Mayor of Invercargill

To commit council to collaborate with community and central and local government, to overhaul local government – empower community involvement.

To encourage everyone to be involved in local decision making – empower individuals and communities to trust – be part of local government.

Consider council amalgamation, to enable better co-ordination and better use of resources, provide smart sustainable and financial gains.

Work with our local ethnic communities to engage in a plan for more representation in council community events and plans.

Commit council to consult more thoroughly to its residents on rates, projects, Parliament Bill changes to democracy, ownership of assets.

Commit council to not fund any nationwide lobby group but the professional element that exists already.

Continue to look for new ways of engagement with ratepayers, especially youth and ethnic communities.

Continue to support council's current fair wage policy – which also take into account employment of people with disability.

Drive more community engagement to gain increased understanding of the issues affecting communities and strive to achieve better outcomes.

Support Māori representation and engagement on council.

Promote and encourage all groups of the community to participate in democracy.

Encourage more ratepayer advocacy by elected members and listening to a wide range of community voices, regardless of their views.

Ensure elected members have a better direction vision for the city and are not just seen as a 'rubber stamp' to staff driven papers.

Ensure both mana whenua and maata waka voices are heard.

Ensure our engagement policies are inclusive of all communities including ethnic groups, LGBT, youth, and those with disabilities.

Maintain strong iwi engagement and representation and ensure all Māori and Pasifika within our community are heard.

Advocate for the living wage for council staff and contractors.

Send a clear message to central government that we will not tolerate 'co-governance' agendas. Deal with pockets of bloated bureaucracy.

Lead public discourse regarding representation and terms of engagement for all, equally. Common sense and respect.

Carefully appoint chief executive. As your mayor I would run a harmonious council of excellent representatives. Support citizen journalists.

Use social anthropology research methods and technology to gauge public opinions and views – to best inform developments and actually represent.

Present information and ideas back to the public; to ensure that meaningful two way engagement is taking place.

Involve locals in consultation, development, and recommendations for development. Especially retired specialists with loyalty to the South.