What do the candidates in the 2019 local body election stand for? The Otago Daily Times gave nominees for the Central Otago mayoralty the opportunity to answer the following questions:
1 How do you think council should balance progress through development and the protection of the environment?
2 What are your goals and what should the priorities be for your council?
Victoria Bonham
VICTORIA BONHAM
Council: Central Otago District Council.
Ward: Vincent (as well as mayoralty).
Age: 52.
Occupation: Businesswoman.
Question 1: Progress should be measured in health and prosperity and never in growth and should never threaten the health and safety of our environment, community and biodiversity. We must have a solid environmental protection template. A checklist to weigh all development and activities up against.
Question 2: My goals - create a transparent holistic process to address and resolve environmental issues and protect our biodiversity. Stop the use of chemical spraying, replacing with steam and organic alternatives. Stop the use of cruel toxic poisons used for animal management and bring back the rabbit board. Help animal rescue charities by council-funded desexing and microchipping and lead the way in better animal welfare.
Tim Cadogan
TIM CADOGAN
Council: Central Otago District Council.
Age: 54.
Occupation: Mayor.
Question 1: Central Otago people treasure our unique environment. Council and community are under pressure from growth; it is the responsibility of council to ensure that growth is sympathetic to, not at the expense of, our environment. Proof of our resolve is the community, through council having invested hugely through our last LTP to handle our biggest environmental threat, being the septic tanks in Clyde and our new Cromwell wastewater plant improving discharge quality by 1000 times.
Question 2: Affordability and availability of housing is the biggest problem we face. This affects everyone, from workers not finding houses to businesses not keeping employees. The Affordable Housing Trust I set up this term has solutions and my goal is to see these solutions and/or others turned into action so everyone has a chance in Central. That is the New Zealand I grew up in and how I want to see this part of it progress.
