Dunedin Voting Paper Returns

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█ Daily return of voting papers for Dunedin City Council

█ Daily return of voting papers for other 2016 Local Elections

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: screenshot tweaked by whatifdunedin – click to enlarge

Writers’ opinion and support

ODT 7.10.16 (page 12)

[click to enlarge]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Dunedin and the Accessible Journey —it’s hard work! #fixit

An uplifting educational element to election campaign pressures, an event involving the public too – Great going guys!

Channel 39 Published on Oct 4, 2016

### channel39.co.nz Wed, 5 Oct 2016
Mayor hopefuls tackle wheelchair challenge
Disability access is on the minds of some of Dunedin’s mayoral candidates. They’ve been participating in a wheelchair challenge orchestrated by a city council candidate with cerebral palsy. And it’s raised questions about the city’s accessibility.
Ch39 Link

****

### ODT Online Thu, 6 Oct 2016
Wheelchair experience enlightening
Dunedin mayoral candidates got to experience life in a wheelchair yesterday, and immediately discovered difficult cambers, bus limitations and the problem of negotiating crowds. Jim O’Malley, Cr Andrew Whiley, Barry Timmings and Abe Gray joined council candidate Joshua Perry on a challenge to take a wheelchair two blocks down George St and back, a mission that proved harder than it sounded. The challenge was organised by Mr Perry, who uses a wheelchair.
Read more

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Published by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

‘Focus on getting the right people elected here’ #Dunedin

ODT 3.10.16 (page 8)

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Election candidates’ names and profiles:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

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Voting Paper Returns
Since voting opened information on numbers of votes returned each day has been made available:

█ Daily return of voting papers for Dunedin City Council

█ Daily return of voting papers for other 2016 Local Elections

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Election survey: Dunedin mayoralty

The Otago Daily Times and the University of Otago have combined forces to produce a survey —

Who are you voting for in the Dunedin mayoral election ?
Who will win the Dunedin mayoralty ?

Survey results will be published in the newspaper and online next week.

█ To take part, go to https://www.odt.co.nz/ and scroll down the home page to find the survey.

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N O T E

How to “see” the survey at ODT Online in order to “vote”….you may need to register and log in at their website if you haven’t done so already. A couple of people have initially reported that they can’t see the survey by desktop or tablet.

It’s free to register at ODT Online – from memory, it takes your name and contact details only. Go to the top righthand menu at ODT Online and scroll down to where it says Login/Register, click on this and follow directions.

The survey is independently hosted at the University of Otago. Your login details given to ODT Online are not shared with the survey hosts!

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Site Notice: post removed

The post entitled ‘DC’s Dunedin City Circus #tricks’ has been taken down in response to a request received this afternoon. The request came with instruction to issue an apology.

A public apology is owed to David Benson-Pope for any upset and offence caused by mention within the wider post. This matter is sincerely regretted. A personal apology will be forwarded to Mr Benson-Pope as soon as practicable today. He may however seek a specifically worded public apology and that can be issued upon his request.

Further removals for this post will be effected within 12 hours via desktop. The present removal is by smartphone only.

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A separate note

If the election signage of any candidate placed around Dunedin appears to be contrary to the rules please contact DCC Customer Services on 4774000 with your query which will be directed to the appropriate planning officer.

Photographs of potentially ‘problem signage’ supplied to What if? Dunedin should also be copied to the planning officer, and stating the physical site location or address.

I have forwarded signage information to the planning officer in recent days where location details were known. This has resulted in enforcement action being taken.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
Site Owner

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC Voting Paper Returns

Voting Paper Returns – check these out daily

Once voting opens information on numbers of votes returned each day will be available:

█ Find out the daily return of voting papers for the Dunedin City Council

█ Find out the daily return of voting papers for other 2016 Local Elections

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Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: electionz.com

Ex ‘greater’ sitting councillor

Received
Sat, 24 Sep 2016 at 8:47 a.m.

“Not campaigning because of being paid by the day to do 2GP Commissioner work while also being paid as Council Chair. We’re supposed to be impressed.

The most deluded council members have warned us – they say they have visions.
Likely in the city not for the city.”

[image supplied]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC electoral issues : Double jeopardy

Received
Sat, 24 Sep 2016 at 1:19 p.m.

Whiley Coyote sign on SH1 – 13.7 km from Waikouaiti
2.45 m x 1.22 m double sided on power poles….
Authorised site ?????

