Balancing economy and environment

was already good work being done to establish a clear long-term plan, however it could not come at any cost and needed to be balanced with conservation.

He understood people’s concerns about restricted access along the coastline following the rebuild, but said he was optimistic it would not be forever.

For business owner this is her first foray into local politics too, although she has been increasingly involved in submissions and presentations to the council as a community member since the earthquake.

For her, the key priority would be the community and environment, and to break the current ‘‘cycle of disempowerment and distrust’’ to reconnect the council with community.

She did not agree with the current climate change propaganda which was scare-mongering children and felt it was a naturally occurring cycle which had been ‘‘slightly sped up by human impact’’.

‘‘If we want to look at who can make the biggest change, the guys who continually don’t, look at the corrupt bureaucrats running the earth as a business and currently making millions out of people in the name of climate change and carbon credits,’’ Rayner said.

A freedom camping bylaw could only be efficient if it included community submissions and worked for all. Rayner strongly opposed freedom camp sites anywhere in the Kaiko¯ ura township area.

Rayner also shared community concerns about a diminishing of access to the beach since the road rebuild.

has been away from the council table for the past term, after being ousted in the 2016 election, but has 18 years’ previous experience as a Kaiko¯ ura councillor, including six years as deputy mayor.

He said his main priority was to get the council’s staffing level under control and back to pre-earthquake levels, which would bring rates back to a more affordable level. He would also work on lifting the ratepayer satisfaction level.

When asked about climate change, Diver said he would prefer to see the council focus on a localised approach to tackle pollution around Kaiko¯ ura.

Diver also agreed that the proposed draft freedom camping bylaw would not be able to control freedom camping in the region’s urban areas.

Diver said while the new safety barriers alongside SH1 were ‘‘in your face’’, he knew a newly licenced driver who found them a comfort when driving along the highway as cars would not be pulling out in front of them.

has spent the last two terms on the council.

When asked about climate change, Mackle said it should be a local effort. ‘‘We need to take care of our own back yard before taking on the world, any efforts we make are steps in the right direction and steps become milestones.’’

The council’s draft freedom camping bylaw was a good starting point, he said, and while perhaps not a silver bullet, it was a ‘‘good solid foundation to build on’’.

Mackle said rates would be controlled once the district was back in shape.

He also said people were starting to realise Kaiko¯ ura was one of the most unique parts of the world, so the council needed to take care going forward in terms of encouraging development, however he believed it was possible to increase growth and protect the town’s unique nature.

Mackle shared community concerns about a lack of access to the coastline since the rebuild.