Sun Views
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Council Comment
Getting you to the polls
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On the road to trouble…
PHOTO: Wānaka Sun
Today we review the week that was the last week of the school holidays for July 2022. More sickness and Covid is hitting all ends of the industry. Thank you to the community for working through this and helping each other out. A reminder to people who like to drive their cars around in circles “really-fast”. The public roads are not the place for this. If you don’t want to do it in your own back yard then please approach a friendly owner of a fenced off area, that the public does not have the right to enter and see if you can do some agriculture on their grass. A couple of crashes saw people not see the end of the 100km/h road they were on, fail to turn left or right and instead use a fence as their stopping mechanism. Please use the vehicles brakes prior to the intersection as Mr Ford intended it. Some animals are being reported on the roads north and south of Wānaka my motorists. Please be mindful we live in an area where not just the sheep and cows can jump, but deer and pigs. The odd possum and hare are sometimes seen on the roads too. Watch out two for rocks and falling trees. The weather is not our friend at the
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moment. I’m hoping the sun will come out and stay out for a few months soon. A young lady was reported as missing after not getting home about 40 minutes after she was supposed to. After an hour or so she turned up, safe and well. Let’s be wary of our surroundings which reminds me that Winter normally sees the odd person returning home to the wrong address after enjoying a beverage and being found sleeping on the couch by the householders. There hasn’t been that many this year, but… please lock your doors. Censor security lights are great and for those who want to be in the loop while away from home, so is CCTV. Speeding around the traps is still an issue. I was told by the speed camera van operator that sites like Cardrona Valley Road by the medical centre and McDougall Street can see many hundreds of speed tickets being issued in one day. This is not a great thing to hear. Is life that busy we have forgotten to smell the roses? Slow down a tad. What is 30 seconds onto a journey that some have taken years to get to? Take care everyone
It’s a local election year! If this is your first-time voting, or you’re feeling a bit rusty on the details, don’t worry we’ve got you covered. This year’s election day is October 8 and there are a few important things to know. In this column we’ll look at how to vote, who you can vote for, and what to do if you need to make a special vote. But first up - nominations are still open. You have until noon on August 12 to put your name in for mayor, councillor or Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board member. As long as you’re a citizen and enrolled to vote, you can stand for election. There are a few bits and pieces involved with a nomination – such as including a photograph, a small profile statement, and proof of citizenship – so don’t leave it until the last minute. By standing for election you will help shape our district for current and future generations. To find out more, including what the role involves, pay rates, and how to get nominated, check out our candidate’s handbook at www. qldc.govt.nz/elections. Next up, who can vote? You can vote if: • you are 18 years or older, and • you are a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, and • you have lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for one year or more continuously at some point. If you are unsure if you meet these criteria, call the Electoral Commission on 0800 36 76 56. To vote, you need to be enrolled. This happens automatically if you're a Queenstown Lakes District resident and are already on the parliamentary electoral roll for the general election. The preliminary electoral roll is available to view at QLDC’s Queenstown and Wānaka offices and libraries until August 12. If you haven’t received notification from the Electoral Commission (‘the orange guy’) that you’re on the roll, it would pay to check your name and correct address are there. This is especially important if you have changed address, or recently moved to the district. To enrol, check or update your enrolment details, go to www.vote.nz. Freephone 0800 36 76 56 or free text 3676 to get a form sent to you in the mail. Everyone who is enrolled will be sent voting papers in the mail. These will arrive in midSeptember, so keep an eye on your mailbox. And if you have a Post Office box instead, remember to check that too. When you get your voting papers, we encourage you to read them carefully and consider who you want to vote for. For those living in Upper Clutha, you will be able to vote for: • Mayor • Councillors on the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Ward • Members of the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Community Board And if you happen to live on the other side of the hill, you’ll be able to vote for councillors
THURSDAY 04.08.22 - WEDNESDAY 10.08.22
Jane Robertson
in either the Queenstown-Whakatipu or Arrowtown-Kawarau wards. By voting, you are having your say about who represents you on local matters, whether that’s recycling and rubbish collection, parks and sports facilities, or the future of our district economy. You need to pop your voting papers back in the envelope and into a public mailbox by October 4 to ensure they are delivered by the deadline of October 8. You can also drop your voting papers into a ballot box in the Wānaka or Queenstown offices. There is no cost involved. Now, if you didn’t manage to update your enrolment details before the election, or if something has happened to your voting papers (the cat knocked a cup of coffee on them, for example) don’t worry, because you can get new or replacement voting papers. Special votes are available for people who are not enrolled but qualify to vote, for people who did not receive voting papers in the mail, or whose papers have been spoilt or damaged, and for those whose names appear on the unpublished electoral roll. All you need to do to make a special vote is pop into the QLDC office at 47 Ardmore Street (or our Queenstown office at 10 Gorge Road) between Friday September 16 and Saturday October 8. You’ll be able to fill out a special vote on the spot or you can take it home – just make sure you deliver it back in time to be with the Electoral Officer by October 8. Elections and voting may feel daunting, especially if you’re doing it for the first time, but we’ll keep you updated each step of the way. Voting is a great way to take part in our democracy and to stand up for what you care about. I strongly encourage you to keep up to date and take part in QLDC’s local elections. Stay up to date at facebook.com/QLDCinfo. – By Jane Robertson QLDC Electoral Officer
THE WĀNAKA SUN
