The Central App asked local body candidates about the skills they can bring to the table and their community track record.

Name three top skills (Hard or soft) or experiences you’ll bring to the decision-making table?

Here’s how they responded:

Mayor candidates respond:

There are three candidates for one vacancy of Mayor for Central Otago.

Tamah Alley: 

“Governance that gets things done. I’m a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and a previous police officer and business owner, with experience in future-focused strategy, risk, and local government legislation. I know how to navigate complex decisions and keep things moving.

“Leadership that brings people with me. From health trusts to cycle trails, I’ve worked alongside our communities for years. I know how to listen, collaborate, and build trust to deliver real results - together.

“Communication that cuts through. I ask the tough questions and speak in plain language. People deserve to know what’s happening, why it matters, and how they can be involved. That’s how we make the council more accessible and accountable.”

Mark Quinn:

“I am blessed that many people in the echelon of business have taken time in my younger days to up-skill me in how businesses should be run. From there I have had a career based around knowledge, common sense, perception, and analytical skills, passion, energy, and to see through companies operating in a downward way and set them back on track. Retrain CEOs, managers, staff, or if I need to make the decision to close the operation I have.  

“Designing the first Pak n Save, with J.W [name withheld], plus many new companies were created in consultation with people who want to learn or expand. In some industries people were dismissed for illegal operations. 

“I offer a business mind that sorts issues out. I am now offering my skills for our generations to follow before democracy is lost. It’s sad that New Zealand is no longer for the people in its current management over the last few generations of political parties.”

Charlie Sanders did not respond.

Tamah Alley Mark Quinn Charlie Sanders

Learn more about the Mayor Candidates here in The Central App special Local Elections section.

Candidates for the Cromwell Ward respond

There are nine candidates for four vacancies in the Cromwell Ward.

Name three top skills (Hard or soft) or experiences you’ll bring to the decision-making table?

Here’s how they responded:

Stephen Carruth:

“Thirty-five years in the construction industry, many of those involved in industrial/employee relations management on large-scale construction projects in Australia, have both developed and honed the following transferable skill sets:

“Analysing an environment and determining the risk profile of that environment; 

“The ability to 'walk a mile in another person's shoes'. [In a situation where you disagree with someone, it is the ability to understand that person's situation and from that, be able to understand why they may have an opposing viewpoint to yours. It is quite different to simply changing your viewpoint and more about gaining an understanding of whether you may ultimately be able to achieve agreement with that person on the issue];

“The ability to digest, comprehend and interpret written information, including legal determinations and judgements, agreements and contracts.”

David George:

“I trained as a community worker and reacted solidly to the Clyde Dam wind-down. After assessment we set up the Community House near the Mall. Along with Plunket and the Youth Hub this site has served us well, so far.

“Anne and I have engaged with a small business focus for decades, up until now. I was deeply involved in horticulture and oversaw the Muldoon era failure within the stone fruit industry. The inevitable downfall of an attempt to market late maturing nectarines.

“In community development work I trained for three years at Otago University. I am constantly upskilling myself. I have been a volunteer since the early 70s.

“I have abilities in consultation, conflict resolution and advocacy. With this in mind I am concerned at the level of community training evident in the district. A lack of a staged development process. This process speeds up development and avoids pitfalls. 

“This will apply to business sector development in and around Cromwell; not just the Cromwell Mall. And with the enlargement of all services as the population grows.”

Bob Scott:

“I have served on the Cromwell Community Board for four years, so I am very familiar with the way that council works. I have a good working relationship with council staff and I want to continue this if elected to council.

“I was a business owner for many years so I have good commercial awareness. Most recently I have been past president of Cromwell Golf Club and I am currently board chair. In this role I have to have excellent "people skills" in order to interact with club members and to react to their needs and concerns. 

“I have an enquiring mind. Very much a detail person, I love nothing more than asking questions and trying to get to the bottom of why things happen. I see this as an attribute when holding our council to account.”

Sarah Browne, Andrew Burns, Terry Davis, Cheryl Laws, Gareth Noble, and Charlie Sanders did not respond.

Candidate for the Vincent Ward respond:

There are 11 candidates for four vacancies in the Vincent Ward.

Name three top skills (Hard or soft) or experiences you’ll bring to the decision-making table?

Here’s how they responded:

Martin McPherson:

“Over 20 years’ experience around the table and knowledge of how and why we got to where we are currently.

“Good listening and analytical skills I can absorb information quickly and thoroughly.

“Excellent communication skills I can express an opinion in a succinct and understandable manner.”

