“What do you most want voters to understand about you and your vision for Waitaki?”

Working Together for Waitaki’s Future

There’s an old adage: together we stand, divided we fall. It’s as relevant today as it was when our district was built on the pioneering spirit of people who worked side by side to overcome challenges.

Right now, our challenges are significant with infrastructure pressures, housing needs, the cost of living, and ensuring future prosperity. But they also give us an opportunity: to face them not as isolated individuals or siloed groups, but as a united community. When councillors, council staff, and the community work together, the upsides multiply. Cooperation builds trust, turns ideas into action, and ensures that decisions reflect the needs of the many, not just the few.

Building Our Own Micro-Economy

Waitaki already has almost everything we need to support ourselves. From food production and supply chains, to retail, hospitality, and trades, we have the bones of a self-sustaining local economy. The key is to keep reinvesting in our people and businesses instead of sending profits out of the district to the corporate giants.

Imagine what happens when we prioritise local procurement, support home-grown enterprise, and strengthen our supply chains here in Waitaki. We create jobs and training pathways, especially for our young people. We lift up small businesses and keep money circulating locally, building resilience and pride in our own ability to stand on our feet.

This isn’t about shutting out the world, it’s about recognising and growing the value we already have right here at home. So when the world comes to visit us, they’re wowed by what they find here.

A Call to Action

By working together and thinking locally, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities. Let’s take the same pioneering spirit that built our communities and use it to build a more resilient, sustainable, and thriving Waitaki for everyone. So those of you who are yet to cast their vote, vote now, and vote for positive change and pick the people you think can best deliver that outcome.

Authorised by Mark Townsend : [email protected]