Dunedin City Council

Do everything possible to become a unitary authority, ie abolish the Otago Regional Council in Dunedin. Central Government supports this.

Instruct the CEO to review all 861 full-time equivalent jobs given the 2024 average staff cost of $96,500, higher than Nelson, Tauranga and Hamilton.

Use Nelson Council, with 340 staff and a $190 million budget, as a model for Dunedin City Council which has 861 full-time equivalent staff and a $461 million budget.

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

Start regular meetings with youth and student groups such as OUSA and the Dunedin Youth Council to better understand their point of view.

Assist with ensuring the CEO role is filled after October and encourage the CEO to review staffing requirements.

Commit to transparency by ending the practice of closing meetings to the public unless absolutely necessary for legal or commercial reasons.

Pivot the council to core services and use AI technology to find savings and make Dunedin the most efficient council in New Zealand.

Ensure the council operates in alignment with Te Tiriti for the mutual benefit and development of Dunedin city and mana whenua.

Foster support of community-led projects enabling delivery for a fraction of the cost of council-led projects with better outcomes.

Lead a culture of respect, accountability and trust for council employees with a clear focus on efficiencies and financial discipline.

Ensure public engagement in all decision making.

Ensure a meaningful relationship with mana and tangata whenua and progress under the Māori strategic framework.

Ensure engagement with ethnic communities regarding their needs.

Continue the development and implementation of Te Taki Haruru, the council's Māori strategic framework.

Hold People's Assemblies in the communities across Ōtepoti to identify the issues people want to address.

Institute a citizens assembly process and follow through on the outcomes of the issues discussed.

Deliver financial transparency with line-by-line reviews of spending, clear debt level reporting and public accountability for every dollar.

Engage with community early and meaningfully on major projects through accessible meetings, online tools and targeted outreach alongside staff.

Shine a light on council decisions by publishing all non-confidential reports and voting records in plain language for the public to access.

Ensure the elected mayor and council take back control of the agenda from bureaucrats by listening to the community, forming the agenda and taking action.

Review the current underrepresentation of mana whenua and the complete lack of representation for Matawaka.

Strengthen and empower community boards by establishing a South Dunedin and University community board and listen to communities and respond.

Hold all council meetings in public with no workshops and make all documents relating to said meetings public. Give councillors power of discovery.

Provide no special treatment for Māori and allow no unelected Māori or tribal representatives on council or committees, even in a non-voting observer role.

Restrict council to its core function of supplying infrastructure and eliminate all non-core activity.

End race-based policies across local government and treat every resident equally and fairly.

Oppose voting rights for unelected iwi representatives and ensure decisions rest with elected councillors.

Uphold free speech in council venues so lawful community groups can access them without bias.

Establish monthly councillor clinics so councillors are more actively involved with local communities and available for drop-in chats.

Lead improvement in councillor working relationships and change council culture to focus on positive service experiences.

Work with communities on better consultation models and ensure all voices are heard to enhance council decision making.

Push for the development of a DCC app highlighting council matters, upcoming events and opportunities for community consultation.

Push for the development of a DCC app highlighting council matters, upcoming events and opportunities for community consultation.

Trial a citizens' assembly as a model for more democratic engagement with the community.

Trial a citizens' assembly as a model for more democratic engagement with the community.

Uphold Te Tiriti and resource mana whenua to ensure an enduring, equal partnership in local decision-making.

Uphold Te Tiriti and resource mana whenua to ensure an enduring, equal partnership in local decision-making.

Ensure there is a consultation process with the public regarding any changes that will affect people's livelihood, including in Albany Street.

Keep internal services to the status quo.

Obtain more information on wages and conditions to understand what needs to be accountable for if elected to council.

Bring back ward-based elections so every area of Dunedin has fair representation on council.

Create advisory panels for ethnic communities and young people to ensure diverse voices are heard.

Push for the creation of a North East Valley–North Dunedin community board to give residents and students a stronger voice.

Ensure full and proper public consultation occurs in a truly accessible manner to all relevant stakeholders.

Ensure that mana whenua are consulted in true partnership, adhering to te Tiriti o Waitangi without exception.

Support the council being a living wage employer and providing a safe and enjoyable working environment for all.

Continue to advocate for our migrant communities, currently for a humanitarian visa for the whānau of Ōtepoti Palestinians seeking refuge.

Continue to support our mana to mana forum and Te Taki Haruru and the work of our Māori staff.

Support the use of more creative and diverse ways to engage with the community on council matters to achieve increased participation.

Create a student ward to engage students in local democracy and to give them a voice and stake in the city and their future.

Invite wards, committees and communities to send non-voting formal delegates to relevant council meetings to ensure their voices are heard.

Involve grassroots community organisations, charities and rūnaka more in consultation and delivery of services.

Conduct citizens' assembly processes on agreed challenges.

Ensure councils are accredited Living Wage employers and committed to pay equity and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Support mana whenua representation on council and develop policy and processes to support this, including Te Tiriti training.

Continue commitment to mana whenua and strengthen engagement with greater voting rights and more iwi representation on council committees.

Improve customer satisfaction ratings as councillors, rebuild trust and hold regular clinics and outreach into rural communities.

Strengthen democracy within the city, engage face to face in consultation processes and explore other methods or models around public consultation.

Make council as transparent and accessible as possible.

Replace contractor roles with employees where it makes financial sense.

Run programmes to enhance civic participation.

Make democracy meritocratic, as discriminating for minorities insults their personal abilities.

Return to the ward system to improve representatives' accountability.

Study why Christchurch can do a better job with a fraction of staff.

Develop planned joint projects with Mana Whenua to produce mutual benefits for all.

Increase public opinion of council further by telling stories better.

Increase transparency of council finances with a graphical interface.

Ensure that council runs in the most economic way possible, being always accountable for ratepayers' money.

Maintain and grow contacts across the city, ensuring visits and engagement with as many people as possible to keep in touch with issues.

Make myself available in all corners of the city with regular, advertised, informal constituency clinics, making councillors available to all.

Hold regular community meetings in all suburbs to hear local concerns.

Increase public input opportunities and promote YouTube streaming of meetings so people can watch.

Provide plain-language updates to keep the community informed and engaged.

Advocate for a youth questionnaire to be sent out with annual plan documents to understand what that demographic wants in their city.

Continue to allocate two seats for mana whenua nominated representatives on key committees.

Champion inclusive and accessible consultation and explore the reality of implementing a DCC mobile app to meet people where they are.

Investigate the creation of a Northern Valley or Student Community Board.

Uphold Te Tiriti and resource mana whenua to ensure an enduring, equal partnership in local decision-making.

Ensure regular residents' surveys are taken into account when devising annual and long term planning documents.

Establish a Māori ward to implement meaningful relationship with tangata whenua and have representation on council.

Investigate different work models such as a four day or two times three day weeks to enhance life–work balance and have council set the example.

Connect Dunedin City Council with the public via citizens' assemblies and a council app notifying of local issues and events and enabling citizens to make submissions.

Honour Te Tiriti and resource mana whenua to share knowledge and histories with council, fostering genuine partnership in decision-making.

Reinstate tertiary precinct planning group with student representation and explore creating a NEV or student community board.

Behave as a responsible and supportive employer to those working for DCC including the executive.

Support that almost all council meetings and workshops should be open.

Work with the council to continue developing engagement with Māori and appointments to relevant committees to achieve in-person participation.