What do the candidates in the 2019 local body election stand for? The Otago Daily Times gave nominees for the Invercargill City Council the opportunity to answer the following questions:
1 Invercargill will be under construction for a long period while the new CBD development work is done. What will be the biggest challenge for the city during this time, and what will you do about it?
2 What are your goals and what should the priorities be for your council?
Becs Amundsen
BECS AMUNDSEN
Council: Invercargill City Council.
Age: 41.
Occupation: Event organiser.
Question 1: The biggest challenge will be making sure people still come to the CBD to visit retailers who are there. I want council to create a discretionary fund for activation activities to help with this. Another challenge is making sure things are done properly and processed in a timely manner - onus needs to be put on the company doing the work to work closely with council on all aspects to help this process go well.
Question 2: As mayor, I will ensure councillors have all the skills and knowledge they need to do the job properly. I will work hard to make sure there is good communication between council (at a governance level) and the community and support developing better community engagement practices - ideally community engagement will be number one priority for council. Housing needs to be a council priority as we need to be part of the solution.
Steve Chernishov
STEVE CHERNISHOV
Council: Invercargill City Council.
Age: 38.
Occupation: Teacher and entrepreneur.
Question 1: As "The Block" inner city building takes place, our city has important community development work to do. In the background, while CBD construction is taking place, council must build a strong innovation culture, and learn to empower local people to establish businesses. When we can station our own people; giving them the confidence, facilities and pathways to establish services, then others will also come and succeed. This is a cultural and processes challenge for council.
Question 2: We will invest time in understanding the work that has already been done to establish our city and the wider region. Much pioneering has taken place, and full respect goes out to all who have contributed. From here we must understand what is truly important for the coming era, then do what is best for people. Our priority is to identify issues, understand people, research, develop ideas, then reach fresh outcomes - while becoming more attractive.
Darren Ludlow.
DARREN LUDLOW
Council: Invercargill City Council.
Age: 54
Occupation: Manager, Radio Southland
Question 1: Making sure people realise there are still businesses operating in the CBD will be a challenge. Encouraging people to go there and be aware of where other businesses have relocated to is the action. Our Inner City Coordinator will be vital and need to be well resourced. We also should look to include art around worksites to make the space interesting and vibrant. Good communication around traffic flow and parking will also be essential.
Question 2: My priorities include securing the future of SIT; progressing the redevelopment of the Museum and city art gallery; making sure council is compliant in how it operates - both in how we provide services, regulation and how governance operates. My goal is to encourage a community focused "family friendly" city - which also means ensuring we are business friendly in order to grow jobs so families can flourish, plus attract and retain new workers and families.
Tim Shadbolt
TIM SHADBOLT
Council: Invercargill City Council.
Age: 72.
Occupation: Mayor.
Question 1: Invercargill's CBD will face major disruptions during development of "the Block".
The developers have educated those business owners in the vicinity of the likely impact and the timelines. We have an inner-city co-ordinator who will continue to promote events and work with retailers highlighting the inner city.
We must also ensure there are clear communication channels with the public and retailers so that activity within this zone is widely known and the community feel a sense of pride at any short-term inconveniences in the name of progress.
Question 2: The priorities for the next council must be to listen to and act upon the wishes of the people. We must seriously consider the four "wellbeings" of local government. This includes the rights of our disabled workers.
Our immediate focus must be to actively address the housing crisis without waiting for the Government to intervene. We must ensure our local industries survive and prosper.
Tiwai Smelter must renegotiate transmission pricing at a rate that is "fair" and SIT must retain autonomy.
