Securing the direction council wants

Darren Ludlow

Age: 57 Occupation: Manager Marital status: Married with two adult sons

What sets you apart from the other mayoral candidates?

Experience and understanding of the role with an objective of getting the direction council and the councillors want and helping them to enable that, rather than pushing a personal agenda. We’ve had some tough discussions these past couple of years, and while not everyone will have liked the outcomes, with my chairing they did feel they’d been given the chance to contribute.

How would you promote function and unity within the council governance team?

By ensuring everyone understands standing orders and the behavioural standards we set this term (and will revisit in the new term). They also need to understand operational matters are usually not theirs to direct — but they can question or seek clarification.

What are your personal views on the Three Waters reforms?

I do not support them as they stand. Current proposals do not work in the best interests of Invercargill. While there are national benefits, that’s the role of central government. They’ve taken the wrong approach to improve water quality — which everyone does have an interest in.

How would you promote Invercargill as a place to live and work?

We do have a lifestyle that makes life easier — a small city is easier to get around. There are so many facilities and options for young families to give their children good opportunities, and from a business perspective, we are close to good transport hubs. We want this to be a place that encourages new businesses and therefore new jobs.

What do you believe the problems are with the existing Local Government Act and how would you fix it?

It’s central government’s job to fix it, not ours — and the direction of reforms depends entirely on what it dictates we will be left with, since reading and water infrastructure might not be part of it. Whatever changes they decide — no matter which government — we have to see how quickly we adapt and make it work best for us. Removing the postal voting system for local government would be a positive thing.