This article was originally published in Issue 21 (02/09/2019). More candidates have made pledges, therefore this article has been updated (Issue 24, 23/09/2019).
OUSA have released the seven local body election pledges they will ask candidates to sign. “Take that, Lee Vandervis,” said Bonnie Harrison, OUSA’s Finance Officer, as they announced the pledges.
The OUSA pledges for DCC candidates are, in summary:
- To reinstate a one bottle per person policy at BYO premises
- To make bus fares free for students
- To adopt a Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan by 2021
- To account for impacts and effects of climate change at every level of decision making
- To establish a landlord licensing scheme
- To establish a rental warrant of fitness scheme
Candidates can pick and choose which, if any, pledges they support. The bus fares pledge applies to ORC candidates, as does the pledge to account for impacts and effects of climate change. For DHB candidates, the pledge is to recommit to the goal of 80% of referrals from Emergency Psychiatric Services being seen within three weeks.
Critic asked DCC candidates which pledges they would be willing to support. Scout Barbour-Evans and Finn Campbell were the only candidates to indicate that they would be willing to sign all of the pledges. Scout said, “with the caveat that it takes like two terms to make any change on council”.
One bottle per person policy at BYOs
(Note that a lot of candidates are confused about this pledge. They are not sure what they could do to change this, as it is a voluntary arrangement enforced by restaurants.)
Scout Barbour-Evans
Malcolm Moncrief-Spittle
Callum Steele-MacIntosh
Finn Campbell
Andrew Whiley
Sarah Davie-Nitis
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock
Sophie Barker
Make bus fares free for students
Scout Barbour-Evans
David Benson-Pope (would extend this to everyone)
Callum Steele-MacIntosh
Marie Laufiso (everyone)
Aaron Hawkins (everyone)
Jim O’Malley
Steve Walker
Finn Campbell
Andrew Whiley
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock
Anthony Kenny (certain routes)
Richard Seager
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan by 2021
Scout Barbour-Evans
Dave Hanan
David Benson-Pope
Jules Radich
Callum Steele-MacIntosh
Marie Laufiso
Aaron Hawkins
Jim O’Malley
Rachel Elder (no promise)
Steve Walker
Finn Campbell
Sarah Davie-Nitis
Account for impacts and effects of climate change
Scout Barbour-Evans
David Benson-Pope
Callum Steele-MacIntosh
Marie Laufiso
Aaron Hawkins
Jim O’Malley
Rachel Elder (no promise)
Steve Walker
Finn Campbell
Sarah Davie-Nitis
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock
Peter Mackenzie
Sophie Barker
Richard Seager
Christine Garey
Landlord licensing scheme
Scout Barbour-Evans
Dave Hanan
David Benson-Pope
Callum Steele-MacIntosh
Jim O’Malley
Rachel Elder (no promise)
Steve Walker
Finn Campbell
Andrew Whiley
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock
Anthony Kenny
Sophie Barker
Richard Seager
Christine Garey
Rental warrant of fitness scheme
Scout Barbour-Evans
Dave Hanan
David Benson-Pope
Marie Laufiso
Aaron Hawkins
Rachel Elder (no promise)
Steve Walker
Finn Campbell
Andrew Whiley
Sarah Davie-Nitis
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock
Peter Mackenzie
Anthony Kenny
Sophie Barker
Richard Seager
Christine Garey
Jules Radich sarcastically indicated he supported this, saying “Naturally it would be user pays, so how much of a rent increase would you prefer?”
Chris Staynes clarified that while he supported most of the pledges, he would rather “indicate which of the matters … I would be prepared to support and or push for should I be elected rather than pledge”. He was concerned that otherwise he could be seen as having a fixed position.
Lee Vandervis, candidate for DCC and mayor, reiterated that he does not support the pledge system. He described it as an “undemocratic straight-jacketing process”.
“[T]o make a policy pledge ahead of receiving [policy advice] not only compromises learning, but also compromises independence and integrity,” he said. None of the other candidates indicated that they oppose the entire pledge system.