****

“I see Andrew Whiley has made a bold announcement today that he wants to build a sea wall from the St Clair Pool to Lawyers Head to include a cycle way to protect the beach and dunes. He also suggests it can be done for $20 million, which is a big call but unfortunately not likely to be feasible. The replacement cost for the Oamaru breakwater is estimated as high as $27-$48 million, if you put that into context with the scale of Ocean Beach Domain the cost is significantly higher. The Oamaru breakwater is approximately 500 metres long and allowing for the curvature of the beach, Ocean Beach is 3.6 kilometres, seven times the distance. So you would be looking at an approximate cost of $189-$336 million dollars.” –Paul Pope

[image supplied][thechive.com]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: youtube.com – Wile E. Coyote Genius

Channel 39 : Mayoral Candidates #NightlyInterviews

O V E R V I E W
Kicking things off, Ch39 talks to University of Otago Associate Professor Janine Hayward, head of the Department of Politics.

Thu, 1 Sep 2016

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Interviews with the 11 Dunedin mayoral candidates

Conrad Stedman | Fri, 2 Sep 2016

Athol Bayne | Mon, 5 Sep 2016

Scout Barbour-Evans | Tue, 6 Sep 2016

Abe Gray | Wed, 7 Sep 2016

Aaron Hawkins | Thu, 8 Sep 2016

Jim O’Malley | Fri, 9 Sep 2016

Rachel Elder | Mon, 12 Sep 2016

Barry Timmings | Tue, 13 Sep 2016

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██ Who’s left…………. Andrew Whiley, Lee Vandervis and Dave Cull

Lee Vandervis | Wed, 14 Sep 2016

Andrew Whiley | Thu, 15 Sep 2016

Dave Cull | Fri, 16 Sep 2016

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Lee Vandervis . . . . v cull de mayor

ODT 9.9.16 (page 10)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Image: whatifdunedin – election hoarding above Olivier, 468 George St

Ratbags for your avoidance #elections

█ Placement! Who is paying for online ads at Whaleoil, none other than the plodding lesser Stains of Dunedin.

There’s ultra-supreme love for the whole wordy splash:

### whaleoil.co.nz September 3, 2016 at 7:30am
New Zealand’s Dodgiest Local Government Politician Awards
By Cameron Slater
With two weeks until the local government voting papers are mailed out it is time to kick off our dodgiest local government politician competition again.
Who are the rooters, boozers, money wasters, drink drivers and assorted criminals who think they should stick their nose in the public trough?
Who are the incumbent candidates who are so useless that they couldn’t get a job in the real world and only stay standing because they need the money?
Who are the people with appalling records in business or with public money who want to get their hands on more public money?
If you want to nominate a ratbag for the competition please email the tipline.
We already have some nominees, and we are working on a boozy mayoral candidate who made an arse of himself in Japan, and a boozer and a rooter who played away in Hong Kong.
Whaleoil Link

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Mayoral redundancy – His Delta Noble-ness of Yelledhearse

Exhibit A | The Star 1.9.16 (page 4)

Exhibits B and C | ODT 3.9.16 (page 2)

Exhibit D | Did someone mention flood, honestly ?

First line/pledge "no more flooded homes"

One of the greatest acts of political vandalism i've ever seen #Dunedin pic.twitter.com/cOuwjp6Mza

— Paul Le Comte (@five15design) September 3, 2016

█ How are we feeling now ? edified ? gutted by lack of real choice ?
Then, in came someone new called …….

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

Cr Whiley clarifies at ODT #letters

ODT LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS SOAPBOX

[click to enlarge]

ODT 18.8.16 (page 10)

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ODT 27.7.16 (page 12)

Related Post and Comments:
28.7.16 Truthful Letters : Stadium + DCC #toobadaboutmayoralreply

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: whatifdunedin

Election Candidates : DCC, ORC and Community Boards

Updated post
Sat, 13 Aug 2016 at 12:50 a.m.

█ Check out election candidates’ names and profiles here:

DCC & Community Boards
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-dunedin-city-council

ORC
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information/elections-to-be-held-and-nominations-orc

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### dunedintv.co.nz Tue, 9 Aug 2016 6:52 pm
Nightly Interview: Pam Jordan
Nominations close soon for the local body elections, and it’s a busy time for the officials, especially those at the helm. Dunedin returning officer Pam Jordan, has one of the busiest jobs.
Ch39 Link

Channel 39 Published on Aug 8, 2016

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Tuesday, 9 August 2016
ODT: Too few standing to fill council roles
Just three and a-half days from the deadline for nominations in October’s local body elections, there are not enough prospective candidates to fill Otago’s councils and community boards. While candidates regularly leave nominations until the last minute, electoral officers across the southern region say for this election the response is particularly slow. Dunedin’s community boards have just 10 nominations for 30 positions, while in the Clutha district there have been only five nominations so far for the 27 positions available. Electoral officers have called on candidates to get cracking and submit their nominations before they close at noon on Friday, 12 August.

****

[older item]

Dunedin City Council – Media Release
Only a week to go

This item was published on [FRIDAY] 05 Aug 2016

Candidates wishing to stand for this year’s local authority elections have a week left to put in their nominations.

