faq

Nelson needs to be a place where ideas turn into businesses and businesses turn into jobs. To encourage new start-ups, I’d focus on three things: Cut red tape – Streamline consenting and reduce unnecessary council fees for small businesses so entrepreneurs can focus on growing, not paperwork. Create a supportive ecosystem – Partner with NMIT, Cawthron, and the Chamber of Commerce to provide incubator space, mentoring, and networking for start-ups. Champion the Blue & Green Economy – Position Nelson as New Zealand’s hub for marine innovation, science, and sustainability, attracting investment and high-value careers.

Tourism is vital to Nelson, but it needs to be both vibrant and sustainable. I see three key opportunities: Promote Nelson as a Blue & Green destination – Leverage our unique mix of ocean, rivers, national parks, and science institutes to position Nelson as the hub for eco-tourism, marine tourism, and outdoor adventure. Invest in events and experiences – Support cultural festivals, sports events, and cruise visitor experiences that spread benefits across local businesses, not just the CBD. Build sustainable infrastructure – Encourage operators to adopt clean transport, low-impact practices, and work towards carbon-neutral tourism. Council can help by upgrading facilities like walkways, cycle trails, and waterfront spaces.

1.Revitalise the CBD – Support mixed-use development, cultural events, and flexible spaces that attract people back into the city centre, making it the beating heart of Nelson’s economy again.

2.Champion the Blue & Green Economy – Build on Nelson’s unique strengths in marine innovation, aquaculture, environmental science, and creative industries to create sustainable, high-value jobs.

3.Cut red tape and enable growth – Streamline consenting, reduce unnecessary council fees, and actively partner with local business organisations to make it easier to start, grow, and invest in Nelson.

Value for rates – Every dollar collected must deliver essential services efficiently, whether it’s stormwater, roads, rubbish, or parks. Wasteful “nice-to-haves” should not drive up rates.

Balanced contribution – Businesses already pay a higher differential, which needs regular review to ensure it’s fair and not discouraging investment or job creation.

Transparent decision-making – Ratepayers should clearly see how rates are set, what they fund, and why. Open books build trust and help us strike the right balance between business and residential contributions.

Council already has a local procurement policy in place which I will review and look at limits to ensure that it is fit for purpose and is in line with supporting local businesses of all sizes.

Debt can be a useful tool when it funds projects that grow our economy and improve essential services, but Nelson’s debt must always remain affordable and sustainable. 

My stance is:

Keep debt under control – Borrow only for long-term infrastructure that benefits future generations, not day-to-day spending.

Prioritise essentials first – Core services like water, stormwater, transport, and waste management must always come before “nice-to-have” projects. 

Invest in economic growth – Direct capital spending into projects that unlock jobs and business opportunities, like a resilient transport network, waterfront revitalisation, and supporting our Blue & Green economy sectors.

Council should be a facilitator of business, making connections and assisting both existing and new investment through streamlined processes.  We should be concentrating on using our vacant assets and setting up public-privarte partnerships that create long term value and revenue streams, allowing Council to ultimately subsidise rates.

Nelson needs to be a place where ideas turn into businesses and businesses turn into jobs. To encourage new investment, I’d focus on three things:

Cut red tape – Streamline consenting and reduce unnecessary council fees for small businesses so entrepreneurs can focus on growing, not paperwork.

 Create a supportive ecosystem – Partner with NMIT, Cawthron, and the Chamber of Commerce to provide incubator space, mentoring, and networking for start-ups.

Champion the Blue & Green Economy – Position Nelson as New Zealand’s hub for marine innovation, science, and sustainability, attracting investment and high-value careers.

Our CBD should be the beating heart of Nelson – vibrant, welcoming, and commercially successful. To achieve that, I’d focus on: 

Mixed-use development – Encourage more people to live, work, and play in the CBD with well-designed medium-density housing, office space, and hospitality.

Events and activation – Support regular markets, live music, cultural festivals, and pop-ups that bring energy and foot traffic into the city centre.

Safe, attractive spaces – Invest in lighting, landscaping, seating, and pedestrian-friendly design so the CBD feels welcoming day and night.

Business partnerships – Work closely with local businesses, landlords, and the Chamber of Commerce to co-invest in initiatives that draw people in and keep them spending locally

I hear from many businesses that dealing with Council processes is slow, expensive, and frustrating. We need to flip that on its head – Council should be an enabler, not a barrier.

To make it easier to do business in Nelson, I’d support:

AI-powered processing – Use digital tools to handle routine paperwork, compliance checks, and form-filling. This would cut delays, reduce errors, and free up staff time.

Customer-centric service – With staff no longer bogged down in administration, they can focus on working directly with applicants, problem-solving, and guiding businesses through the process. 

Clear, transparent fees – Review fees to ensure they are fair, cost-reflective, and not used as a hidden tax on business growth.

Events are a powerful way to boost Nelson’s economy, bring our community together, and attract visitors. They fill our CBD, support local businesses, and showcase our region’s unique culture and lifestyle. 

I see Council’s role as:

Seed funding & partnerships – Provide targeted support that helps events get off the ground or scale up, but always alongside business sponsorships and community buy-in.

Focus on impact – Prioritise events that deliver real economic, cultural, or social benefits – whether that’s major festivals, sporting tournaments, or community celebrations.

Sustainable support – Encourage events to become less reliant on rates funding over time by building strong partnerships, ticketing models, and sponsorships. 

Council should be an enabler, not the sole funder. By supporting events strategically, we can maximise the return for our local economy and community while keeping rates fair.

Climate action is essential, but it has to be practical and affordable – especially for local businesses already under pressure from rates, wages, and compliance costs.

I’d take this approach:

Support transition, not punish – Focus on incentives, grants, and partnerships to help businesses adopt cleaner technologies, rather than adding more red tape or costs. 

Lead by example – Council should demonstrate savings by making its own buildings and fleet more energy efficient, proving that smart climate action reduces costs in the long run.

Focus on win-wins – Prioritise climate initiatives that cut costs for businesses too, like better public transport (less congestion), energy efficiency (lower power bills), and waste reduction (lower disposal costs).

Stronger infrastructure – Invest in stormwater upgrades, slope stabilisation, and flood protection so our homes, roads, and businesses can withstand extreme weather. 

Diversify the economy – Support growth in the Blue economy, tech, and creative sectors so Nelson isn’t overly reliant on a few industries. Diverse jobs mean faster recovery after shocks.

Resilient communities – Work with neighbourhoods, iwi, and community groups to ensure emergency planning, communications, and support networks are in place.

Climate-smart planning – Ensure new developments are designed with flood and storm risks in mind, reducing future damage costs.

Yes, I do. But we shouldn’t sit back and wait. If elected, I’d push for Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council to work much more closely together right away – sharing resources, aligning decisions, and cutting duplication. That kind of collaboration will save time and money for ratepayers while ensuring greater consistency across the region.

I’ve spent over 25 years leading organisations, from building Fiji’s premier marina, developing tourism offerings and industry results to working for government and running mixed use developments. My experience is in delivering complex projects, managing budgets, and creating jobs – always with a focus on value for money and long-term growth.

For Nelson, my vision is simple:

Value for rates – disciplined spending and cutting waste so businesses aren’t overburdened.

Economic growth – backing our Blue economy, revitalising the CBD, and supporting start-ups and small business.

Practical leadership – using innovation, including AI and smarter systems, to reduce red tape so Council becomes an enabler rather than a barrier.

I bring commercial experience, proven results, and a collaborative style. Nelson’s business community can have confidence that I’ll apply those same principles to Council – to grow a vibrant economy while protecting ratepayers’ interests.