My Priorities
Back to Basics. Stop the Waste. Keep Rates Down.
These are some of the things that I would like to see change in Council:
Roads that work
Our roads should work for the people who use them - not frustrate them. Whether you're driving to work, dropping off kids, or running a small business, you need roads that are safe, efficient and sensibly designed. Its time to refocus on transport that respects the people who use it.
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I SUPPORT:
1. Stop the speed bumps
These are causing damage to vehicles and are a problem for emergency services trying to get across town to help people.
2. Rein in the cost blow outs
Rifle Range cost $3.2 million dollars and is a traffic disaster. Traffic has never been more congested.
Why does it cost $500,000+ to put in a pedestrian crossing?
That's what the Heaphy Terrace Crossing cost.
3. No more in lane bus stops
In lane bus stops are creating congestion and frustration. They are unworkable in a growing city like ours. Let's design bus stops that work, where buses pull out of the lane, not block it - common sense infrastructure that keeps Hamilton moving.
Water infrastructure
Hamilton can't grow without the pipes to support it. We're already behind on key water infrastructure - and now future costs like water meters and new water management are being passed on to residents. Instead of planning ahead, Council's spent too much on vanity projects and too little on the basics. We need to prioritize projects that actually sustain a growing city.
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I SUPPORT:
1. Prioritize core infrastructure in capital spending.
We need to rebalance the budget towards essentials. Starting with properly funding our water infrastructure. No more sidelining critical upgrades in favour of cosmetic projects.
2. Introduce an infrastucture readiness dashboard.
An open, public-facing dashboard showing where infrastructure is - and isn't - ready to support new housing. That keeps growth honest, transparent and properly serviced.
3. Implement a staged catch-up plan.
We need to map a catch-up plan for our water infrastructure - delivered in phases that we can actually afford, not ballooning mega-projects with no accountability.
4. Cost-benefit reporting on all infrastructure decisions.
Every new infrastructure investment should come with a clear cost-benefit analysis that's visible to the public - so we know we're getting value, not just headlines.
Waste and core service delivery
It's everyday basics that matter. Rubbish collection, public toilets that work, clean parks, footpaths that are safe - these are the things that Hamiltonians actually notice and rely on. Council needs to deliver them all well and stop letting quality slip while spending spirals elsewhere. Residents and ratepayers deserve better value for their money, and better service in return.
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I SUPPORT:
1. Service level audit.
We need a clear audit of how well core services are being delivered, not just how much we're spending on them.
2. Redirect funds from bloated branding/consultancy budgets to front line delivery.
3. Performance-based contracts for service providers.
Let's reward good service and hold underperformers to account.
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Council debt $1.05b
We are now spending 1 in every 3 rate payer dollars just paying interest. That's not sustainable. It's money we can't use on roads, waste, water, transport or footpaths.
We need sharper priorities and real financial discipline to stop the economic bleeding and restore value for Hamiltonians.
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I SUPPORT:
1. Setting a clear and serviceable debt cap to limit future borrowing and force better planning.
2. Audit and cancel low-priority or vanity projects that don't serve essential infrastructure. No more branding exercises disguised as investments.
3. Shift to staged infrastructure planning - break large projects into smaller, staged phases so we only commit to what we can afford at each stage.
4. Zero-based budgeting approach - start each budget from zero and justify every line. No more rolling over bloated or unnecessary spending from previous years.
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