Dunedin City Council

The Dunedin City Council provides local services and facilities, such as public transport, rubbish and recycling, libraries, parks, and recreation facilities. It also makes decisions about building and planning, local regulations, and infrastructure, such as water supply and sewerage. The council is made up of 14 councillors and the mayor. This is a single transferable vote (STV) election, so you vote by ranking the candidates on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Dunedin City Council election.

Local democracy

Local government is a foundational part of our democracy. But local democracy isn’t just about holding elections every three years – it’s about the day-to-day ways people have their say in the decisions that affect us all.

Local democracy

Local government is a foundational part of our democracy. But local democracy isn’t just about holding elections every three years – it’s about the day-to-day ways people have their say in the decisions that affect us all.

  • Implement and support the Māori Strategic framework that will sit across all other strategies and frameworks within Dunedin City Council.

    Build a new culture at council from the council chambers, focusing on listening, people and relationships.

    Change the consultation model, increasing both depth and breadth of community engagement and consultation.

  • Increase the use of resident opinion surveys, referendums and town hall meetings. Ensure the council is actively engaged with the community.

    Improve working relationship with community boards and respect their position in the community. Seek regular input into decision making.

    Commission a review of council operations to identify any internal issues, constraints or limitations. Improve efficiency and satisfaction.

  • Support the ongoing deepening of the relationship with mana whenua; embedding council's commitment to the Treaty in all aspects of its work .

    Recognise council staff for their commitment, passion and expertise as they carry out the decisions of council.

    Continue to lobby central government to reinstate an Immigration NZ presence in Ōtepoti to better serve residents, including former refugees.

  • Commit to equality in Te Tiriti meaning co-governance and commitment to equality as both democratic principle and obligation.

    Strengthen and advocate for a diverse voice in council, true representation is inclusivity and accessibility to all residents.

    Strengthen community engagement working with mana whenua partners, affected communities, other stakeholders to identify ways forward.

  • Increase consultation with public to make sure everyone feels heard.

    Review into the way the council, staff and the public work together.

    Create education campaign to teach public how the council works and how they can get involved.

  • This council that is coming in needs to consult and listen to the people. It has to gain the trust of the people which it has lost.

    The public need to know what is going on within the council and what is going ahead in an easy and thoughtful way.

  • Ensure that the council engages with mana whenua at all times and fulfils its commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

    Work with all our ethnic communities to ensure that they are represented and listened to as part of our multicultural diversity.

    Commit to keeping the council a Living Wage Employer and extend that commitment to contractors.

  • Listen to the community and advocate on their behalf. Change the perception that the council is not listening.

    Hold staff to account for the timely delivery of the council's policies and plans.

    Question the large staffing numbers across the council and the use of consultants. Are we getting the best value for our ratepayers' money?

  • Work in partnership with central government to ensure local government reforms support increased community participation in democracy.

    Provide a civics class to local schools/community groups to educate/support people about participation in local government decision-making.

    Proactively explore future governance arrangements, with minority communities, to address equity matters.

  • Oppose undemocratic, unequal civil and political rights based on who a person's ancestors were, or on their private medical status.

    Oppose unelected community networks being funded to undermine elected community boards.

    I oppose the NZ government corporation's attempt to seize our Dunedin ratepayers assets like Three Waters, the polytech, the university and our buildings.

  • Promote regular culturally appropriate community engagement, in partnership with mana whenua, via variety of platforms using simple language.

    Educate our residents/community groups as to the ways they can engage with council and support them in that.

    Support the living wage as the base rate for all staff and contractors.

  • Listen to what the ratepayers want, not only via council driven surveys but also public opinion on social media.

    Undertake genuine consultation with the people of Dunedin.

    Engage with mana whenua on any major issues.

  • I think the DDC has forgotten what public engagement is. Public engagement should be done before and after a project.

    We need an Independent council, this team's business is destroying good decision making. Councillors are not making unbiased decisions.

    Local council needs to being able to make its own decisions rather than being dictated to by central government.

  • Engage in a meaningful and respectful relationship with all representative cultural communities within the region.

    Start regular meetings with a student group which truly represents the diversity and makeup of the Dunedin student population.

    Ensure that the remuneration within the council as a whole, is inline with the community it represents.

  • Continue trust-building with mana whenua so authentic Tiriti-based decision-making models are established.

    Apply equity-balances to input from powerless children, young people, diverse ethnic communities, disabled people, the rainbow community.