Nominations close at 12 noon on Friday, 12 August.

The Electoral Officer for the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council, Pam Jordan, says the following numbers of nominations had been received by 10am today [Fri, 5 Aug].

Dunedin City Council (DCC):
● Mayor of Dunedin – 1
● Council – 8
● Community Boards (six vacancies for each of six boards) – 5 in total

Otago Regional Council (ORC):
● Dunedin Constituency (six vacancies) – 0
● Dunstan Constituency (three vacancies) – 4
● Moeraki Constituency (one vacancy) – 1
● Molyneux Constituency (two vacancies) – 1

Anyone wishing to stand as a candidate for the DCC (including their local community board) or the ORC can obtain nomination forms and candidate information at www.dunedin.govt.nz/elections or phone 03 4774000.

Candidates can also get further information from Local Government New Zealand at www.lgnz.co.nz/vote2016/candidates.

The names of candidates are put on the DCC website as nominations are received and processed. Candidate profiles will be published once nominations close. The elections are held by postal vote and voting papers will be sent out from 16 September. These must be mailed back in time to be received by 12 noon on Election Day, Saturday, 8 October.

Contact Electoral Officer on 03 4774000.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

DCC encourages Election Candidates

█ FYI Dunedin Issue 41 July 2016 (PDF, 251.1 KB)

Read online or source back copies at:
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/fyi-dunedin

█ HOT PRESS.— Fees and Charges
Most DCC fees and charges will rise by an average of 3% from 1 July.

IMPORTANT DATES
Nominations for candidates open Friday, 15 July and close 12 noon on Friday, 12 August.

ENROLMENT TO VOTE
Check your enrolment details online at www.elections.org.nz or at any NZ Post Shop.

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Election Year. This post is offered in the public interest.

*Images: screenshots by whatifdunedin

DCC’s unmanaged retreat for South Dunedin #naturalhazards

█ SOME BUILDINGS NOW JUST 12M FROM DUNE’S FACE

Bill Brown, who initially raised his concerns in the Otago Daily Times last month, feared no urgency had been shown by council staff since then.

Spring’s king tides were still to come and could bring dramatic further erosion, he said in his written submission.

### ODT Online Tue, 11 Aug 2015
Disappearing dunes ‘an immediate problem’
By Craig Borley
Dunes along Dunedin’s Ocean Beach have receded nearly 9m in the past four weeks and will continue to disappear unless immediate action is taken, a St Clair resident told the Dunedin City Council yesterday …. [Bill Brown] took those concerns to the council’s community and environment committee, where he presented several aerial photographs showing the extent of recent erosion.
Read more

● ODT: ORC has role to play
Responsibility for erosion repairs at Dunedin’s Ocean Beach may not lie solely with the Dunedin City Council, its community and environment committee heard yesterday

● ODT: Erosion problem for rugby club
The Dunedin Rugby Football Club has made no decision on where its future lies but its training lights have been out of use because of costal erosion and sand is encroaching on to its main ground.

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### ODT Online Fri, 10 Jul 2015
Beach erosion: ‘For God’s sake, it’s time to take action’
By Craig Borley
Permanently fix the erosion of St Clair’s sand dunes or give up on most of South Dunedin – there are no other options, a St Clair resident believes. Heavy seas in the past month have washed out several metres of sand dunes.
Read more

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St Clair Beach / Esplanade
(top) wikimedia.org – historical view | uniquelynz.com – 2014 view

### ODT Online
Sea wall plan ‘not about savings’
By Chris Morris on Mon, 24 Nov 2014
A squeeze on Dunedin City Council finances is not behind a push to defer multimillion-dollar options to protect the St Clair sea wall, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull insists. A council staff report recommends any plans for major capital works – such as a groyne to protect the sea wall and properties behind it – be put on hold.
Read more

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Managed retreat….

### ODT Online Thu, 23 Feb 2012
Engineer says let erosion take South Dunedin
By Chris Morris
Allowing coastal erosion to reclaim Kettle Park should be the start of a wider retreat from South Dunedin, a Dunedin City Council hearings committee has heard. The call came from Sustainable Dunedin City co-chairman Phillip Cole – a former civil engineer of 31 years’ experience – as the committee considered a second day of submissions on its draft management plan for Ocean Beach.
Read more

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DCC Webmap – South Dunedin Jan/Feb 2013 [click to enlarge]

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DCC Natural Hazard Maps
Note: These maps are DRAFT only. The boundaries of hazard areas and hazard risk classification may be subject to change based on consultation feedback and further assessment ahead of notification. We strongly encourage feedback on any adjustments that may be required.
You also can use the interactive District plan map in the related information section, to see the current District Plan zoning, and the potential 2GP zoning, including the proposed hazard overlay zones, for your property

