Mayoral Profile: Vanessa van Uden

Queenstown Lakes mayoral aspirant Vanessa van Uden. Photo by Tracey Roxburgh.

Vanessa van Uden (43) is no stranger to local body politics in the Queenstown Lakes district, having served as a councillor for the past three years.

She says her opposition to some council decisions may not be popular, but says her ability to stick to what she believes is right is one of her greatest strengths.

A Southlander born and bred, Cr van Uden wanted her two daughters to be educated in the South and was "fortunate enough" to get a job at the Queenstown Lakes District Council. Twelve years later, she has decided to throw her hat in the ring for the district's mayoralty.

So Vanessa, why are you standing for mayor?
Because I felt that I had something to contribute that could improve things for us all. I've had four years working for council and I know it inside and out. I think the last three years as a councillor really firmed up my commitment to standing for the mayoralty in terms of making the changes necessary.

What sort of changes are you talking about?
Cut spending for a start. We've had nine years of think big, pay bigger, what's nice to have rather than necessary.

We need to cut the constant rates increases and the council needs to get hard with its spending - for example, trying to find alternate sources of income, bed taxes and departure taxes, getting more of a return from tourists that come here.

We could use the Think Tank initiative I've been talking about, that involves using local knowledge and expertise - looking differently at the way we actually come up with the plan, use the knowledge that we have, bringing people together to brainstorm.

A part of that is talking more with the Government and trying to get a greater contribution, but let's use the people here who are in business and know what's going on.

What do you think your strengths would be as mayor?
I have the strength and background to stick to my commitment, to stick to what I believe is right.

When something isn't the right answer, I will not support it and it doesn't matter if I'm the only one - like the rates increases and the long-term plan ... With the water operations contract I was able to say at the beginning it was not going to work ...

I've been able to highlight for other councillors and the community a lot of the financial information, the issues that weren't actually getting out there before and help them understand what it meant.