Tracy Paterson:

“Proven experience. Coming to the end of my second term I have reflected on all the decisions we have made as council. Some of those have not been popular but have been made with the forward thinking view that will benefit not only the residents of today, but also those that come after us. Some of those decisions have had to be made during difficult times. 

“One example is the decisions that were made during Covid. We had to continue to do business as usual (when nothing was “normal”) while having regard to the possibility of significant human loss. I am very grateful that the contingency plans were never required. 

“I am also proven in business, running a large scale high country farm. Farming faces many challenges, as does council, so it is vital to plan but it is also vital to be able to pivot if the plan needs to change. 

“Asking the hard questions. I am not afraid to ask a question or raise an issue that relates to our communities' concerns. I also make sure to pass the good news stories on as well. A recent experience while at a retailer in Alexandra was one such experience. Not only did I get great service I was also told of how much this person and their family love living in Central Otago and everything it has to offer. 

“Commitment. Central Otago is home and I am 100 percent committed to doing my part to grow our district. Our family's heritage to this special place is long and I want to see my children and my grandchildren want to put down roots and thrive. My involvement in council, community board, resource management commissioner, charitable trust, A&P Association, Central Otago Health Inc, NZ Woolclassers Assn highlight my willingness to get stuck in.”

Gill Booth: 

“That’s a hard question to answer. I’m good at listening and can hear UN/LGNZ “speak” during many council discussions and (most) documents.

“Working smoothly with people even though we might not agree is important….but…I’m not afraid to stand up as a lone voice for the important issues. After all, only dead fish go with the flow.”

Ian Cooney:

“Three skills that I bring to the table are empathy, patience, and the ability to listen. 

“I have experience managing small businesses of up to 20 staff so can understand some of the difficulties and limitations from that perspective. 

“From the governance standpoint my discernment is improving the longer I sit around the table.”

Jayden Cromb: 

“Experience in local government. I have served two years on the Vincent Community Board as deputy chair and ten months as chair. While my time as chair may be short, I have proven that I understand both the system and the community. We achieved some big wins in the Long Term Plan and the gifting of land to Abbeyfield by working within the system and alongside the people who are part of it. I have built the necessary relationships with elected members, the community, and council staff to hit the ground running from day one.

“Thinking outside the box to get positive results. It is not uncommon for me to be told that an idea isn’t possible or could be too challenging. A recent example was the Dunstan Turf project. I was told consistently that council would not have an appetite to fund the $300,000 given the projected rate rise. Still, I pushed for the community to support it through consultation and worked with the finance team to find another way to fund it if councillors weren’t keen. After seeing the strong support (especially from the youth survey) and understanding the position councillors were in, I altered the board’s recommendation and pushed for it to be funded through reserves. That passed unanimously and was a community win without adding a burden to rates.

“Ability to bring different voices together. Whether through the VCB, school board, or youth trust, I have spent my adult life leading boards with members who bring diverse voices, ideas, and perspectives to the table. My role has been to bring those voices together to find positive solutions to different challenges. Whether it’s higher than expected operational costs, a project that isn’t working as planned, or long-term strategic planning, I have always found ways to combine everyone’s ideas to determine the best path forward. I have learned that the best result doesn’t come from one person, but from bringing people together and collaborating. Giving everyone the freedom and space to express their views, coupled with a willingness to see another perspective, is vital to leadership and governance.”

Dave McKenzie:

“Forty-four years experience in project and infrastructure management (22 years within councils, eight years servicing Meridian energy, 14 years own businesses). 

“Analytical decision not ideology. 

“Accountability both myself and staff - meet or exceed expectations is the minimum standard acceptable (no more excesses).”

Nathan McLean:

“The skills I bring to the table all hinge around competence that has been built via my life to date, my profession, community representation and involvement.

“Governance experience, a presiding member, large project execution across multiple industries, financially literate and a history of collegial connections.

“A strong and outspoken voice, coupled with a desire to represent those who I live, work and play with from our awesome community.

“A dad of two boys, which gives me excellent hostage negotiation and bargaining skills.”

Louise van der Voort:

“Extensive experience in all aspects of local government.

“Qualified resource management planner able to contribute effectively to RM reform discussions.

“Commitment to Central Otago communities with a proven record of community engagement.”

Cam Withington:

“My research ability and tenacity to ask the difficult questions holds me in good stead. The attribute gets right to the heart of an issue and has always been a strength of mine in developing solutions. It is not easy for people to solve problems long term unless they can remove emotion and strip away the layers. It is an art form and I love it. Many times you will hear ‘I understand’ etc, but the speaker is simply paying lip-service and tickling the listeners ears. I was fortunate to polish technique as a journalist while having access to senior council staff and learn of the issues facing the Central Otago district. Sadly during this period, the 911 attack occurred which was soon followed by the war waged on Afghanistan. News stories behind the war were difficult to obtain so I did what any good journalist would do – talk with a senior member of the Afghanistan government. A couple of weeks later I telephoned the Afghan foreign minister who obliged with an interview for a great story.  

