Mayoral candidates up their game at WHS

The second large scale QLDC mayoral debate of the campaign was held at the Wakatipu High School on Thursday night (September 4) with all four main candidates putting on a more calm, polished performance than at the Queenstown Memorial Centre just over a week ago.

Newsroom journalist and former Mountain Scene editor, David Williams shared the hosting panel duties with WHS students who turned out to be determined inquisitors of the mayoral hopefuls.

Darren Rewi opened with a tribute to personal, face to face contact, saying that his recent meetings in both Queenstown and Wānaka had experienced widespread concerns about rising rates and debt. “We are spending $277 million a year on rates income of $139 million. People are afraid of this secret Regional Deal. People want details.”

This comment met with significant applause.

Mr Rewi went on to accuse the current council of being the “tail wagging the dog” and that “councillors have lost their voice, there’s a lack of governance. The voice of the community needs to be from elected members. Too much is being spent on consultants - on Lakeview and the Road to Nowhere, or what should be called the Road to Lakeview. I would change the system so that the councillors govern the CEO though a clear letter of expectation, telling the CEO exactly what the job is.”

The two hour session, which passed quickly, navigated through a familiar maze of well known thorny issues.

One of the students, Nikau Farrell, asked Mayor Lewers about the low trust level in QLDC and if that made it impossible for the council to be effective.

John Glover picked up on that theme and highlighted his recent experience in trying to attend a QLDC meeting.

The candidates were all asked if they would be spending their full campaign allowance of $30,000. Only Glyn Lewers said that he would.

Darren Rewi, Nik Kiddle and John Glover all indicated that they were largely covering their own election expenses and doing things on a small budget.

MC David Williams then asked Glyn Lewers about the $10,000 donation from Rod Drury and if that donation would influence the Regional Deal negotiations that the mayor was part of and which included projects linked to Mr Drury.

One other question that put the candidates on the spot was whether they supported a cap on rates.

Darren Rewi, John Glover and Nik Kiddle all indicated their support but Glyn Lewers told the audience.

“No. That’s the dumbest idea ever.”

Perhaps the most long lasting memory of the evening would be attributable to another question from student Nikau Farrell.

She asked about council debt. But then added. “It’s us, the next generations who are going to have to pay.”

That left the audience with a lot to think about.

Mainly, that it’s relatively easy to forget who has to pick up the tab for current costs, council mistakes and debt if they are kicked down the road for someone else to pay for.

That someone else, the WHS students, made their point very well this evening by being there, listening carefully and very politely expressing their concern for the future.