Wellington region's questions and issues as countdown starts for election

Friday, 5 July 2019

Contenders who believe they can do better than the current crop of mayors and councillors in the Wellington region will have the opportunity to put their hands up for the job on July 19 when nominations open. 

If they're successful during the September elections they can expect to be confronted by a wide range of challenges including skyrocketing rebuild costs, transportation problems, and infrastructure issues holding up the development of housing. 

Here are some of the questions and issues they might face:

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Steph Edlin, a high school student, plans on living in Wellington for the rest of her life but she is more interested in reversing changes to the bus network than the 20-year multibillion dollar Let's Get Wellington Moving plan approved unanimously by both Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council this year.

**READ MORE:

* Not absolutely positive about Wellington - Wellington Local Government Election Watch 2019

* College head girl takes city councillor to task over 'condescending' response

* Traffic lights preferred option for pedestrian crossing on busy route to Wellington airport**

'For me personally I think that the Let's Get Wellington Moving scheme, I think that the foremost issue in it should be the buses,' Edlin said.

'Before any infrastructure goes in, just sort out the bus routes, it's so much easier and cheaper to do.'

Edlin turned up at a LGWM information session to ask a question about the bus network instead, earning an insult from councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman that was condemned as discounting the views of young people.

A controversial bus network redesign last year left a legacy of cancelled services and changed routes that have caused fury across Wellington city.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council, which owns and run the bus network, and Wellington City Council, which owns the roads the buses run on, have pointed fingers at one another over the crisis but Edlin blamed both of them.

'I think it should have been a much more collaborative effort than it clearly was.'

ROADS AND CARS

Grant Birkinshaw attended the recent rally on the Melling Interchange and wrote to the New Zealand Transport Agency asking if the decision not to fund the interchange until 2028 was a political move to shift people onto public transport.

NZTA replied that the decision was in line with the Government Policy Strategy which prioritised a safer transport system, accessible and affordable transport, reduced emissions and value for money.

It had also made it clear it was still assessing the project and their response had encouraged him to believe the interchange could be built before 2028.

Although Melling had received a lot of media coverage, he doubted anything Hutt City politicians would say in the upcoming election would make any difference.

'There has been a lot of talk but unfortunately that talk has gone around in circles.'

John David, owner and restaurateur at CinCin in Wellington city, said the lack of car parks in the CBD combined with public transport problems had lead to fewer people coming into the city.

David was in favour of more people using public transport but said that wasn't possible with the current bus network.

'The city is not thriving.'

LOSING PUBLIC BUILDINGS

Heather Galbraith, a lecturer in fine arts at Massey University, said Wellington city had a shortage of arts venues across the board from cinemas to performance venues.

'Things are shrinking in the city and I think that's a worry,' Galbraith said. 'We used to readily and easily claim the capital of culture crown.'

Wellington city's Civic Square had seen a sharp fall in activity after the surprise closure of a beloved library, something that would concern Wellingtonians, developer Ian Cassels said.

'How is it that that pile of buildings is sort of uniformly not great. There's several questions that need to be answered really: why didn't we know more about it before the quake?'

The closure of the earthquake-prone Naenae Pool and news that replacing it could cost up to $66 million, had forced tough calls for others like Naenae butcher Chris Wruck.

He employed five people and was worried his business would be forced to close and that retailing in the Naenae Shopping Centre could soon collapse.

With 450,000 people using the pool annually, the loss of foot traffic had been devastating for retailers.

Business was down 25 per cent and Wruck was concerned that as businesses closed, even fewer people would want to buy his sausages and chops.

His daily take is down $500 and he is now looking at all options, including opening elsewhere.

He had been disappointed with the council response and said the message from council had been confusing.

Promises that no matter what happens, Naenae would have a pool had left him unimpressed.

'There is no guarantee that Naenae will have an Olympic-sized pool and that is what makes it unique and brings people to Naenae.'

In the meantime, he was looking for support from council and is hoping for an interest-free loan.

With an election looming, he was hoping that candidates would have a clear view of the future of the pool and why it was so important for Naenae.

HOUSING AND GROWTH

National MP Nicola Willis' key question for local government candidates is: 'What will you do for the private sector to allow them to build more houses?'

Galbraith cited high housing costs and rising rents as a key factor driving making it difficult for creative talent to stay in Wellington city.

Shane Brockelbank, a real estate agent in Hutt City, said the city suffered from a chronic shortage of flat, undeveloped land and new houses under $600,000.

'If we want more people to live here, we have to find a place for them to live.'

A council rates remission scheme had contributed to a housing boom over the last two years but  demand still exceeded supply.

 The council-funded scheme cost $29.6m last year due to an unexpected high uptake from developers.

Although infill housing and intensification had always been viewed as controversial in Lower Hutt, Brockelbank believed attitudes were changing.

The only part of the city with significant undeveloped flat land was in Wainuiomata, where there was the potential to build 10,000 new homes.

For developer Cassels, roadblocks for building in central Wellington were beginning to be lifted.

'All the work that's required to fix the wastewater and sewage it's all under control which is just a massive change.'

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

Rongotai MP Paul Eagle said he had heard some people propose a regional transport authority, similar to Auckland Transport, which would own and run both the roads and the public transport networks.

His preferred solution was a special purpose vehicle for LGWM, where a separately incorporated entity owned by the project partners - NZTA, WCC, and GWRC - that would drive the project forward.

Galbraith said she was open to more public-private partnerships, including in areas like the arts, to fix a shortage of funding.

Both Galbraith and David said they would  be open to taking another look at combining the councils around the region into a super-city-like structure to spur change.

'They want to talk but there is no action, it's all gimmicks,' David said.

**KEY DATES:

July 1:** Electoral Commission enrolment campaign begins

​July 19: Candidate nominations open

​August 16: Nominations close. Any voters not enrolled will need to cast special votes

August 21: Election date and candidate names publicised

September 20-25: Voting papers delivered to households

October 12: Polling day

October 17-23: Official results declared