More than one way to vote

THE kerfuffle over the redevelopment of the retail strip of George St is a useful beacon for other issues and voter choices for the Dunedin City Council.

The last Dunedin City Council was split between those who backed policies that would discourage cars in the central city and those who maintained that that form of transport remained integral. A few councillors floated between these positions.

The same crosssection is evident among this year’s candidates. Often, it is the Leftleaning aspirants, who might have Green or Labour affiliations, pushing hardest for the likes of oneway George St, twoway State Highway One or who are willing to accept the loss of car parks for other benefits.

These attitudes are often accompanied by views the council should be activist, progressive and involved in the likes of public housing. Mayor Aaron Hawkins advocates in this area.

The other side is much more likely to include National or Act supporters. Whatever any political leanings, these candidates usually will be more reticent on council spending overall.

Among the leading mayoral candidates, Cr Lee Vandervis and Team Dunedin’ s Cr Jules Radich present opinions contrasting with the mayor’s. Sophie Barker is harder to categorise.

The George St revamp and traffic decisions divided the council when it was finalised a year ago, although the majority was clear in the end. Nine votes favoured oneway and five twoway.

George St was to be dug up and disrupted anyway because of the need to replace underground pipes. The debate arose over what to do on the surface. A $28.2 million upgrade was agreed to, including restricting traffic to oneway and southbound.

A council staff report had said twoway traffic was strongly supported by commercial advocacy groups, Grey Power, the Automobile Association and Urban Access Dunedin. Oneway traffic was strongly supported by students and young people, Plunket and disability groups.

Some George St retailers were vociferous in their cries for twoway access to be maintained.

Team Dunedin, which includes Brent Weatherall, himself a retailer, is now calling for a review midproject.

This was condemned as “rash and potentially wasteful”. Indeed, there will be costs involved.

Once the council has decided on, and is well into, such a project, it will be difficult to alter course. Perhaps, though, some change beyond sections being worked on at present is possible.

Many voters will easily associate with either side of the council division. They have their own fundamental twoway choice.

It becomes more difficult for citizens who are in the middle to see merit on both sides of the spectrum and across a range of candidates.

It is also a challenge for those who might sympathise with the Leftleaning councillors on most transport matters but have severe reservations about the other oneway issue, State Highway One through the university and new hospital and from the Dunedin Botanic Garden to Queens Gardens.

Last year, the council agreed (by seven votes to five) to present reasons for a twoway option to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency as a basis for discussion.

Although two councillors who would have voted with the minority were absent, the mayor — holding the casting vote — supported more “discussion”.

The decision is Waka Kotahi’s. Its board so far has backed retaining a modified oneway system.

Widespread public support for retaining the oneways, especially in the city’s north, could mean that Mr Hawkins and several other councillors lose a few votes just on this matter.

On policy and ideological grounds — apart from that oneway system issue — Dunedin people have distinct choices. These decisions that will shape the city and its response to challenges in the years ahead.

Additionally, voters could, and should, consider candidate character and capabilities.

What is the likely election outcome? Once again, a healthy range of views and approaches among councillors for the next three years is probable.