Thanks to Kerry for sending in her answers to our questions. As you can see, we were serious about only publishing 25 word answers.
1. You have 30 seconds to convince someone to come to Wellington. What’s your pitch?
We have it all – great food, great recreation and art, and great nightlife. It’s the cultural hub of New Zealand. 93% of Wellingtonians rate our…
2. How do you think traffic flow to the hospital and airport could be improved?
We need to complete our planning for and implement a rapid transport system on dedicated lanes from the Railway station to the Airport and the…
3. Where do you stand on the issue of opening up government data?
It’s important to understand it isn’t the Council’s job to deal with Government data. I have always taken the view that the majority of local…
4. What plans have do you have to improve recycling/composting facilities?
We recently announced a new recycling contract which will see Wellingtonians continuing to use their current green bins (used by 85% of residents) but with improved…
5. What is your policy on street alcoholics?
We need to provide care and shelter for these people and I support the Night Shelter. I drove a Mayoral Taskforce on this issue which…
6. Do you support pedestrianisation of the Golden Mile Why/Why not?
This is and should remain the pre-eminent public transport artery, along with service vehicles and taxis. It is a narrow portion of Wellington CBD and…
7. What’s the last local market you went to? What did you buy?
Chaffers market last weekend. I tend to buy the fresh veges, cheese, oil, bread, and fresh fish from Yellow Brick Road Distributors. No matter how…
8. Describe your bicycle, or your favourite bus route?
Trusty old comfortable Avanti which I use frequently around the waterfront. Did the Otago Rail Trail over Easter with friends.
9. When did you last use the library, a community centre, or a council-run sports facility?
Use Freyberg gym 3 times a week for an hour and I try to keep up my swimming – it’s great for fitness and thinking time.
10. Would you welcome a central government driven "super-city" amalgamation of local authorities? If not, why not?
No. Wellington region’s population should choose its own form of governance and if there is to be change we will ask the Government to meet…
11. Do you think the council has a role in fostering community websites? If so, how?
I am committed to continued support where we contract Wellington Community Net to deliver free web hosting for community groups.
12. Where do you stand on water privitisation, and why?
I’m against privatisation and will continue to support the current legislation that forbids this happening. Wellington has invested heavily in our water infrastructure and we…
13. What city overseas inspires your vision for Wellington? How?
San Francisco because of its architecture, its waterfront, its food and wine, its walkability, its public transport, its tolerance and diversity, and its support for…
14. Is the concept of democratic representation important to you? How so?
Yes – it is very important. NZ was the first country to give women the vote. Given the importance of this, and our later moves into…
15. What do you think about community gardens on public land?
I support these. The council has just opened one in Brooklyn and we are working on one in Hataitai. I’m prepared to support any community…
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, that’s hard to read with the cut off but good idea to have one I think.
She also sent us a long blurb on why she’s running for mayor, but as we hadn’t asked for that, none of the other candidates had a chance to tell us why they were running, so it wasn’t included.
Hah. Classic.
No one can cut off Mayor Kerry Prenderg….
Part of me wants to say that she’s doing it on purpose so that people out there go “What? Whaaaat? I want to know what she’s going to say next!” like 1001 Arabian Nights.
Wow, that certainly makes interesting reading from the incumbent mayor and when my ballot papers arrive in the mail I’ll certainly be voting for …
Poor Kerry… she lumped street alcoholics in with the Night Shelter… problem is that the Night Shelter isn’t resourced to deal with their needs so they are made to move on
thats why we need a wet shelter.
A general comment for the Wellingtonista, not for any candidate in particular: your first question says the candidate has 30 seconds (i.e. “please write us a 30-second pitch”), yet you cut answers off at 25 words. I don’t know about you, but I speak at a lot more than 50 words per minute. Can you blame Kerry (experienced politician, used to creating soundbites of just the right length) for answering your question?
My email said "We’re sending the same crowd-sourced questions to all the candidates, which involve the issues we and and our readers care about, and we plan on running your answers under verbatim, cutting off answers at 25 words for the sake of brevity." – so I think that’s pretty clear.
I actually think this is a fair comment. There was a clash between the time limit and word count.
A "30 second" comment is something that works aloud, not written down. The question didn’t even need to mention a time limit.
Lesson learned, I think.
But it doesn’t excuse answering the rest of the ques
I should note that the rest of us who received your questionnaire understood what you meant—maybe we are more in touch with Wellingtonians’ thinking.
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