Nik Kiddle announces QLDC mayoral candidacy
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The following statement has been released by Nik Kiddle.
"Satisfied with the Queenstown Lakes District Council? Want more of the same? My reading of the room tells me “No way!”
It’s time for big improvements. And that starts at the top. New leadership is vital to rebuild a trusted well functioning team. The Mayor must return to forging consensus among elected representatives and opening up the council’s administration to community led views. No more back room deals, no more selling out to drive corporate profits. Transparency and information sharing must become the new norm. Care with ratepayers’ money must dominate decision making and prioritisation must deliver first on core business.
All the while rates have been increasing, we’ve seen a deterioration in the quality of life here. This council has got us into a great deal of trouble over sewage, transport and housing. Productivity is suffering. Neighbourhoods and the environment are suffering. All these issues need fresh leadership to drive improved outcomes.
Our relationship with central government needs a solid uptick. We’ve got a golden opportunity now to grab new resources. But we need a leader focussed on options that exist, instead of peddling a pipe dream of new law so council can tax business turnover. Back in 2019 I called for GST to be returned to us. And the government listened. This must be our focus now without distractions over outdated complex ideas. Current leadership is mired in the past and needs to be swept aside to achieve success.
It’s no good being noncompliant with regional standards. And it’s no good to have public transport decisions fail to take account of our district’s unique needs, whether its school buses or miles of traffic cones, traffic jams and drawn out roading “improvements”.
We can do way better. The best strategy to improve our council is to vote for change and Tick Nik."
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