I am standing for the Dunedin City Council to put people first, fix urgent infrastructure issues, and protect our heritage as a driver of success. Vote #1 for Jo Galer DCC Councillor.
Vote #1 for Jo Galer DCC Councillor.
Infrastructure Over Cycleways
At eight election meetings around Dunedin in recent weeks, voters told me enough to know, in no uncertain terms, what’s important to them. And it isn’t cycleways.
Those affected by recent South Dunedin floods, and people in the Saddle Hill/Brighton area near Smooth Hill, showed a level of frustration and emotion that spoke volumes about their experience with this Council to date. To the woman who tearfully went to the microphone at the Carisbrook school hall and asked which of us candidates lie awake at night worrying when it rains, I have your back. You made your point very powerfully.
I’m Jo Galer, standing for election to the Dunedin City Council.
What the people told us
Audiences of between 30 and 120, at night meetings held by the Dunedin Area Citizens Association, the Opoho Church and the Caversham Baptist Church, revealed the following concerns a new Council needs to give full attention to:
- Unaffordable, mortgaged-sized rates are causing residents genuine anxiety and Council needs to show it has heard by doing everything possible to bring costs, and rates, down.
- People in South Dunedin are frightened by repeated floods and feel stuck with no solution in sight.
- The Saddle Hill and Brighton communities largely oppose the Smooth Hill landfill. With the new site posing a threat to aircraft from bird strike, this will jeopardise extending the Dunedin Airport runway, which we need to be a true international airport. This will be a game-changer for tourism here.
- Hundreds of buildings are neglected in Dunedin due to hostile heritage planning rules. Demolition by neglect of our inner-city concerns people, and they want to know what’s being done to stop it.
- People want the Taieri Gorge train to continue, giving important tourism business in Middlemarch a boost.
- Rural roads within the larger boundary of Dunedin are dangerously neglected – people are unhappy with the level of council service they’re getting.
- People can see the council is crippled by broken relationships and a poor workplace culture. They do not believe money is being spent wisely.
Something is badly wrong when pipes and a pump station have not been upgraded since 1968 and contributing to flooding and sewage contamination inside people’s homes is ignored, while a cycleway is voted in for Albany St.
What I will do
- Call for a review of operational and capital spending that will also check whether safety improvement’s for the city’s more rural roads (eg around Middlemarch and Waikouaiti) are done.
- Repay dangerously high debt using a period of austerity and careful spending controls, with clear priorities of infrastructure upgrades focused on community safety and our economy.
- Foster a new planning system that incentivises heritage building owners to re-use and restore their buildings. Let’s help them by simply changing council’s approach from disabling to enabling . The city will look so much more interesting and cared for.
- Instigate a wealth fund through the sale of unused council property.
- Strongly lobby central government for our share of economic development funding, for social housing, harbour-side development, and cable car up High St.
- Put pressure on KiwiRail to maintain Taieri Gorge tracks and restart the Southerner train.
- Seek penalties for building owners who demolish by neglect, creating ruins that become illegal in our CBD.
- Seek changes to planning rules that prevent the loss of heritage homes around City Rise but promote the use of existing buildings for intensified apartments.
- Work for better tourism promotion, long-term security for the Taieri Gorge train, and our magnificent harbour needs to promote more visits by smaller, high-tech expeditionary ships that come right up to Dunedin, as well as Port Chalmers.
- Seek a review of our theatre options, with a view to keeping the Fortune Theatre and Sammy’s as a great music venue. I have proven knowledge from my experience on the Hillside project on how this can be done without expecting a ratepayer bailout.
- Pay close attention to council staff culture, taking courageous steps to make the council a positive, fiscally prudent and progressive place to work.
Why give me your vote
I’m convinced Dunedin has far more potential to be a leading city than it has realised. I also possess the knowledge, tenacity, and experience to help us achieve this.
As an established advocate and negotiator for protecting our built heritage, and also with my knowledge of issues facing the University (such as the current drift to Canterbury University) I will use this strength to make Dunedin more prosperous. I will also focus on ways that include our heritage as an economic driver, similar to Hobart in Tasmania.
My aim is to get urgent work done to protect people, and stop projects our community has loudly said no to, primarily for health and business reasons. Why does the council always think it knows better than its people?
That’s a million miles from where I stand - with the people of Dunedin, who know what’s best for their city. They just want to get our infrastructure right and have security that their city is thriving. It will be hard work, but won’t it be worth it to see Dunedin fly?
Dedicated to Dunedin
I’ll put Dunedin’s community first, protecting what makes our city unique, cutting wasteful spending, and backing projects that deliver tangible benefits for our people.
If elected, serving our community will be my only focus. I don’t have another business to run or a second job pulling me away; I’ll give 100% of my time, energy, and heart to Dunedin. This isn’t about distractions; it’s about dedication. I care deeply about our city and am fully committed to listening, showing up, and working every day to ensure Dunedin thrives.
Following years of experience in our key public institutions, including the University, and Police, and numerous governance roles, I understand Dunedin, our people, and our challenges. I’m totally confident we can be a stronger, more go-ahead city.
Personal snapshot - Jo Galer
I am 58, and proud mum of two just-graduated daughters (University of Otago) – Kaitlin and Anna.
I was educated at Columba College, Wellington Polytechnic journalism school and Otago University (History First Class Honours degree). My dissertation topic was why the Stock Exchange building came down.
Dunedin suburbs I’ve lived in include Waverley, Mornington, North Dunedin, Macandrew Bay, Normanby and 24 years in Opoho. I now live in Company Bay. I also spent two years overseas working and travelling in Australia, Indonesia, the UK and Europe.
Parents: Captain Bill Galer (Port Otago and Maritime Safety Authority) and Lois Galer (ODT Journalist, author and Regional Officer for Otago/Southland Historic Places Trust. Sisters, Kristine and Trudy Galer.
Places I’ve worked in journalism or Communications include the Taieri Herald, ODT, NZ Police (Otago Southland media liaison), Otago University Media Engagement (11 years), Aurora Energy Communications Adviser, the Wanaka Sun, Newsroom.co.nz, and ORC Communications & Marketing Manager (current role).
Voluntary work includes the DCC Heritage Fund, Chair, Southern Heritage Trust, Hillside Administration block restoration project lead, and committee roles for the TEU, Islington Early Childhood Centre, St Hilda’s PFA, Victim Support Dunedin, Otago University Rugby Football Club (first woman President in its history).
I received a Police commendation for my work on the Olivia Hope/Ben Smart inquiry.
The bottom line
The clock is ticking for Dunedin. The only way we can turn this city around is by making the most of the opportunity this election gives us, to vote in a council that is Dunedin-centric, cares about your rates bills, yet is progressive. A council that makes every dollar of yours count.
I’ve taken unpaid leave to stand and seek the privilege of your vote.
If elected, I will resign my ORC role and focus solely on council tasks and goals as above. No distractions - you will have my complete focus.
To find out more about Jo Galer and her views on making Dunedin thrive, visit jogaler.nz
Authorised by Jo Galer | Galerjo@gmail.com