    Ensure that council continues to lead in good employer practice, especially with respect to the living wage.

  • Earn back the trust of the community through genuine effective consultation.

    Promote inclusive engagement with mana whenua.

    Expose political party initiatives being forced onto council.

  • Council must engage and consult with the community before making any major decisions

    We must actively work and nourish our relationship with mana whenua and local iwi.

    More public awareness on referendums and consultation meetings to allow communities to engage and involve in decision making process

  • Make public engagement a priority and engage the community as early as possible in any project to get their input and buy in.

    Commit to regular meetings with our Māori Participation Working Party and support Māori representation on standing committees.

    Fund staff to support our ethnic communities. Through the annual plan process commit to engaging in ways that work for their communities.

  • Te Reo is a beautiful language. I'd support using it more along with English translations and making it sexy like French or Italian.

    Continue to engage with mana whenua and build strong enduring relationships for the betterment of all.

    Engage more. Councils have to consult. Consulting is telling people what we are doing, engaging is asking what they want. Big difference.

  • Progress our much improved relationship with the local runaka.

    Improve communication to better counter misinformation and disinformation.

    Promote policy that serves the interest of the whole community.

  • Make public engagement more accessible to all. Introduce a more efficient public forum process. The current system is flawed.

    Representatives of mana whenua should be at the council table. Provide increased opportunities to discuss shared projects and programmes.

  • Initiate a policy for inclusive participation with residents to cover a wide range of needs and demands in our community.

    Have a solid and meaningful induction program for councillors including interaction with key groups of stakeholders.

    Initiate a programme of meaningful staff, councillor, and community board interactions.

  • Use The Star newspaper more frequently to engage residents and enable meaningful feedback on council initiatives.

    Display manaakitanga by consulting with Māori on a regular basis.

    Initiate educational programmes to honour, value and respect the variety of ethnic communities that make up our city.

  • Work with community to establish better consultation models to ensure all residents' voices are heard to enhance council decision making.

    Establish monthly 'Councillor Clinics' so councillors are more actively involved with local communities + available for drop in discussions.

    Rebuild trust with community by open engagement and council culture change. Start measuring direct customer satisfaction of service daily.

  • Commit to co-governance with Mana Whenua and Maata Waka.

    Commit to a living wage for all council employees and as a condition of all council contracts.

    Commit to Dunedin being a host city for refugees.

  • Advocate for meaningful engagement with residents at a local level and seek solutions.

  • Create an authentic pathway to engage with hapū and whānau (grassroots level) in Māori communities and not just iwi level.

    Start with regular referendum-style whole public community engagement for input into feedback on council policies.

  • Implement and support the Māori Strategic framework that will sit across all other strategies and frameworks within Dunedin City Council.

    Build a new culture at council from the council chambers, focusing on listening, people and relationships.

    Change the consultation model, increasing both depth and breadth of community engagement and consultation.

  • Increase the use of resident opinion surveys, referendums and town hall meetings. Ensure the council is actively engaged with the community.

    Improve working relationship with community boards and respect their position in the community. Seek regular input into decision making.

    Commission a review of council operations to identify any internal issues, constraints or limitations. Improve efficiency and satisfaction.

  • Support the ongoing deepening of the relationship with mana whenua; embedding council's commitment to the Treaty in all aspects of its work .

    Recognise council staff for their commitment, passion and expertise as they carry out the decisions of council.

    Continue to lobby central government to reinstate an Immigration NZ presence in Ōtepoti to better serve residents, including former refugees.

  • Commit to equality in Te Tiriti meaning co-governance and commitment to equality as both democratic principle and obligation.

    Strengthen and advocate for a diverse voice in council, true representation is inclusivity and accessibility to all residents.

    Strengthen community engagement working with mana whenua partners, affected communities, other stakeholders to identify ways forward.

  • Increase consultation with public to make sure everyone feels heard.

    Review into the way the council, staff and the public work together.

    Create education campaign to teach public how the council works and how they can get involved.

  • This council that is coming in needs to consult and listen to the people. It has to gain the trust of the people which it has lost.

    The public need to know what is going on within the council and what is going ahead in an easy and thoughtful way.

  • Ensure that the council engages with mana whenua at all times and fulfils its commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

    Work with all our ethnic communities to ensure that they are represented and listened to as part of our multicultural diversity.

    Commit to keeping the council a Living Wage Employer and extend that commitment to contractors.

  • Listen to the community and advocate on their behalf. Change the perception that the council is not listening.

