In the Queenstown Lakes area we have a dearth of applicants for the upcoming council elections. As at Friday 5 August, only three applicants had put their names forward for the Queenstown and Arrowtown wards. There are always a few who put their name in on the last day of course, but it is looking like anyone who chucks their name in the ring will simply be appointed without an election, or even having to campaign.
I personally looked at it but just think it would be bad for my health, so I am backing another of our local ladies who should hopefully be putting her hat in the ring shortly. The various VFF groups around the country are doing well putting candidates up.
I encourage any of us here in BFD land who think they could cope with the massive amounts of reading and unbelievable money wasting, boring meetings, to have a crack at it.
You would expect to do at least 15 to 20 hours per week (although some treat it like a full-time job). Pay, in Queenstown at least, is $39,500 for a normal councillor.
What spurred me on to write this, is that I had a look at the only applicant for the Arrowtown ward, a woman by the name of Lisa Guy.
She put out a press release a few weeks ago, tellingly only picked up by a couple of publications, the excellent local news suppliers Crux (whose editor is also standing for council) and local paper Mountain Scene and Labour shills Scoop, telling everyone why they should elect her (as you do).
Amongst all the usual fluff about doing good for the community, the seemingly mandatory ‘climate change is really super-duper important’ guff etc, she sneaks in that she wants to “build back better”.
Forgive me for asking, but by putting that phrase in there, is she secretly telling everyone that she is a globalist socialist stooge just begging for The Great Reset? Why else would you put those words in there?
In one of her old Facebook posts, she states, “Building back better is the global catch phrase for tourism following Covid.” Umm, no it’s not. It’s a global catch phrase that is used by commie scum like our very own PM, Biden, Trudeau, Schwab et al.
Maybe she just thinks it’s a cool phrase that makes her look hip and with it? Maybe it’s just something they learn at spin school? Certainly her press release is full of trendy, hot-button word soup:
There is a need to be clear on council’s remit… There is much we can do to improve; we need a sustainable future… A bridge has two ends, essential to function, where we’ve come from and where we’re going… Our villages share purpose, kaupapa, to look after this place… the importance of wellbeing and community within a place… there are specific challenges… connecting with residents… community aspirations… property space… we need a forward-thinking council to navigate connectivity… we’re a more diverse and challenging environment… through hard times these villages come together, when many are far away from family, you are family… requiring pivots… Advisor in the HR space to iconic employer brands… facilitating learning… designing and delivering learning events…
Give me strength! Maybe she will do a good job. I hope so as she will likely get voted in by people who get sucked in by corporate speak, te manglish and gobbledegook.
Remember folks, just because you can vote for say three people for your ward, you don’t have to put down three ticks. Please feel free to do a little research into your candidates. Try and find their personal social media pages where you see the real person from a few years ago, not the sanitised version they want you to see now. (A Queenstown mayoral candidate, Labour MP wannabe Jon Mitchell is a case in point. He used to be hideous on Facebook. His comments about the Wellington protestors were truly despicable. A bigger bullying Labour troll I’m not sure I have seen!)
I won’t be voting for anyone who wants to Build Back Better!