The Wellington Chamber of Commerce is encouraging Wellingtonians to consider standing in the upcoming Local Government 2019 elections.

Candidate nominations open this Friday, 19 July, and close on Friday 16 August.

"As Wellington’s Chamber of Commerce, we want to encourage business-savvy and community-minded people to put up their hands," says John Milford, Wellington Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive.

"Our city and region is facing some very real challenges that we need bold leadership to address - most importantly the need for investment in infrastructure to ensure Wellington is resilient and to meet current, as well as future, growth demands.

"We need candidates who see the bigger picture. We’ve got other mounting cost increases that households and business are facing. We’ve got massive projects with large price tags coming down the pipeline. What does Wellington do if can’t afford it, when we can’t afford not to?

"From a business point of view, it’s important to note that Wellington businesses already pay one of the highest shares of rates in the country, nearly half of the total rates-take. Just this year Wellington City Council rates increased at twice the rate of inflation, and the regional council rates increased by four times the rate of inflation - and that’s just for ‘business as usual’.

"We need candidates who understand the real cost of compliance for business, candidates who welcome transparency, and seek to reduce costs.

"Wellington needs candidates who will commit to:

-Reversing the 2019 increases made to the rates calculations, including the business rate multiplier

-Keep rates to inflation or, at the very least, the Local Government Costs Index

-Make decisions in the way a business would, with a robust cost-to-benefit analysis and a payment plan

-Recycle and renew Council assets to pay for new infrastructure that Wellington needs

"If this sounds like you, Wellington City and the Wellington region needs you!"

Nominations are open for the Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council, Porirua City Council, Hutt Valley City Council, Upper Hutt City Council, Kapiti District Council, Masterton District Council, Carterton District Council, South Wairarapa District Council, as well as for Capital & Coast District Health Board, Hutt Valley District Health Board, Wairarapa District Health Board, and the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust.

Ahead of the elections the Chamber will release their triennial pre-election report, which sets out the key issues for the region’s business community, as well as a guide to candidates’ policies.

For more information on standing as a candidate, see here https://www.lgnz.co.nz/vote2019/

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