DCC Candidates Commit to Student Pledges

DCC Candidates Commit to Student Pledges

Just let us get drunk at BYOs and tell us whether you think climate change is real

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.

This article first appeared in Issue 24, 2019.
Posted 11:53pm Thursday 29th August 2019 by Erin Gourley.