Diane Calvert, 58, Wellington city councillor, political affiliation: Independent

‘‘Our city needs real leadership that’s for Wellingtonians and not just the Beehive. I have the experience, strength and pragmatism to oversee a strong path forward for our city. Wellingtonians are saying they want a Mayor who will get the ‘big stuff’ right – the things that really matter, the things that affect us all – jobs, housing, environment and the community as a whole. I have five key priority areas: Transport – Getting Our City Moving, Economy – Open For Business and the Arts, Housing – Building Connected Communities, Leadership – Improving how we deliver, Civic Square – Saving our city’s heart and soul

‘‘50 per cent is the combined forecast rates increase over the coming years. It’s unaffordable for ratepayers in Wellington. I will deliver controlled budgets and focus our activities where they matter. Transport, arts, housing, key infrastructure, resilience and prioritised investment.

‘‘Wellington has to be affordable if it is to keep being liveable.

‘‘We need to have a step change to increase housing supply. I will: Ensure a Council proactively pursuing more housing for all and not waiting for a government deal, remove the unnecessary delays in completion of building consents, enable appropriate intensification, respecting suburbs’ unique characters.

‘‘We used to have the best public transport in the Southern Hemisphere, now we are being forced to accept an inadequate and unfounded plan. Fixing the buses with a shared governance model (Greater Wellington & NZTA) is my #1 priority along with a duplicate Mt Victoria tunnel and Basin improvements.

‘‘Resilience is critical and underpins all of my key priorities. We need resilient supply for our key lifelines (water and electricity), transport routes and the buildings we live and work in. We must fix Civic Square ensuring we deliver core services such as the central library without racing off with half-baked ideas.

‘‘Wellington’s economy is not humming. We used to lead NZ’s growth, now we are middle of the pack. I will; Better partnering with Business to benefit of all Wellingtonians, dial back the last increase on business rates for a fairer rating system, provide three hours free parking on a Sunday.’’