Over the next few days, The Central App will introduce readers to the candidates standing for the Southland electorate. 

We asked each candidate to comment on some issues of concern to Central Otago residents and elsewhere: housing and the cost of renting; the cost of living; the future of tourism; Christchurch International Airport's plans to develop an international airport at Tarras; and one other issue they wished to address.

Today we hear from ACT New Zealand candidate Todd Stephenson. He currently lives in Sydney, but will be moving to Queenstown to start campaigning.

Housing & cost of renting 

Todd says ACT offers real solutions to New Zealand’s housing woes, for both buyers and renters. 

“We’d get politicians out of the building business and leave it to those who know best – locals on the ground and everyday New Zealanders spending their own money. Initially ACT has three proposals in this area. Firstly, we‘d fund and incentivise housing through GST-sharing. Every new development involves costs to existing ratepayers to provide new roads, water, and sewerage connections. These costs act as a disincentive for councils to approve new houses and subdivisions. By GST-sharing these costs could be covered. 

“Secondly, we would scrap the Resource Management Act. ACT’s replacement for the RMA would make it much easier to get homes built. 

“Thirdly, ACT would reform the Building Act. The Building Act's bureaucratic approval processes and local councils' risk-averse approach entrench the power of a limited number of material suppliers, resulting in the ludicrous situation where New Zealand faces a nationwide shortage of plasterboard. With more houses being built, the market will be more affordable for buyers and renters.”  

Cost of living 

“The cost of everything is rising. Kiwis who felt like they were doing well two years ago are struggling to make ends meet,” he said.

Todd said the current government is taxing too much of New Zealander’s income. 

“Then they borrow and wastefully spend even more, fuelling inflation, to which the Reserve Bank responds by pumping up the Official Cash Rate (and your mortgage). Then they put expensive red tape on every part of life, driving up costs again. 

“ACT will reduce wasteful inflationary spending by $16 billion over two years and deliver targeted tax cuts so someone earning $70k with one child will be around $2,300 better off. ACT’s Minister of Regulation will systematically, industry by industry, slash red tape across the country so Kiwis can get on and do business without being bogged down with compliance costs.” 

The future of tourism 

“ACT sees tourism as an important contributor to the New Zealand economy. We must make the country an attractive destination to visit,” he said.

Todd segued to crime, saying crime rates in New Zealand were a concern for international tourists.

Christchurch International Airport's plans for Tarras 

“There is a process that the proposed international airport at Tarras must go through. Ultimately it will be a decision for the local councils involved, informed by their community. I’ll be interested in hearing the feedback and the different perspectives of locals.” 

Co-governance 

Todd raised co-governance as his final issue.

“ACT believes no-one should be treated differently based on who their ancestors were. ACT says that Kiwis should decide whether they want to live in a modern, multi-ethnic liberal democracy with a one person, one vote foundation, or the alternative promoted by Labour where different people are afforded different rights by virtue of their ancestry,” he said.

Todd said ACT would repeal legislation “with anti-democratic provisions like Three Waters and the Māori Health Authority”, and “legally define the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” via referendum.

“This would draw a line in the sand of the Treaty being used as a document of division offering different rights to different people, instead uniting all Kiwis behind what it actually is - a document celebrating two peoples becoming one.”