██ http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/whats-on/2gp/natural-hazards-phase/natural-hazard-maps

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The maps identified “extreme risk” land in red, which some Dunedin homeowners had “instantly associated with red-zoning in Christchurch”. –Sally Dicey, DCC policy planner

### ODT Online Thu, 25 Sep 2014
Concerns raised over natural hazards plan
By Chris Morris
Homeowners worried about being left in a Christchurch-style red zone – at least on paper – are calling for changes to the Dunedin City Council’s natural hazards plan. Their concerns come as council staff wade through nearly 200 submissions received since the council’s plan to tighten its grip on some city properties, to better protect against natural hazards, was announced in June.
Read more

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### ODT Online Mon, 12 Jan 2009
Council weighs costly Esplanade options
By Chris Morris
The Dunedin City Council is weighing several “quite expensive” options aimed at preventing improvements to the Esplanade, at St Clair, crumbling in the next big storm. Parts of the Esplanade upgrade, which has so far cost more than $6 million, have had repeated structural problems since being largely completed in 2004.
Read more

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### ODT Online Fri, 19 Sep 2014
ODT: 100 Years Ago
St Clair to St Kilda esplanade proposed –ODT, 19.9.1914
The Amenities Committee of the Dunedin Expansion League is displaying a laudable energy in urging upon the Ocean Beach Domain Board the desirability of adopting a scheme for the construction of an esplanade along the sea-front from St Clair to St Kilda. Plans have been secured from the city engineer, and the Committee has fortified itself by obtaining a report upon Mr McCurdie’s proposals from the engineer of the Harbour Board, the advice of a marine engineer being justly considered to be of importance in connection with such an undertaking.
Read more

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Related Posts and Comments:
10.4.15 DCC: Natural Hazards
10.12.13 ORC restructures directorates
23.11.13 DCC: St Clair esplanade and seawall [public forum] 27 November
18.10.13 DCC: Final vote tally + St Clair boat ramp
26.5.13 [bad news] St Clair seawall #FAIL
10.9.12 John Wilson Ocean Drive … reminder to all of DCC incompetence
30.7.12 ORC on hazard risks and land use controls
28.11.11 St Clair seawall and beach access
7.12.09 Coastal protection zones
14.11.09 From the log books of a twenty-year distress #DCC
24.8.09 1. STS response – appeal 2. Coastal protection – comments

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Mayor of Dunedin issues apology

Remember this:

[Interviewed by 3News before the elections in October] Mr Cull says he’s quietly confident he’ll get another term in office, and isn’t worried about his eight rivals. “Six of them have no public office experience, and the other two that do have a pretty shonky record at public office experience. You know, extreme, nutty policies.”

[screenshot] Mayor Cull (3News 7.10.13) — read and view the item here.

——————–

Correspondence received from Lee Vandervis
Tuesday, 18 February 2014 7:47 p.m.
Subject: FW: Letter from the Mayor

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On 17/02/14 5:44 PM, Vivienne Harvey wrote:

Regards

Vivienne

Vivienne Harvey
PA to the Chief Executive Officer
Dunedin City Council

Letter by Attachment (PDF, 24.3 KB): SC2200115514021715260[2]

——————–

On 17/02/2014, at 9:33 pm, Lee Vandervis wrote:

Re: Letter from the Mayor
Dear Mayor Cull,

Thank you for your apology which I appreciate and assume Cr. Calvert will appreciate also.
Looking forward to Cr. Calvert’s confirmation that we can all put this behind us.

Kind regards,
Lee

On 17/02/14 10:24 PM, Hilary Calvert wrote:

Looks like an apology to me.
Hasn’t offence got a ‘c’?

[ends]

Related Post and Comments:
1.11.13 Council appointments (rumbles)

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC: Final vote tally + St Clair boat ramp

### ODT Online Fri, 18 Oct 2013
Final tally increases mayor’s vote margin
By Chris Morris
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull extended his victory margin slightly when the Dunedin City Council’s final election results were released yesterday.
The figures, which added about 340 special votes not previously included, saw Mr Cull’s tally in the mayoral race rise by 158 votes, from 18,446 to 18,604. That meant his winning margin was extended by 113 votes, from 12,017 to 12,130, over nearest rivals Hilary Calvert (now with 6474 votes) and Cr Lee Vandervis (5872).
The final results saw small increases in the votes cast for all nine mayoral candidates, as well as the city’s 14 elected councillors.
Read more

Related Posts and Comments:
13.10.13 Pressuring Cull and his GD Party . . .
3.10.13 Exercise your right to VOTE
29.9.13 Alert: Dunedin voters —Mayors gain more powers

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Council roading maintenance engineer Peter Standring said the first rock placement was included in the already documented $500,000 cost of immediately fixing [the] problem. The rocks placed this week cost about $60,000. Consultants hired by the council to look into the problem plan to report to the council next week, and may be required to do more work.

