Nelson and New Zealand voted at the weekend for change. It is good that we have a clear result nationally. Months of uncertainty would have further undermined low business and consumer confidence. I congratulate National’s Blair Cameron on his election-night win, albeit with a slim margin of 54 votes. I feel for both he and Labour’s Rachel Boyack as they nervously wait for the final results on 3 November.
I acknowledge outgoing PM Chris Hipkins and Government Ministers. I had a good working relationship with them on important issues such as Nelson’s storm damage.
I got to know new PM Chris Luxon from his time as Chief Executive of Air NZ through my then work as Conservation Minister and when we were both in Parliament in 2020 and 2021. He is smart, focused about NZ’s success and is a good team builder. I like that he is moderate, has the business nous to address our economic woes but also cares about the important environmental and social challenges we face.
The immediate impact on Council’s work from the election is that we retain control of $800 million of Nelson’s water infrastructure. We have done a much better job of investing and maintaining our water services than most Councils. Nelson had everything to lose and nothing to gain from the radical Three Waters changes. They had been watered down by the old government but are now gone.
The previous government’s centralisation agenda made Nelson’s polytechnic and hospital more bureaucratic and less responsive to local needs. Nelson has proven that we can competently manage these important institutions. We need to engage with the new Government on their future and strengthening local input.
New Zealand’s high inflation, interest rates, deficits and growing debt are going to make it difficult for the new Government. Councils such as Nelson are also under huge financial pressure. To quote Nelson’s most famous son, Lord Ernest Rutherford: “We haven’t got the money, so we’ll have to think.”
The job for me as Mayor and for Council will be to build a good relationship with the new Government and take the opportunities for Nelson to benefit.
