Stevey”s Priority:
Build a resilient localised economy, where our people can make best use of resources & opportunities within the South without relying on debt & international corporations to employ us.
Council, revenue streams & rates
Council needs to supply services to the public which can turn into locally owned partnerships with locals; whereby Council income & spending can be re-designed. The model is not rates, top down management & a passive public. Instead it is: Services, local empowerment, an assertive people, innovations & new income streams.
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Q./ What are your views on on ‘social spending’?
A./ We will always have the disadvantaged, who need cared for. But social services are best run by the people who own businesses. The model of ‘Social Enterprise’ will be well used here – we should back locally owned businesses that provide for the needy as well as thrive; so local businesses can grow & then provide more for the needs of our communities.
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Q./ Your position on council taking on more debt to provide infrastructure to address inter-generational needs and challenges?
A./ The global trend of borrowing to improve infrastructure needs to be questioned for the South. National debts across the world, regional debts, personal debts, & the model behind it only seem to be exponentially accelerating. Prioritising the printing of money, then drawing down loans to develop infrastructure is not the best plan. Before borrowing any more, we will be better off analysing current income, contractual arrangements, & overheads, then looking at innovative ways to create the ultimate infrastructure within our own means.
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Q./ How would you set up infrastructure investment?
A./ Local people need to be building local infrastructure. We should embrace small scale, localised, diverse regional development – where the people who live here circulate the resources & provide Southern New Zealand with products & services as well as export. External money needs to be okayed with internal relationship. It is very shallow to just look at multi-national investment & loans that create jobs. We need internal relationships, & a resilient economy.
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Q./ Which way should councils’ responsibilities shift?
A./ Towards public owned resources [locally owned & run businesses], & a council who empowers them to develop & thrive.
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Q./ What is the role of a planning and consenting department in Council?
A./ Educate & resource the public, then oversee the quality. Consenting processes should ensure quality & best practice.
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Q./ How would you vote on council actions to reduce climate emissions in your district?
A./ Councils should develop partnerships with locally owned manufacturers & invest in ways to make our industrial waste into products through innovative new companies. Give a bunch of new people opportunities, experiment, & develop new solutions. Emissions are actually not the main issue – although we do have a climate crisis on our hands, it is best to think beyond taxation & control – & towards solutions focused services which are best for the people.
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Q./ Managed retreat homes and businesses in areas exposed to climate hazards?
A./ We should embrace the risks, enjoy the environment, but care for the planet & be okay with danger, plan for it but don’t avoid it!
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Q./ Co-governance
A./ No to co-governance – it is only creating a divide between Māori & non-Māori. We need a shift in focus – to being servants, resource providers; empowering local people. This is not a DNA question – this is a question of how to best resource locally owned, locally managed, locally distributed products & services.