About Stuart
Candidate Statement
I’m Stuart Aitken and I’m running for council. Why?
I’ve been a staunch defender of the ‘Tron’ for decades. Even when not living here. It had a vibrant nightlife, bustling CBD and beautiful parks and gardens, rivalling Christchurch as the garden city of New Zealand.
Sadly, Hamilton is becoming the very thing that our critics used to accuse us of being. Dull and scruffy, with a lifeless CBD. All while our current council is driving us into a financial bottomless pit.
Over a billion dollars of debt so far and we have nothing of value to show for it – not only that, essential infrastructure has been completely ignored.
We need a city that has the amenities and facilities we need – sensibly funded – and we need a city we can be proud of once more.
With change, we can do exactly that. I support the Better Hamilton campaign.
Candidate Profile Questions
1.What would be your top three priorities for Council the next three years?
I want the city to work for the residents and ratepayers, not the other way round. For that, we need transparency, accountability and people with real skills and experience around the table. People who know how to get things done and people who listen to the residents.
Money needs to spent far more wisely, with council trusting its staff to make decisions without the need for countless consultants. Which also means getting back to providing core services – roads, rubbish collection, water and waste.
We are in a cost of living crisis – people don’t have money to throw away and nor should the council. This can be done without cutting any services.
2. What is your aspiration for Hamilton Kirikiriroa?
Hamilton used to be a very desirable place to come and live for many people on the ‘up’. Lots of those people ended up staying instead, because they enjoyed the lifestyle Hamilton provided. Parks, gardens, leafy suburbs, a bustling CBD with bars and restaurants (and nightclubs – showing my age) the length of Victoria Street.
Gully and river paths were added and provided great fun for adults and children alike.
We have the University with a new medical school coming, WINTEC is another great resource. Let’s recapture some of the magic we used to have while leveraging all the resources we have at our fingertips.
3. How do you think Council could best use opportunities to meet the key challenges we are facing?
There is so much opportunity here. We are a massive inland transport hub. We have a very strong agribusiness sector that helps feed so many other businesses and industries in the region. The problem is, what is holding us back? Is it just red tape and old-fashioned thinking? All we need to do is look around us and use all the resources we have at our disposal to innovate.
4. If there was one thing you could change about Hamilton Kirikiriroa immediately, what would it be?
The lack of transparency in council and how it spends our money needs to stop. Council has a responsibility to the residents and ratepayers of Hamilton because it is their money they are spending.
This lack of transparency and the accompanying poor financial management has led us down this path to the dire financial predicament we are now in. We pay far too much for our services and far too much for our infrastructure. Council seems to relish spending millions – tens of millions – on gold-standard facilities that might win awards, but don’t warrant the enormous amount of money spent.
5. What qualities would you bring to Council that will help our city thrive?
I have a passion for Hamilton. I’ve defended her through thick and thin. I have also worked in finance alongside industries that are heavily involved in infrastructure delivery and development.
I also enjoy getting the best out of people – both for their own self-improvement and to achieve results.
If we get the best out of people, we get the best results. If we take back control of our finances, we get better results – and that benefits Hamilton and Hamiltonians.
6. Where can voters go to learn more about you?
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094465684918
Email: stuartforhcc@gmail.com
Phone: 027 560 4621
Content supplied by candidate.