Councillor to throw hat back in the ring
This October, in addition to electing a district council, Waitaki residents will also be voting to elect a representative on the Otago Regional Council (ORC).
The regional is made up of 12 councillors elected from four constituencies — Dunedin (with five councillors), Dunstan (four), Molyneux (two) and Moeraki (one).
Moeraki representative Kevin Malcolm confirmed he would stand for a third term.
"I am intending to stand again and commit to serving the people of Waitaki and the Moeraki constituency for the next three years," he said.
"I'm excited to go again. I'm happy with what I've achieved in setting directions for our policy.
"The issue that we've had is around the [council] table.
"The table has gone for the policies set by the previous minister for the environment, and that's probably against, against the wishes of our constituents."
Cr Malcolm was referring to moves by the council last year to try to move forward with notifying a regional freshwater plan against ministerial advice.
That led to the National-led government introducing a last-minute amendment in Parliament to restrict the council's ability to notify freshwater plans before the gazetting of the replacement National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.
"I think the RMA reforms that are proposed are exciting and, if we can, the key thing we need to do as councillors is ensure that we reduce the cost burden on our ratepayers, get rid of the bloat and the stuff that we don't need.
Cr Malcolm also sat on the Waitaki District Council for three years before standing for the regional council.
He encouraged people to stand for elected positions but advised them to "go in with their eyes open".
"You are part of a dozen people, and if you are going in, it's critical to ensure that you have like-minded people around you to get good things done for the community.
"You need to do your homework, you need to do your reading and you need to ask questions and if you're not prepared to do that homework, you're letting your community down."
Candidate nominations for regional and district council elections open on July 4 and close on August 1.
"July might seem a long way off, but now's a good time to start thinking about whether you or someone you know might fit the bill," ORC chief executive Richard Saunders said.
"People can find out more by heading to our Election 2025 web page — www.orc.govt.nz — stand, where they can find information about what a regional council does, the role of a councillor, how much they get paid, how many meetings they need to attend and how much reading is required.
"In the next triennium [three-year term] council will make decisions which support outcomes for our community in environmental management, natural resource management, public transport preparing for and responding to emergencies and natural disasters, as well as the economic, social, cultural, and environmental wellbeing of the region."
To be a candidate for an elected member position, people need to be a New Zealand citizen, over 18 years old, and enrolled on a New Zealand electoral roll.
andrew.ashton@odt.co.nz
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