    Hold staff to account for the timely delivery of the council's policies and plans.

    Question the large staffing numbers across the council and the use of consultants. Are we getting the best value for our ratepayers' money?

  • Work in partnership with central government to ensure local government reforms support increased community participation in democracy.

    Provide a civics class to local schools/community groups to educate/support people about participation in local government decision-making.

    Proactively explore future governance arrangements, with minority communities, to address equity matters.

  • Oppose undemocratic, unequal civil and political rights based on who a person's ancestors were, or on their private medical status.

    Oppose unelected community networks being funded to undermine elected community boards.

    I oppose the NZ government corporation's attempt to seize our Dunedin ratepayers assets like Three Waters, the polytech, the university and our buildings.

  • Promote regular culturally appropriate community engagement, in partnership with mana whenua, via variety of platforms using simple language.

    Educate our residents/community groups as to the ways they can engage with council and support them in that.

    Support the living wage as the base rate for all staff and contractors.

  • Listen to what the ratepayers want, not only via council driven surveys but also public opinion on social media.

    Undertake genuine consultation with the people of Dunedin.

    Engage with mana whenua on any major issues.

  • I think the DDC has forgotten what public engagement is. Public engagement should be done before and after a project.

    We need an Independent council, this team's business is destroying good decision making. Councillors are not making unbiased decisions.

    Local council needs to being able to make its own decisions rather than being dictated to by central government.

  • Engage in a meaningful and respectful relationship with all representative cultural communities within the region.

    Start regular meetings with a student group which truly represents the diversity and makeup of the Dunedin student population.

    Ensure that the remuneration within the council as a whole, is inline with the community it represents.

  • Continue trust-building with mana whenua so authentic Tiriti-based decision-making models are established.

    Apply equity-balances to input from powerless children, young people, diverse ethnic communities, disabled people, the rainbow community.

    Ensure that council continues to lead in good employer practice, especially with respect to the living wage.

  • Earn back the trust of the community through genuine effective consultation.

    Promote inclusive engagement with mana whenua.

    Expose political party initiatives being forced onto council.

  • Council must engage and consult with the community before making any major decisions

    We must actively work and nourish our relationship with mana whenua and local iwi.

    More public awareness on referendums and consultation meetings to allow communities to engage and involve in decision making process

  • Make public engagement a priority and engage the community as early as possible in any project to get their input and buy in.

    Commit to regular meetings with our Māori Participation Working Party and support Māori representation on standing committees.

    Fund staff to support our ethnic communities. Through the annual plan process commit to engaging in ways that work for their communities.

  • Te Reo is a beautiful language. I'd support using it more along with English translations and making it sexy like French or Italian.

    Continue to engage with mana whenua and build strong enduring relationships for the betterment of all.

    Engage more. Councils have to consult. Consulting is telling people what we are doing, engaging is asking what they want. Big difference.

  • Progress our much improved relationship with the local runaka.

    Improve communication to better counter misinformation and disinformation.

    Promote policy that serves the interest of the whole community.

  • Make public engagement more accessible to all. Introduce a more efficient public forum process. The current system is flawed.

    Representatives of mana whenua should be at the council table. Provide increased opportunities to discuss shared projects and programmes.

  • Initiate a policy for inclusive participation with residents to cover a wide range of needs and demands in our community.

    Have a solid and meaningful induction program for councillors including interaction with key groups of stakeholders.

    Initiate a programme of meaningful staff, councillor, and community board interactions.

  • Use The Star newspaper more frequently to engage residents and enable meaningful feedback on council initiatives.

    Display manaakitanga by consulting with Māori on a regular basis.

    Initiate educational programmes to honour, value and respect the variety of ethnic communities that make up our city.

  • Work with community to establish better consultation models to ensure all residents' voices are heard to enhance council decision making.

    Establish monthly 'Councillor Clinics' so councillors are more actively involved with local communities + available for drop in discussions.

    Rebuild trust with community by open engagement and council culture change. Start measuring direct customer satisfaction of service daily.

  • Commit to co-governance with Mana Whenua and Maata Waka.

    Commit to a living wage for all council employees and as a condition of all council contracts.

    Commit to Dunedin being a host city for refugees.

  • Advocate for meaningful engagement with residents at a local level and seek solutions.

  • Create an authentic pathway to engage with hapū and whānau (grassroots level) in Māori communities and not just iwi level.

    Start with regular referendum-style whole public community engagement for input into feedback on council policies.