Andrea's Priorities

On getting into Council, my priorities will be to:

PAUSE all major capital projects not yet commenced, or in the early stages, until better governance ensures transparency, accounability and value.
EXPLORE how the commercial rates differential (currently 3.7 times the residential rate) can be reduced, to attract investment and businesses.
COMMIT to auditing the council's books to uncover efficiencies and deliver better value for money

WELLINGTON'S KEY ISSUES AND MY POSITION ON THEM

CORE SERVICES

Council’s focus MUST return to core services:

Three Waters (moving to the new water entity, Metro Water)
Roads, footpaths, streetlights, and planning
Rubbish and recycling
Consents and district plans
Community facilities
Public health and safety (e.g. food licensing, dog control)
Environmental management (with Regional Council)

CYCLEWAYS

I SUPPORT cycleways, but current designs are costly, divisive, and poorly executed. The Botanic Gardens cycleway, for example, has restricted access and removed parking. A review is needed—solutions like clearways at peak times could restore balance.

GOLDEN MILE

I DO NOT support the current Golden Mile redesign. Businesses oppose it, disruption will be severe, and costs are likely to blow out given the underground conditions. A clean-up is needed, not an expensive cycleway and full redesign.

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

While central government controls land and build costs, Council can HELP through zoning, consents, rates, and infrastructure that reduces flood risks and insurance costs. A stronger local economy, supported by businesses, will lift wages and improve affordability.

MAJOR PROJECTS

Council must STOP launching new mega-projects while current ones suffer from blowouts. Projects like the Town Hall, Central Library, and sludge plant show a failure of governance. I support pausing new projects until an independent review is complete and stronger governance is in place, with staged approvals and tighter cost controls.

ORGANIC WASTE

I OPPOSE the Council’s plan to spend tens of millions on an organic waste facility. Local, scalable solutions already exist, with compost able to support community gardens at minimal cost to ratepayers. The Southern Landfill still has over 100 years of capacity.

RATES CAPPING

I DO support rates capping, with exceptions only for carefully defined one-off capital projects. Rates have already risen by over 220% since 2016/17 and are set to double again by 2034. Rates affordability is the biggest issue for ratepayers.

SAFETY & ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Wellingtonians deserve to FEEL safe. Council must work alongside central government and community agencies like the City Mission to provide housing and mental health support. Leaving people on the streets is not a solution.

SOCIAL HOUSING

Social housing is VITAL, but funding should not fall twice on Wellingtonians—through both taxes and rates. Costs are projected to exceed $1 billion in 10 years. Housing should transition to central government or specialised providers better equipped to manage housing and related social services.

TRANSPORT

Major Projects: WCC should enable NZTA projects such as the second Mt Vic Tunnel and Grenada to Petone link, while supporting affected communities.
Transport Hierarchy: The current hierarchy unfairly prioritises some groups over others. It must be reviewed to better balance community and business needs.
Carbon Neutrality: Council has already achieved carbon neutrality in many activities. Future spending must be smarter, focusing on transport emissions rather than expensive projects with diminishing returns.
Bus Network: Improve efficiency with peak-time bus lanes, optimise the Golden Mile bus spine, and postpone Harbour Quays until demand increases.

AMALGAMATION

I SUPPORT amalgamating Porirua, Hutt City, and Upper Hutt with Wellington, and folding Regional Council’s environmental role into a single, region-wide council. This would require collaboration and maturity around the table.