Who should be Southland District's next mayor?

With locals due to go to the polls in early October, we're asking the six candidates for their opinions on the major issues facing the district. We'll run the answers over the next five weeks.

This week, we asked: What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

Here are the answers, in alphabetical order:

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Wendy Joy Baker

Age: 55

Occupation: Valuable Volunteer; Previous: Sports Coordinator; EBOP Regional Council Officer; Contracts Manager; Healthy Lifestyle Coordinator; Research Technician.

What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

At present there are two major issues, of equal importance, facing Southland District:

1. High Rates: The increase in property rates over the years is substantial. For example my rates (Nightcaps) in May 2017 were $2,097.11, in July 2022 they are up to $3,190.40. That's over 50% increase in 5 years!

Maybe the present elected members need to take a good look around at poorer, lower CV, communities. Ask themselves "is this fair?" The answer is "No".

With the higher cost of living we all have to 'tighten our belts' and SDC needs to do the same. For instance the cost of the showy 'First Edition' publication was over $100,000 (2020-22). Council needs to 'get real' and cut costs to reduce rates. That's my caring goal.

2. Dog Control: There's an ongoing problem with the safety issue of uncontrolled dogs in Southland.

SDC dog control Annual reports ( July 2019-June 2022) figures show a total of 100 complaints about dog attacks. Total complaints (these years) is over 1600. Examples: 510 Wandering Dogs; 96 Dog Rush/threaten; 671 barking dogs.

Dog Control needs to be taken more seriously and Bylaws/ Dog Control Act implemented more effectively and efficiently. Incentives and Infringements. Fairness overall.

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Don Byars

Age: 53

Occupation: Father, Southland District Councillor, Urban farmer

What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

An inability for current leaders to consider an efficient, effective and community-controlled approach to community water infrastructure. This, coupled with the loss of control over our key water infrastructure is setting Southland District (and the whole country) up for expensive, poor performing methods of dealing with community water issues. A change in approach is acquired across all water infrastructure.

Space is short, so consider a couple of examples of the current approach. Our community pays a tremendous amount of money bringing water from outside of towns, into treatment plants then pumping it up hills and towers from where it is dropped into our homes. Yet in Southland we are fortunate that rainwater falls on our houses. The current approach treats a valuable water resource as a liability to be disposed of. In expensive pipes and stormwater drains. Change needs to happen.

One more example of why change needs to occur. Planning is underway to renew a facility for a small town that, on certain days, emits millions of litres of sewage contaminated water per person. The current proposal is to spend tens of millions ($100 million in a cost blowout?) to pump these volumes many kilometres to treat it. Yet there is no discussion with our community about why we have to deal with such vast volumes of contaminated water.

As your mayor, even though the conversations may be uncomfortable for some people, we will be having them.

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Kirsty Pickett (previously Macnicol)

Age: 51

Occupation: Business owner, former journalist

What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

Communication.

The impacts of the past few years have created a wariness, even distrust, in governance. We need to examine how we talk to people – think less consultation and more conversation. We need to remove the jargon and open up more of the council’s own conversations by holding fewer closed workshops, with the goal of re-engaging people in local governance.

We have a lot of big issues ahead – some of them we’ll need to rally against. Good conversations lead to good decision-making. Southland is a unique and special place and we’re closer connected here than anywhere. Like all families, we don’t always agree but just because I might disagree with you doesn’t mean I hate you.

It’s human nature to make mistakes, but what’s more important is how we respond to and learn from those errors. My mantra has always been if you mess up, you fess up, front it and fix it.

The council is an extension of the people it represents and can only be effective if its people are alongside it. That means ensuring the council models a culture of strong and effective communication from governance and through every tier of its operation.

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Rob Scott

Age: 42

Occupation: Small Business Owner & District Councillor

What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

It’s hard to pinpoint just one, different parts and sectors of the district have their own unique circumstances. One consistent issue across the district though is change. There have been a number of events outside of our control, which when coupled with the volume of reform coming from Wellington makes for a rough ride.

In these times it’s easy to take a reactive approach and only think in the now, which while important mustn’t come at the cost of the future. We cannot afford to leave a mess for our kids and grandkids.

Sound leadership is always nice to have, but in periods of uncertainty and change, it is vital. It’s easy to perform well when things are going well, but a true leader can thrive no matter what the circumstances are. 

I’m excited by the opportunities that are coming up for us to shape our communities and take a front foot approach to proactively deal with how we tackle the issues and mould our future. I have solid experience in business and a proven track record in the community to deliver the leadership that Southland needs for all of our communities to be the best that they can be.

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Gary Ian Tong

Age: 63

Occupation: Full time Mayor

What, in your opinion, is the major issue facing Southland District and what will you do to address it if elected?

All issues facing Murihiku Southland can be defined as major at the moment because of the uncertainty of the future. A number of communities are in survival or recovery mode while others have not had any significant effects post Covid.

The list is not exhaustive: Every community is vulnerable to climate change and/or changes in the way things can be done. Forestry, more importantly Carbon Forests, are negatively changing our communities and landscape, coal is on the out, diesel costs are affecting power generation on Rakiura Stewart Island, immigration restrictions are affecting employers… BUT as a cohesive Council we will continue to monitor and make noises to ensure our voice is not lost in the abundance of change facing us all. Along with this is the need to celebrate our success stories.

My way of addressing this has been to listen, to hear and to understand… Then to advocate, stay proud and support our many communities over the largest geographical region in New Zealand.

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• Candidate Geoff Young did not provide an answer to the first topic by the deadline.