“Having the privilege of serving two terms on the Vincent Community Board 2004-2010 will always be an honour. I was elected on a ‘doing water better’ ticket and believe that I am probably the only candidate to do so. During this era the board was responsible for about 50 percent of the council rates spend in the ward and I sat on the water committee. We introduced water meters which were targeted at high users of water, with payments only after usage surpassed one unit per day. Irrigation of parks and road reserves came from bores rather than the town supply and the current Alexandra/Clyde bore-field was identified. It is an area that is important to me – efficient and effective water delivery services. 

“Meanwhile, the new Alexandra swimming pool and museum were also constructed with very little of council funding. As the funds were not sufficient to complete the museum fit-out, I acquired a two year salary package from Wellington to assist the museum staff. This enabled me to successfully lobby central government for the additional funds to complete the fit-out.  

“Working for a civil infrastructure company has given me a broad oversight of requirements required in Central Otago, whether it be bridges, roading, water or electricity. Going over the plans of a roundabout I noted a flaw which would have been an expensive exercise if not corrected. The level of detail and questions that need asking in regard to our assets is far above the heads of the average elected member. This area is where the majority of ratepayers money is spent and having specialised elected members is the first step to making significant improvements.    

“But best of all – communication and motivation. Having raised two lads from children to adults as a single dad has been the best experience in the world. From caring, listening to each other, respecting each other's view so as to pull together as a team, means the world to me. They grew up in a slice of paradise with stunning landscapes with good friends, camping nearly every second weekend, playing rugby, hockey, basketball, jet skiing within ten minutes of arriving home after school and meeting some of the best people. Now they are great adults and advise me. I am most fortunate and these are some of the skills and experiences I bring to the council table.”  

Lynley Claridge and Kas McEntyre did not respond.

Canditates for the Maniototo Ward respond

There are two candidates for one vacancy in the Maniototo Ward.

Name three top skills (Hard or soft) or experiences you’ll bring to the decision-making table?

Here’s how they responded:

Michelle Bisset:

“I have broad understanding of government in New Zealand with academic qualifications in social policy; work in local and central government, and community spanning over 20 years.

“Excellent communication skills and ability to establish good working relationships across the ages and with folk from all walks of life.

“I will “hit the ground running” - I have been attending all CODC council, committee and community board meetings (on-line) and have read every accompanying agenda and/or report since the beginning of this year. In addition to my existing understanding of the local government space, I feel that I have a good understanding of the issues and challenges that the current council has faced, and is facing, and that I will be able to seamlessly join the council team and be an effective member from day one.”

Stu Duncan:

“Able to understand situations and being able to negotiate a range of outcomes and to listen and problem solve is a key attribute of mine.”

Candidates for the Teviot Valley Ward respond:

There are two candidates for one vacancy in the Teviot Valley Ward.

Curtis Pannett:

“Critical thinking: I take a considered approach to decisions, looking at the facts and different viewpoints to make well-reasoned choices. I value robust debate and constructive decision-making that leads to the best outcomes.

“Balanced perspective: As a business owner and farmer, I understand the real cost pressures people face day to day. I see the need for clear priorities on spending in core council services, balanced with continual infrastructure investment to address past under-investment and prepare for a population that could grow by up to 65 percent in the next decade.

“Long-term commitment: At 35-years-old, I’m deeply invested in the prosperity of this community. I’m focused on making decisions that support the region's wellbeing and prosperity, not just today, but 10, 20, and 30 years into the future.”

Mark Quinn: 

“I am blessed that many people in the echelon of business have taken time in my younger days to up-skill me in how businesses should be run. From there I have had a career based around knowledge, common sense, perception, and analytical skills, passion, energy, and to see through companies operating in a downward way and set them back on track. Retrain CEOs, managers, staff, or if I need to make the decision to close the operation I have.  

“Designing the first Pak n Save, with J.W [name withheld] plus many new companies were created in consultation with people who want to learn or expand. In some industries people were dismissed for illegal operations. 

“I offer a business mind that sorts issues out. I am now offering my skills for our generations to follow before democracy is lost. It’s sad that New Zealand is no longer for the people in its current management over the last few generations of political parties.”

Read more: Cromwell voters pack church for candidate showdown

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