Mayor of Southland
The mayor is the leader of the council. Their job is to promote a vision for the district and lead the development of the council’s plans, policies and budget. The mayor appoints the deputy mayor, establishes committees for particular topics, and appoints chairs for those committees. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Southland District Council mayoral election.
Mayor of Southland candidates
Explore the candidates in your area
Don Byars
Why I'm standing
I am concerned council is railroading community into infrastructure that is expensive to build, expensive to maintain and ultimately performs poorly. I would like to see Southland be an leading example of how humans can live respectfully within the environment. For example, rainwater should be treated as an asset rather than a liability to be disposed of. A change of approach is required across the board.
About me
I was brought up on a farm and have a background in commerce. With a healthy scepticism of "experts" and an independent outlook, I can see that New Zealand's infrastructure is being taking away from the hands of community. It is also being poorly managed and future planning is disappointing and concerning.
My priorities
- Community needs to be made aware of the issues in managing water infrastructure.
- Community understanding issues, eg 1,000,000 litres of sewage water per person per day, in some cases.
- Consider other ways to manage impact on environment, eg incinerator toilets, rainwater capture.
Get across the policies, candidates and parties
Mayor
Compare the mayoral candidates in your area
Local council
Compare the candidates for your city or district council
Regional council
Compare the candidates for your regional council
Local board
Compare the candidates for your local or community board