Craig Gasson: "Turn that rage into engage"

Craig Gasson: Candidate Commentary Opinion

Queenstown Lakes Community Action has just compiled a data set showing how each councillor has voted on respective issues.

The sort of data you would expect on a transparent and forthcoming council's website. (Which is why - I suspect - it's not on QLDC's)

The results are grim. It's right there now, plain as day. Everything we've suspected and why I decided to run as a councillor.

I can only speak from my perspective. As a Wānaka local, sick of the same old, actually - sick of having a whinge and hoping for change.

Wanaka has four councillors all seeking re-election. All talk of their having Wānaka's interests at heart, and having challenged the status quo. Well, except Barry Bruce - his position seems to be that everything is fine. It's not.

We now have the facts. Ignore the slogans and promises. Look at the voting records. Wānaka has two dinosaurs (Cr Lyall Cocks and Cr Barry Bruce) that have clear alignment to Mayor Lewers agenda. Extreme alignment.

Councillor Cody Tucker is barely any better.

In some sense I feel for Cody. He's admitted his naivety, and clearly he has gained comfort from treating Mayor Lewers as a mentor of sorts. Wānaka needs more than that. And frankly, from Cody's latest interactions it seems to me and many others that he's burnt out.

I get the irony of me - that I'm running for council, giving comment to all of this. But I feel obliged to highlight the work Queenstown Lakes Community Action has done.

Look - here's how I see it..

Wanaka-Upper Clutha has four council seats.

Two are quite obviously going to Niki Gladding and Quentin Smith.

Then you have two remaining seats.

Vying for those two seats, you have two groups, the first I am going to label as the "Coalition of Complacency". Lyal Cocks, Barry Bruce, Cody Tucker.

Then you have a new group of challengers. The disruptors. Those wanting real change. Nicola King, Yeverley McCarthy, that other guy, and me - Craig Gasson.

Niki and Quentin can't foster change and advance Wanaka's interests alone. Look at their voting records, and realise how often the majority of council went the other way.

Quentin and Niki need support to be effective.

It’s not enough to simply look to change the mayor, if you want to do that you also need to show the door to those that have enabled the status quo.

"Turn that rage into engage"