives, not Council & ILT driven initiatives.

QUESTION 36:
CONNECTIVITY: With higher travel costs, Southland risks becoming more isolated and less attractive place to do business. How would you make it easier for people, freight, and exports to move in and out of Invercargill and Southland?

ANSWER:
International Trade Agreements for food & goods brought into the region need to be re-evaluated. When we import we are often buying inferior highly-processed food & low quality products.

Locally produced products, while seemingly a lot more expensive are most often made of natural materials that have a long lifespan & are healthy. As a region, we need to be distributing local products locally & to our neighbours & finding ways to innovate the distribution of ‘high-value items’ to the rest of the world. This transition must involve local buy-in, fresh innovation, science & new systems. But the way we are making money & finding what we need currently isn’t ideal.

Create high value products, build a resilient localised economy & send premium high value products to the world.

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SUPPLY & DEMAND:
www.southern.nz/topic2

SLOWING RELIANCE ON IMPORTS:
www.southern.nz/topic5

QUESTION 37:
ACTION: You speak of reallocating resources & ciculating money within our economy – What do we need to do to ensure that the needs of each area in Invercargill are provided for? How can we do what is safest for community groups?

ANSWER:

What we need to do is have a really strong re-evaluation of the way that we are using local government budgets.

We need to find a way to get the companies who belong in the area that they are living to develop their own infrastructure.

I am not against bringing in Fulton Hogan, Downer & all the other big companies – but I will say is that it is inefficient use of resources [more explanation for this is coming soon]. The big corporates don’t have a vested interest in your community. They are more interested in an economic model, & a large scale contract with a monopoly. What we need to improve safety [economically sustainable safety & developing resources that are the most suitable local assets] is:
= Get the local people who are inside that area developing their own infrastructure, alongside people who can support that to make it work.
= We can introduce a local consulting scheme; where people who live inside that area can actually be involved in budgeting, & making a plan for their own area to develop [rather than relying on out of town consultants who just visit & write reports].

QUESTION 38:

QUESTION 39: