Most mayoral candidates say spending ratepayer money on climate change initiatives necessary

By Conan Young, Local Democracy Reporting

Could local government be ahead of the game when it comes to accepting the wero (challenge) thrown up by climate change?

Mayoral hopefuls throughout New Zealand overwhelmingly do want tangible action taken - and now, a survey has found.

Respondents to the 2022 Local Democracy Reporting survey of mayoral candidates were asked not just if they thought climate change was a real and present danger, but if they would be willing to spend ratepayers' money on doing something about it.

The majority said yes (71.8 percent).

"We can't live on an overly hot planet, all life depends on the climate" said Invercargill mayoral aspirant, Noel Peterson.

"More education, support and resources and reassurance we can survive this challenge are needed" he said.

Despite division at a central government level - especially over the pace of carbon reducing actions - according to LDR's survey the debate at a local government level may have moved on.

Support for better public transport, moving vehicle fleets to EVs and kerbside compost collection largely spanned the political divide between left and right leaning, urban and rural.

In fact candidates in the provinces were slightly more in favour of these initiatives (73.3 percent) than those in the cities (65.9 percent).

The willingness to expend council resources on initiatives continues to hold up well when comparing those standing in the South Island (69 percent) to those in the North Island (72.9 percent).

A common refrain among those who do not see a place for councils in this space is not that it is not something worthy of spending money on, but that it is a job for somebody else.

Invercargill deputy mayor Nobby Clark joined a number of others in passing the buck to the regional council, with its responsibility for public transport and regulating polluting industries.

Meanwhile Wellington's Tory Whanau called for a partnership with central government.

"But we should absolutely be looking at initiatives such as free public transport, active transport and encouraging use of EV vehicles across the city," she said.

Some respondents attached so many conditions to their 'yes' answer that their yes started to look like a no.

"Government is forcing initiatives and costs on councils/communities that are not necessary at this point in time. The coal boiler at the Westland Recreation Centre and the ETS [Emissions Trading Scheme] increases are an example", said Grey District incumbent Tania Gibson.

While support for spending council money on bringing down the country's carbon emissions might be high among this batch of mayoral hopefuls, it must be remembered the person sitting in the top chair has just one vote around an often divided council table.

And judging by the small number of councils to have so far declared a climate emergency (just 12 out of 67 nationwide), those who want to change the direction of their councils, may have their work cut out for them.

The survey was sent out to all 291 mayoral candidates and garnered 202 responses, representing a 69 percent response rate.

Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air