### ODT Online Fri, 18 Oct 2013
Start on Esplanade boat ramp close
By Debbie Porteous
The Dunedin City Council will begin building a temporary rescue boat launching ramp at the north end of the St Clair Beach sea wall next week, after this week dumping another 1000 tonnes of rock along the wall. The ramp is to run from the north end of the Esplanade down to the beach, and will be used by the St Clair Surf Lifesaving Club to get its inflatable rescue boats to the water. The club lost its original concrete ramp after the sea wall near the ramp was undermined and the fill behind the wall sucked out to sea earlier this year.
A consent application was lodged, but the ramp would be built at the same time as the application progressed, as it needed to be in place for the start of beach patrols at the end of this month.
Read more

Related Posts and Comments:
26.5.13 [bad news] St Clair seawall #FAIL
25.6.13 DCC Annual Plan 2013/14

St Clair sea wall, Campbell Live (TV3) 17.6.13 [screenshots]

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image (top) – Emperors new clothes [catherinewhite.files.wordpress.com] re-imaged by whatifdunedin

Exercise your right to VOTE

### ODT Online Thu, 3 Oct 2013
Alarm at low voter turnout
By Chris Morris
There are calls for online voting to be fast-tracked as Dunedin City Council voting returns slump towards a record low in this year’s local body elections. The idea was raised by Local Government New Zealand president Lawrence Yule as voter returns for the DCC election crawled to 11.7% by yesterday afternoon.
With 10 days until postal voting closes at noon on October 12, the figure is well down on the same point in the past two DCC elections.
In 2010, 21.12% of voters had responded by now, and in 2007, returns stood at 18.09%. In both cases, last-minute rushes saw returns reaching 52.96% (2010) and 47.47% (2007).
However, this year’s results were shaping as a record low, at least in recent memory, although another last-minute rush was possible, Dunedin electoral officer Pam Jordan said.
Mr Yule told the Otago Daily Times the returns to date in Dunedin were a ”worry” and underscored the need to move towards online voting.
Dunedin’s results appear to be at odds with most other local authorities across Otago, where returns to date are similar to the 2010 election.
Read more

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Dunedin electoral information via the DCC website:
http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/your-council/electoral-information

● DCC Candidates —Mayor, Councillors, Community Boards

● ORC Candidates

● SDHB Candidates

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Alert: Dunedin voters —Mayors gain more powers

Following the 2013 local body elections . . .
THERE IS A MASSIVE GAME CHANGE

Is this why Greater Debt Dunedin’s campaigning so hard, with help from ‘friends’? Read on.

Firstly, ‘overthinking’ an image, and an opinion piece from the Nelson Mail (June 2013). Followed by ‘Friday news’ from New Zealand Herald, reproduced in Saturday’s Otago Daily Times (page 3). Lastly, importantly, you’re urged to VOTE – a plea appearing in the ODT, indicating 9 October is the last date by which to safely post your completed voting papers.

VOTE carefully oh so carefully, please

****

### nelsonmail.co.nz Last updated 13:39 12/06/2013
New accountability for mayors
By Keith Marshall
OPINION New law changes passed at the end of last year created some major changes ahead for local government. One of the most important changes, in my view, arises from legally and politically empowering mayors to do the job we expect of them. And, along with that legal empowerment comes some genuine public accountability to perform.
After the coming election, mayors nationwide gain new powers. A mayor will be able to legally appoint their own deputy mayor, appoint all committee chairs and determine the structure of council committees, including which elected councillors are appointed on to those. The legal power to decide their own political teams, structures and processes means that mayors will gain a huge level of political control over councils that they currently do not legally have.
Adding to this direct political control, mayors from the next election onward will also legally be personally responsible for driving the setting of council plans and budgets. This, alone, is a huge change.

Indeed, it may be surprising to learn that currently mayors around the country have no real substantive legal powers – largely the current legal role is one of a “first citizen” and in chairing meetings of the elected council.
Mayors, currently, do not have the legal authority to choose their own political teams nor structures, they do not determine council agendas and nor do they drive council budgets or plans. Right now, those decisions are made by the whole of the elected council and in those decisions, as in all others, mayors have just one vote at the council table, the same as all councillors.
In some ways being a mayor under the current law is a potentially thankless task – one in which they are the public face of the council, and get to be “blamed” for any and all decisions made by the elected council whether or not they personally supported or voted against those decisions.
On the other hand, the current situation also makes it very difficult for us voters to hold our current mayors, and councillors, individually accountable for the decision-making of the whole of the elected council (and the subject of a future column).

