Kiddle’s todo list out

QUEENSTOWN Lakes mayoral candidate Nik Kiddle has set himself 17 initiatives to achieve before Christmas Eve, if he is elected.

The new council will be sworn in on October 24, which gives Mr Kiddle 61 days to action his ‘‘before Christmas action plan’’, released this week.

Mr Kiddle said he plans to fix ‘‘the damage and neglect of the last three years’’.

The 17 initiatives covered community consultation, infrastructure funding, the future of district airports, transport, water and waste.

‘‘For good measure Mr Kiddle will focus on improving the performance of Veolia and the Otago Regional Council in the district,’’ the release said.

‘‘By Christmas 2019 all of the initiatives will be under way, not all completed, but all started.’’

He promised ‘‘mayoral clinics’’, he would ‘‘unshackle’’ the Wanaka Community Board, enabling it to set its own agenda, to begin beautifying the small towns, broaden the focus of the proposed visitor levy on accommodation providers, and lobby Government for investment.

On the dual QueenstownWanaka airport proposal, Mr Kiddle said he would require the Queenstown Airport Corporation to ‘‘balance economic, social/community and environmental considerations’’, and hold an ‘‘airports summit’’.

He would also prevent the council from gaining consent to discharge sewage into waterways.

Asked to respond, Mayor Jim Boult said Mr Kiddle’s comments were a ‘‘sad indictment on his lack of understanding of the strong engagement this community has put in over the past three years’’.

‘‘The 10year plan for example involved more direct consultation with the community than any other activity undertaken by council in its history.

‘‘I also suggest Mr Kiddle may find it worthwhile to familiarise himself with the Local Government Act, the longterm plan and in general the role of mayor.

‘‘I think he will find that the 30year infrastructure strategy, the interagency work around transport, the very exciting work in the arts and culture space, the master planning, not to mention the spatial plan, will satisfy his concerns.’’

Mayoral candidate Al Angus said if Mr Kiddle won and ‘‘and gets even half of these tasks completed, I’ll certainly vote for him in the 2022 elections’’.