Otago Regional Council

Investigate ways to reduce living costs for residents so they have more money to spend with local service providers.

Work with local councils to ensure that shopping centres are required to include bus stops so that customers can shop and ride.

Encourage slow tourism to reduce the consumption of resources and carbon emissions and increase the time each tourist stays in our region.

Support and promote sound infrastructure.

Support and promote a sound environment as the first step to creating a great place to do business.

Government subsidies for environmental improvements such as solar panels, electric cars, native plants and wetlands.

Support investment in intergenerational infrastructure projects that allow for sustainable land and water use.

Advocate and support the investigation into increasing storage capacity in existing dams and reservoirs.

Investigate fully the pros and cons that power hungry data centres will have for the region.

Continually monitor and evaluate "right tree, right place" carbon forest farming issues.

Encourage sustainable hydroelectric schemes.

Promote the economy and jobs to dominate the land, air, and water in Otago; ignore the science and practice of regenerative agriculture.

Keep humans from meddling in my current domination; prevent transition to local and regenerative agriculture.

Increase public subsidies to my industrial agriculture business mates; grow profits for us at the ratepayers' cost.

Support a workforce development program for people to engage in environmental work pathways.

Provide climate change activities to connect businesses with job seekers, providing a platform for relationships and opportunities.

Increase practical public transport to enable all people to access work from the suburbs they live in.

Understand economic reality to best fulfil Otago Regional Council's duties. Understand motivations and transition needs to create meaningful sustained change.

Retain a coordinating leadership role in regional economic work through the ongoing Otago mayoral forum network.

Ensure communities are well planned and connected to each other and services. Otago Regional Council has an urban development role in partnership with transport agencies.

Encourage at tendering time the setting of minimum pay rates for bus drivers.

Continue supporting conservation initiatives and the jobs they provide, through the Eco Fund and government grants, eg Jobs for Nature.

Recruit and hire significantly more bus drivers with more attractive employment packages.

Liaise with stakeholders in the Otago Central Rail Trail to maximise its value as a sustainable tourism attraction.

Work with city and district councils to protect valuable horticultural and agricultural land from urban and industrial development.

Assist local businesses and other groups to consider the effects of climate change in their decisions and planning.

Promote energy efficiency and conservation in homes, industry, and business.