In the future, just what and how issues are dealt with will be determined by the mayors themselves; maybe in conjunction with their councillor supporters, or perhaps sometimes even just off their own cognisance.

All decisions of the council will be directly influenced by the mayor through the exercise of their new powers. This is very real political power never before seen in local government in New Zealand – something much more akin to the “presidential” type of mayor as seen in the United States.
Accordingly, at the next council elections, whoever we elect as mayors of Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council will have the legal ability to carry out any election promises they may have made. Any mayoral candidate can set out a vision for us and, unlike at any other time in the past, be in a position to bring that vision into reality if they become mayor. This is a new legal environment for local government.

So what? Well, for one thing, the new law change means that mayors (and their councillor supporters who the mayor will appoint to key roles) will now be more obviously accountable for all decisions. Along with the ability/responsibility to make things happen (via legal powers) goes some true accountability.
Read more

● Keith Marshall is a company director and the former Nelson City Council chief executive. Previously, he has owned Thrifty Rental Cars NZ, managed the last nationwide health reforms and participated in the NZ-China FTA negotiations.

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### nzherald.co.nz 1:35 PM Friday Sep 27, 2013
Mayors given extra powers
By Rebecca Quilliam
Mayors throughout the country will become more powerful under new law changes set to come into action after October’s local elections. The changes will allow mayors to appoint their own deputies, set the structure of committees and appoint committee chairpeople.
Local Government New Zealand president Lawrence Yule said the changes had the potential to bring real benefits. It enabled new councils to “hit the ground running” and for councillors to work more effectively together, Mr Yule said.

Mayors would become responsible for driving the set up of major plans and budgets, which included long-term and annual plans.

They would also be more accountable for their decisions, Mr Yule said.
The law changes bring all the country’s councils in line with the powers already granted to the Auckland Mayor under the Super City process. The new powers would encourage cross-council collaboration because, in order to use them, a mayor needed the majority support of councillors, he said.
Voting papers for city, district and regional councils have now been sent out. These must be returned posted or hand-delivered in time to reach the relevant electoral officer by noon on October 12. APNZ
NZH Link

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DUNEDIN
Participation in electoral process urged (ODT 18.9.13)
http://www.odt.co.nz/elections-2013/dunedin/273671/participation-electoral-process-urged

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image via catherinewhite.files.wordpress.com – ‘Emperor’s new clothes’ re-spun by Whatifdunedin

DCC: Council consolidated debt $623 million

If taken together, core council and stadium debt has increased $130 million, from $240 million to $370 million, during the past three years.

### ODT Online Thu, 26 Sep 2013
Varied stances on question of debt
By Chris Morris
Dunedin’s debt mountain is reaching new heights, but the Dunedin City Council says everything is under control. Reporter Chris Morris speaks to the city’s mayoral candidates about whether they would do anything differently. The eight men and one woman who want to be Dunedin’s next mayor are divided over debt. They are divided over the figures, divided over the plan and divided over what they would do differently.
Some have declared themselves happy with the Dunedin City Council’s approach to debt repayments. Others remain opposed, and have called for cost-cutting, more money from the council’s companies and even for assets to be sold, including Wall Street mall and Forsyth Barr Stadium. And, in the meantime, the debt mountain continues to climb towards a projected peak that is still two years away.

As it stands, the council’s consolidated debt – shared between the council, its companies and the stadium – has reached $623 million, council staff confirmed yesterday.

That was up $125 million since the start of incumbent Mayor Dave Cull’s term in mid-2010, albeit mostly – but not completely – as a result of spending on major capital projects agreed to by previous councils.
Within the debt mountain, core council debt – the bit ratepayers are directly responsible for servicing – stands at $225 million. That has actually gone down $15 million, from $240 million in 2010, but only because stadium debt – totalling $145 million – has been split from the core council debt tally, to become its own category, since 2010. Add the $253 million in debt held by Dunedin City Holdings Ltd and its subsidiaries – the council’s group of companies – and the total reaches $623 million.
Read more + Mayoral Candidate Views

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Dunedin Mayoral Candidates 2013
Left to right, (top) Hilary Calvert, Dave Cull, Kevin Dwyer, (middle) Pete George, Aaron Hawkins, Olivier Lequeux, (bottom) Steve McGregor, Lee Vandervis, Andrew Whiley

DCC website — electoral information

Council Elections: STV Q&A – see Legal Beagle by Graeme Edgelar

Faces appearing – and disappearing – in all manner of places (ODT 26.9.13)

