Wellington Regional Council candidates
In the Wellington constituency there are 11 candidates seeking five positions.
Some are easy to eliminate. Some candidates have said they wish to waste up to $1 billion on a light rail system that will provide benefits of just $50 million. Yes $950 million down the drain. The Council’s own study has said the BCR is a minuscule 0.05 yet they still support it. This rules them out on rational grounds.
So Paul Bruce, Sue Kedgley, Daran Ponter, Roger Blakeley, John Klaphake and Russell Tregonning are all big nos. It is a pity in the case of Roger Blakely who has a good CV as a department CEO and Porirua Council CEO but I can’t support anyone who ignores evidence as these six are.
So that leaves five candidates you should rank as your top five. They are:
- Ian McKinnon
- Chris Laidlaw
- Keith Flinders
- Norbert Hausberg
- Sam Somers
McKinnon is my top pick. An excellent former Deputy Mayor.
Laidlaw has not been a favourite of mine but he seems to be doing a good job as Chair and is rational. I’d rank him No 2.
Flinders and Hausberg seem okay so 3 and 4.
Somers does not seem to have any particular background with public policy or governance. But at least he isn’t campaigning to waste $950 million.
Lower Hutt has eight candidates for three spots.
- Kath Allen
- Leonie Dobbs
- Sandra Greig
- Ken Laban
- Prue Lamarson
- David Ogden
- John Terris
- Derek Wilshere
I rate Ken Laban highly and would have him in a top spot. David Ogden and Prue Lamarson as incumbents seem good also.
Porirua – Tawa has four candidates for two positions. They are:
- Jenny Brash
- Barbara Donaldson
- Heidi Mills
- Joern Scherzer
Brash and Donaldson are incumbents and seem solid. Scherzer seems to have a useful transport background.
Kapiti has three seeking one seat. They are:
- Peter Bollmann
- Penny Gaylor
- Nigel Wilson
They all seem quite good. Wilson is the incumbent and seems to have been good.