A Southland business leader wants to get into public office.
Southland Business Chamber chief executive Sheree Carey says she has always been passionate about her community and politics and is standing for ILT.
Mrs Carey said she had been advocating for the business community through her role for the past six years but now wanted to do even more.
She announced yesterday that she is running for the Invercargill licensing trust at the October local body elections.
She would continue with the chamber should she be elected.
She joins Paddy O’Brien, Reece McDonald, Graham Hawkes, Mark Billcliff, Kirsten Diack, Sean Bellew and Suzanne Prentice in the race for six positions on the ILT board.
"I feel that I have achieved so much supporting our business community that I would like to take some of that experience that I now learned and then be more involved in the community space," Mrs Carey said.
"The people in this city have always been very kind to me so it is about time for me to give back."
She also wanted to create a vibrant city that attracted more people to the region.
"We are doing all this work at the moment at the chamber and the feedback we have from exit interviews with people who left the city was a real barrier to retain young people here.
"We don’t have that diversity of offering and a vibrant nightlife.
"Young adults want a cool and vibrant city centre and bar scene to go."
It was the first time she had stood for any political role, but she said it could be the first step of a political career.
"I have always been passionate about local body politics — everybody knows that.
"It is something I have always been interested in but I feel now is the right time to put my energy and focus on the ILT board to help more the community."