### ODT Online Thu, 26 Sep 2013
Editorial: Rights and responsibilities
While the eyes of some people glaze over at the mention of local body elections, the fact is they offer the biggest opportunity for the average citizen to influence the direction of their community for the next three years – and often much further into the future.
Postal voting papers should now have been delivered to households, and voters have until Saturday, October 12, to make decisions about who they want to represent them as mayor, on city or district councils, community boards, licensing trusts, regional councils and health boards.
The choices we make in these local body elections will affect us, and others in our community. They influence everything from the health services we receive, to roading, water and sewerage infrastructure, social, cultural and sporting and recreational amenities, and planning and development. There are services we take for granted, those we believe are fundamental to our lives, those we bemoan the lack of, and inefficiencies we believe frustrating or unnecessary.
The choices should not be made lightly. Voters are encouraged to carefully read their supplied candidate and voting information and as much other material as they can source in order to make informed decisions about those who will then be expected to make educated decisions on behalf of us.
Read more

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC website: Candidate profiles

HOT PRESS —.
David Shearer stands down from Labour Party leadership
Mr Shearer stood down as party leader this afternoon, citing discontent amongst his caucus and poor party polling results.

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LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS

DCC has published all candidate profiles and photographs at its website.

Unfortunately, the web page formatting allows no easy cross-comparison between the candidates since there is no ‘one-glance’ photobank of candidate images (named and dated!) with hover statements and links provided to the full candidate statements.

As usual, the DCC website is from the dark ages.
Happy fishing, everyone.

Why are web designers and graphic designers in the employ of the council? To provide clear information to the council, residents, ratepayers and visitors. No stars for the Nominations Received pages (DCC, ORC and SDHB) and their navigation.

This is not a criticism angled at the highly organised and efficient electoral officer for Dunedin, Pam Jordan.

Visit the DCC website for more electoral information.

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Mayoral Candidates 2013 Left to right, (top) Hilary Calvert, Dave Cull, Kevin Dwyer, (middle) Pete George, Aaron Hawkins, Olivier Lequeux, (bottom) Steve McGregor, Lee Vandervis, Andrew Whiley

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Related Post and Comments:
16.8.13 DCC nominations —All the mops, brooms and feather dusters

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

DCC nominations —All the mops, brooms and feather dusters

Updated 22.8.13 at3:25 pm

Dunedin City Council Media Release
Local Body Nominations Close

This item was published on 16 Aug 2013.

Some local body candidates have been elected unopposed following the close of nominations. Current Dunedin City Councillor Andrew Noone has been re-elected unopposed to represent the Waikouaiti Coast-Chalmers Ward. Three community boards – Mosgiel Taieri, Strath Taieri and Waikouaiti Coast – have also been elected.
Read more

More information is available at www.dunedin.govt.nz/elections.

CANDIDATE PROFILES are now available, follow the links here or go to the DCC website (Link).

Mayor (1 vacancy)
1. Calvert, Hilary
2. Cull, Dave – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML
3. Dwyer, Kevin
4. George, Pete – Your Dunedin
5. Hawkins, Aaron – Green Dunedin
6. Lequeux, Olivier
7. McGregor, Steve
8. Vandervis, Lee – Independent
9. Whiley, Andrew – Independent

Central Ward (11 vacancies)
1. Benson-Pope, David – Independent ● Tired former councillor
2. Bezett, John – Independent ● Stadium Councillor
3. Calvert, Hilary
4. Cole, Phillip – Independent
5. Copeman, Ali – Greater Dunedin ● Otago Chamber of Commerce director
6. Crawford, Julian Lloyd – Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
7. Cull, Dave – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML
8. Dixon, Malcolm – Independent
9. Dwyer, Kevin
10. Elder, Rachel – Independent ● Supports ORFU and stadium, dubious
11. Evans, John P.
12. Garey, Christine
13. George, Pete – Your Dunedin ● Supports propping rugby
14. Hall, Doug – Independent
15. Harrison, Lindsay – Independent
16. Harwood, Nigel – Independent
17. Hawkins, Aaron – Green Dunedin
18. Hernandez, Francisco (Fran) – Independent
19. Hudson, Paul Richard – Independent ● Stadium Councillor / ex DCHL
20. Lequeux, Olivier
21. Loo, Tat – Independent
22. MacTavish, Jinty – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML
23. Mitchell, Kim
24. Mosley, Irene – Greater Dunedin
25. Neill, Kevin – Independent
26. Nicholas, Letisha – Greater Dunedin
27. Peat, Neville – Independent
28. Ross, Tom
29. Staynes, Chris – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML
30. Stedman, Conrad ● Metro Realty, pumps city real estate… few values
31. Stevenson, Teresa – Independent ● Tired councillor (first elected 1992)
32. Thomson, Richard – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML
33. Vandervis, Lee – Independent
34. Voight, Warren – Independent
35. Whiley, Andrew – Independent

Mosgiel Taieri Ward (2 vacancies)
1. Dillon, Martin
2. Lord, Mike – Greater Dunedin
3. Wilson, Kate – Greater Dunedin ● Supports propping DVML

