Keep Our Assets Canterbury Mayoral Candidate 2019 is John Minto

We have decided to stand John because Christchurch faces unprecedented challenges:
  • Global warming from greenhouse gas emissions has created a climate catastrophe which threatens us all.
  • Our precious drinking water is tainted with contaminants and threatened by nitrates.
  • Deep divisions across the city mean many people struggle on poverty incomes without dignity or self-respect. Housing conditions and social impacts for many are as bad as the 1930s depression.

Our current path does not make sense – it’s not working for us.

The seven policies we will bring to the campaign will show the way to a future which makes sense for all of us.

Policy summary for Minto for Mayor 2019
  1. Dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions with free and frequent public transport – the single most important way for Christchurch to address our climate crisis. It will save money and be paid for from the current roading budget.
  2. Future-proof our water supply and clean up our waterways – plan, lobby and work for swimmable rivers in Christchurch and across Canterbury. One part of this is promoting local neighbourhood responsibility for sections of our city rivers.
  3.  Affordable housing – use $220 million from the government’s $300 million grant to rebuild the 400 council rental houses destroyed in the earthquakes and refurbish the “slum” housing currently owned by council. We will also begin to build a further 600 additional homes to meet the needs of our local community. This will mean putting the multi-purpose rugby stadium to the back of the queue for capital spending.
  4.  Higher wages – pay the living wage for all council work. We will pay a minimum of the living wage ($21.15 per hour) to council employees and those employed under contract to do council work. At the same time, we will set the maximum council salary $176,000 - four times the living wage. This policy will save money over time as we manage down senior management salaries at the council. The council will lead the way for other employers to follow.
  5. Keep rate increases to the rate of inflation – and rebalance rates across the city to make rate payments fairer.
  6. Reject proposals for the sale of our city assets and look for opportunities to bring strategic assets back under community ownership and control. This will save money and help reduce future rate increases.
  7. Create a local zone in the city centre to showcase products and services created here in Canterbury – to be paid for initially from higher rates on undeveloped land in the city centre.