Who rocks?
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Stand and deliver James’
journey
Andy Oxley and Meg Taylor.
Two Wānaka residents have started their own local body election campaign – aiming to encourage people to stand. Meg Taylor and Andy Oxley have produced a candidates’ handbook for the 2022 local body elections. “Wānaka and Hāwea, as everyone here knows, are very special places and deserve good leadership,” Meg Taylor told the Sun. “There’s a huge depth of skill and enthusiasm in this community so we hope the handbook assists prospective candidates in tapping this.” The pair – who do not plan to stand themselves - have both been in Wānaka for over 20 years and say they are getting a positive response to their campaign under their Stand Up Wānaka banner.
They want to increase interest in the upcoming elections and reduce barriers for those wishing to stand for the Wānaka Community Board and Council positions. “The Upper Clutha has four QLDC positions in 2022 and the WCB was retained following some serious lobbying, so we felt that the community should make the most of this,” they said. The digital handbook they have put together offers local government advice and community links helpful to those campaigning. “We want to make it easier for anyone standing to get the skills and community links they might need. We have also done a lot of the legwork by collecting and collating all these resources in one place." Nominations for the elections open on July 15
and run to August 12. Election day is October 8. Three candidates have already announced they will seek the mayoral position being vacated by Jim Boult. He is pleased to see that number, but “if I have a disappointment at present it’s the lack of candidates indicating an intent to stand for Council. A number of our existing councillors have indicated they will not be standing again and at this point we have only one new candidate signalling their intention to stand”. The three who have announced they will stand for mayor are Jon Mitchell, Olivia Wensley and Glyn Lewers. The handbook can be obtained by emailing standupwanaka@gmail.com.
Wānaka born James Watson says he really likes helping people. So this year he and his dad Mark – manager at Mitre 10 Mega in Wānaka – will go the extra mile. Or 47km kilometres to be James Watson more accurate. James and his dad were planning to be up at 5am today, heading up State Highway 6 to Makarora, where they will put their double kayak into Lake Wānaka and prepare to paddle the length of it. The aim as the country celebrates Matariki is to raise $550 for World Vision’s 40 hour famine. James, a Mount Aspiring College student who lists arts and maths as favourite subjects, has already gone some way to raising that sum from a barbecue – and is well on course with sponsorship – to achieve his goal. And anyone can help – by making a pledge at my.worldvision.org.nz/ss/xFGc5r/ james-watson. James has logged up weeks of practice on the lake ahead of his marathon journey - he had done a bit of “paddling and rafting”, but needed time on the water to prepare for the long journey. Father and son hope to complete the distance in eight hours. Today’s Wānaka Sun is packed with stories about people who volunteer to help others, or do good work in the community – and you can read more about the 40 hour famine on Page 15 today.
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