Waikouaiti Coast – Chalmers Ward (1 vacancy)
1. Noone, Andrew – Independent ELECTED ● Stadium Councillor (first elected 1998)

Chalmers Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Aitken, Mel
2. Austin, Jack – Independent
3. Cole, Peter – Independent
4. Dwyer, Kevin
5. Eddy, Duncan – Independent
6. Griffin, Francisca
7. Johnson, Trevor Alan
8. McErlane, Ange
9. Pedofski, Raewynne
10. Taylor, Jason – Green Dunedin
11. Walker, Steve ● Loves cycling too much?
12. Walker, Rachael

Otago Peninsula Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Cameron, Wayne
2. Garey, Christine
3. Kellas, Lox
4. Langsbury, Hoani
5. Neill, Christine
6. Pope, Paul – Independent
7. Stevenson, Edna – Independent

Mosgiel Taieri Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Catlow, Blackie – Independent ELECTED
2. Dillon, Martin ELECTED
3. Feather, Bill ELECTED
4. Nitis, Sarah – Independent ELECTED
5. Prendergast, Maurice Daniel – Independent ELECTED
6. Willis, Mark – Independent ELECTED

Saddle Hill Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Hutchings, Jayin
2. Jemmett, Pamela
3. McFadyen, Keith
4. Moyle, John – Independent
5. Stenhouse, Leanne
6. Usher, Jonathan
7. Weatherall, Scott – Independent

Strath Taieri Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Anderson, Russell – Independent ELECTED
2. Dowling, Bevan Thomas ELECTED
3. Dunn, Karen ELECTED
4. Matthews, Noel ELECTED
5. Williams, Barry – Independent ELECTED
6. Wilson, Joan ELECTED

Waikouaiti Coast Community Board (6 vacancies)
1. Brown, Mark ELECTED
2. Collings, Gerard ELECTED
3. Morrison, Alasdair ELECTED
4. Russell, Richard ELECTED
5. Scurr, Tracey ELECTED
6. Tait, Geraldine ELECTED

DCC Link

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Busted hacks! Media rates Cull and shiny-arsed suit brigade

Comment received.

ODT Watch
Submitted on 2013/08/06 at 2:01 pm

I see Robin Charteris, former ODT editor, has written a letter to today’s ODT concerning the proposal for a regional political party of some description. What a woeful, intellectually light letter it is too. Unbelievable for a man who once was an editor of a city daily.
He would like Ian Taylor to head it and to include Stuart McLauchlan, Dave Cull, Peter McIntyre and Richard Thomson. Talk about a less than subtle plug for the election coming up. Sorry, Robin, you have overplayed this one.

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SMELL THAT SWEET SUCCESS
The stadium, ORFU, Delta, Hillside, lack of core infrastructure investment, St Clair seawall, +$650M council consolidated debt, storm damage, multimillion-dollar cycleways, ratepayer subsidy to DVML/attraction fund, NZ Post, SH88 realignment, Invermay, centralisation of health board jobs, on it goes . . . Cull drops out of the race to take up L(l)ama farming. [Thanks, Critic]

Ineffectuals like Cull lap up the current job-loss situation, grandstanding in the pre-election period wearing nothing but dull leaden boots. Where are Eion Edgar’s ‘men’? —are they really Sir J’s scrubby old team? The club armchairs have lost their stuffing.

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### ODT Online Tue, 6 Aug 2013
Call to action goes out
By Rebecca Fox
A “call to action” has been issued to southern business, local government, agricultural and tertiary education leaders from Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull as part of the fight against job losses at AgResearch’s Invermay campus. Mr Cull has organised a “summit” meeting on August 14 to discuss the announcement proposing that 85 jobs are to go from Invermay by 2016. Mr Joyce confirmed in Saturday’s Otago Daily Times he was happy to arrange for the board and executives of AgResearch to meet local representatives and said he was prepared to meet a delegation of civic and business leaders to talk about regional development.
Read more

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Other ODT ‘bait’:
5.8.13 Call for South to form own party
3.8.13 Editorial: Time for South to fight

Related Posts and Comments:
2.8.13 DCC, Stadium —sorry picture
8.6.13 DCC electoral candidates 2013
22.5.13 Dunedin mayoralty and the Q-town heavies

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Images: odt.co.nz – Opinion 6.8.13, critic.co.nz – Critic culls Cull 5.5.13

Nominations, TWO WEEKS to go !!!

Nominations for Dunedin City councillorships and the mayoralty close on Friday 16 August.

So far, VERY POOR turnout —about the same for individual nominees’ expertise and capability.

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Related Posts and Comments:
8.6.13 DCC electoral candidates 2013
22.5.13 Dunedin mayoralty and the Q-town heavies

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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: 123rf.com – voting