2 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Mayoral candidate wants ticket to stand with him
A Waitaki district mayoral candidate hopes a candidate information night will be the push needed for like-minded residents to take the leap into local politics and join his campaign.
Confirmed candidate David Wilson does not just want to be elected mayor of Waitaki. He says he wants a whole new majority of councillors too.
"The mayor can't do it alone," he proclaimed in a full-page advertisement in the Oamaru Mail, last month.
He is seeking candidates who share his desire for change in Waitaki District Council to join his electoral 'ticket'.
"The search is going well," Mr Wilson said before next Tuesday's candidate information night.
He is talking to six potential council candidates and hopes a group of "reform candidates" to stand for most of the 10 council seats will emerge before the nomination closing deadline of August 1.
"It does no good for one or two councillors to be a lonely voice against bureaucratic errors. A determined majority has to set the policy, set the spending priorities, and demand follow-through.
"Candidates won't agree on everything, and that's OK, but we need a strong council majority that has a completely new attitude towards rates, spending priorities, secrecy and the way to make Waitaki grow."
Mr Wilson said councillors need to be setting policy not just "rubber-stamps".
One of the biggest obstacles for the new council would be popular indifference, he said.
"Many local residents have contacted me saying they do not believe local government can make a difference.
"I do not subscribe to this theory. The council matters, and must be a community enabler and partner in key economic revitalisation initiatives."
All potential mayoral, council, regional council, community board and Oamaru Licensing Trust candidates can attend the Waitaki District Council-run information briefing evening next Tuesday.
Outgoing mayor Gary Kircher also encouraged people to attend.
"It's an opportunity for people thinking of standing, to find out more about what is required, ranging from the commitment to the workload and responsibilities.
"Hopefully, it will help bust some myths, and for some, be a reality check. While doing that, it's also about how to be effective in council and navigating the bureaucracy that is an inevitable part of being a highly regulated organisation."
The event will be held at the Oamaru Opera House from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
It will involve an introduction from Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley, a presentation from Elections NZ about becoming a candidate, and representatives from Otago Regional Council, Waitaki District Council and the Oamaru Licensing Trust to answer questions about becoming an elected representative.
Nominations for the upcoming 2025 Local Government Elections. open on July 4.
