About Roger
Candidate Statement
I am the one candidate prepared to stand up to the prime minister over his attacks on local government independence, unlike my chief competitor for mayor, beholden to central government partisanship.
Growing up in Fairfield, I chose Hamilton to settle in for its unfulfilled potential.
I entered politics, shocked at the entitled nature of Council and the middle-class stasis. My policy platform places a moratorium on the use of artificial intelligence software in Council applications. Constant contrived assertions of uncertainty undermine public confidence. By resisting central government mandates, pulling out of Local Government New Zealand and borrowing from the Reserve Bank at zero interest rates, we become a family-orientated city.
When you rank your candidates in October, remember this phrase, 'We're aligned on that', signalled to my chief competitor by the outgoing office-holder. If you believe we can't afford more of the same, then you must vote for an outsider.
Candidate Profile Questions
- What would be your top three priorities for Council the next three years?
- Rebuilding public trust in our institutions. I will create a By-election Endowment Fund, to ensure robust representation on council throughout its entire term. We must quit Local Government New Zealand and trust in our exceptionality as a city. I will place a three-year moratorium on the use of Artificial Intelligence in all council software apps, until the technology is proven both safe and productive.
- Balancing the books. Stop borrowing for anything, not just day-to-day expenses. We have the Reserve Bank of New Zealand instead, at zero interest rate. Repurposing is key.
- Tackling social problems. For instance, I will institute a municipal inquiry into the Enderley hoarder's house fire earlier this year. How was the dumping of accumulating rubbish by neighbours onto this retiree's residence permitted to go on?
With regard to trailer parks, compassion must be earned and a programme to exit into proper accommodation put in place.
2. What is your aspiration for Hamilton Kirikiriroa?
Fulfilling its potential. This is no time for fraudulent climate action. Stand up to central government mandates by voicing public dissent. But it is difficult to do so if you are politically beholden to the present incumbents, which I am not.
The mayor of a growth city the size of Hamilton is not just a nationwide leader, he is a world leader. It is at this moment in our urban development that a world leader is required, to enhance Hamilton's sister city relationships in China (and elsewhere) and to play host to international events at our growing list of stellar world-class venues - the Waikato Regional Theatre, the two major central city stadia, Hamilton Gardens and the newly-envisaged medical school.
3. How do you think Council could best use opportunities to meet the key challenges we are facing?
Consider the Introduction of municipal tariffs to endear a public perception of Hamilton's economic specialness within New Zealand. We have the best gardens, an emigre South African community, an additional water treatment plant in-the-pipeline and a graduate medical school in-the-making.
Introduce cost-benefit analysis as an over-arching guide to decision-making.
As well, we need to continue to utilise Local Government Funding Agency loans for key transport infrastructure.
4. If there was one thing you could change about Hamilton Kirikiriroa immediately, what would it be?
Reintroduce school uniforms to Fairfield College.
I grew up in Fairfield and attended the local schools. Matriculating from the college was transformational for me personally. But a sense of honour and duty were absent there. Hyper-liberalism is all very well but Hamilton city today is living with the consequences of letting priorities such as unnecessary expenditure spiral out ofcontrol, mainly out of a false sense of equity.
If elected to office, I will restore public confidence in Council by including family-friendly measures along with the four well-beings, which unfortunately are being scrapped.
5. What qualities would you bring to Council that will help our city thrive?
I am right-hemisphere dominant, indicated by having left-handed dexterity. I tend to see the bigger picture, rather than being overly-focussed on minutae but I get down to the nitty gritty when required. That makes me more creative in solving problems but I am also a good communicator. It is the CEO and the returned deputy mayor, who I would rely on for providing procedural advice. I envisage the learning curve would be great in the first year after taking office.
The office of mayor of a world-class city, such as the one we live in, requires right-brained thinking to get Hamilton out of its debt trap and back into surplus. This is not the time for muddling through with left-brained, business-as-usual, thinking.
I have empathy with struggling home-owners, shown by my elected role as Secretary of the Hamilton Residents & Ratepayers Association.
6. Where can voters go to learn more about you?
Social Media: