As your Hamilton City Councillor for 15 years it’s been an honour to serve you. I live in the Ward I’m standing for and have lived in Hamilton most of my life.
This term I have worked hard to balance the needs of our fast growing city and hope you will choose me as your #1 for Council.
As Chairperson of the Infrastructure Operations Committee, I am most proud of the work done to refresh Hamilton’s transport strategy. I would like to continue this work to ensure we deliver a well connected and safe transport network for all users. I will continue to oppose the Three Waters Reform.
The Central Government reforms on our water services, housing intensification, and the reform on Local Government will change the way we operate as a city, and will change our way of life. I will use my experience to ensure we get the best outcomes for you and for Hamilton during these times.
No.
I have been opposed from the outset on the Three Waters Reform. I was disappointed that Council didn’t take a stronger position at the start to oppose the reform as I believe Government should have changed legislation to standardise water services around NZ, rather than a centralised approach.
The Local Government Act asks Councils to find ways to specifically engage and include Māori in decision making, so in 2018 Hamilton City Council implemented a Māngai Māori model to its committees. Due to the success of the Māngai model, I supported the move to introduce two new Māori Wards.
Hamilton City Council has always had a form of a co-governance arrangement that has worked well. However with the Three Waters Reform, I don’t support the proposal for co-governance on that issue, I believe that the delivery of water services for a city should remain with local Councils.
I feel that currently the relationship is fractured, mainly due to the Three Waters Reform, but also the other reform programmes that are being past down to Councils. They come with consider costs that Government are unwilling to address, a cost that is being met by local Ratepayers.
I hold the view that everything that Council does is “economic development” and our focus should be on delivering good quality infrastructure, which is core business. I don’t support Council being involved in property development or acquisition outside of any enduring municipal endowment process.
Most people don’t think about the services that Councils provide. As long as they can turn on the tap, and flush the loo, they don’t spend much time thinking about local politics. Unlike central politics, which comes to us daily. Having online voting is something that may help.
Mostly yes. But I’ve worked on Council with a number of colleagues who have lived just outside city boundaries who have been dedicated and worked hard. At the end of the day you want someone to represent you who knows the city, is passionate about it, and makes the right decisions for residents.
I don’t believe so. I think at the very heart of democracy is that the people have the right to choose. If they feel that a person is representing them well, or not, it’s in their hands. Otherwise it’s a “policy” setting the rules for what should be open democracy.
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