Date and place of birth Reefton, West Coast
Ethnicity European/Pakeha
Current residence and electorate Heathcote Valley, Christchurch
Electorate: Port Hills (Standing in Waimakariri)
Educational and vocational qualifications Bachelor of Broadcast Communications
Current occupation Sound Archivist 1997-2011.
Previous occupations Musician, Baker, Sign writer, Process worker and general roustabout.
Other work experience (inc. voluntary/unpaid) Sound engineering, music and composition for community events and projects.
Community connections
Heathcote Valley post-earthquakes water issues group - co-convener. Meetings with residents, liaise with EQC, City council, geologists and others. Success in attracting nationwide and local media coverage, coordinating 70 EQC claims, till pressing for a speedy resolution.
Stand Up To Corporate Heavies (Facebook group): I set this up to support small cheese makers over use of generic term “Vintage” claimed as trade mark by Fonterra Brands. Success in helping to get local media coverage.
Malvern Hill Protection Society – member, produced, mixed and mastered Up~the~Creek fundraiser CD compilation. On Central Plains Water Ltd and general irrigation related issues, submissions, letters to editor.
WECAN – green umbrella water lobby group regional council campaign, flyers and placards, stunts, media information. Paved the way for green councillors in Ecan.
Say no to fracking South Island (Facebook group)
CAFCA – Coalition Against Foreign Control in Aotearoa – member
Policy Interests/Expertise I have 15 years expertise in Broadcasting and an extensive knowledge of broadcasting, political and general history. These interests extend through the heritage sector including: libraries, art galleries, museums and archives. I am also interested in local government and believe New Zealand needs a reversal of the historic tendency to centralise power in Wellington.
Additional information
I have had a fairly varied life experience and mixed and worked with all kinds of people. As a musician I am aware of the importance of presentation and rehearsal. I still have good links in the New Zealand music scene and in the cultural heritage sector.
In the June 2011 I led Radio New Zealand Sound Archives’ post-earthquake recovery operation in Christchurch. The project was a complicated logistical operation and I am pleased to say we recovered all 20 tonnes of New Zealand’s premier sound collection ahead of schedule and without endangering any team members. Our taonga is now safe again.
Top 5 Issues
- Environment: the Greens believe that our environment is the number one issue. I do too. We live in a finite world so we must face up to the challenges of our finite environment. The effects of increased environmental pressures are being felt in massive economic and social instability. The current world economic situation bears witness to the impossibility of unlimited growth. So we must respect our environment and sustainably use our resources.
- Poverty: Closing the ever-growing income gap between the rich and the poor is a priority for the Greens. Because our resources are limited we need to share what we have. Large disparities of income are reflected in our poor social statistics. Our whole society suffers because of the growing underclass. It is a paradox, that the price of poverty is huge sums of money spent picking up the pieces. There is now a growing body of international evidence that clearly shows the very negative effects of poverty within affluence societies like New Zealand. By looking after the poorest New Zealanders, everyone will be better off. This is especially true for the children of the poor, who deserve the same opportunities, in life, as anyone else.
- Water: our environment is our greatest treasure. When we care for our waterways, no only are we improving our quality of life, we are improving our clean green and pure brand, which is estimated to be worth 17 billion each year. New Zealand is still dependent on primary production: our environment is our economy. The Greens want to introduce a commercial water charge. Money collected from this will be invested in improving our waterways. This money will be used to protect our clean green brand by planting and fencing off waterways on farms and setting good water standards. Our tourism sector also relies on the clean and green brand, so we need to make it real, not just an image.
- Asset sales: National seem desperate to sell our state assets at any costs. The assets earmarked for sale, earn about a billion per year. So in five years time they earn the same amount as National wants to get for their sale. This is totally irresponsible and it is an absurdity that National are planning to sell assets that you and I already own back to “mum and dad investors”. This is just plain dishonest. The Greens will retain our state assets and use them as a catalyst for our economic future. We want to create thousands of new jobs in the growing international renewable energy industry. We want more business incentives and more research and development funding for this sector.
- Jobs: the Green Party want to insulate another 100,000 New Zealand homes. We want to increase the minimum wage and reverse the tendency towards a low wage economy. We must protect our local jobs by opposing Free trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership. Rather than “Free trade” the Greens champion “Fair trade”. Many workers have suffering through decades of poor regulation. National and Labour’s policies of self-regulation have been failures. The poor decisions around privatisation and self-regulation are becoming plain to see: Pike River, the Rena oil spill and the current state of coastal shipping is a disgrace. We have seen sinking ships, drownings and slave labour plying our coasts. On land we have seen poor maintenance of electricity infrastructure and the recent gas pipeline failure. Our rail network is a shadow of its former self. It is the responsibility of Governments to show leadership and sensibly regulate industries rather than leave it to industry interests to self-regulate. The Greens will strengthen oversight and regulation to better protect workers.
Personal Profile
Authorised by Jon Field of Level 2, 17 Garrett Street, Wellington
Questions answered by John Kelcher
Question
John Kelcher's Reply
1. The Greens believe that our environment is the number one issue. I do too. We live in a finite world so we must face up to the challenges of our finite environment. The effects of increased environmental pressures are being felt in massive economic and social instability. The current world economic situation bears witness to the impossibility of unlimited growth. So we must respect our environment and sustainably use our resources.
2. Poverty: Closing the ever-growing income gap between the rich and the poor is a priority for the Greens. Because our resources are limited we need to share what we have. Large disparities of income are reflected in our poor social statistics. Our whole society suffers because of the growing underclass. It is a paradox, that the price of poverty is huge sums of money spent picking up the pieces. There is now a growing body of international evidence that clearly shows the very negative effects of poverty within affluence societies like New Zealand. By looking after the poorest New Zealanders, everyone will be better off. This is especially true for the children of the poor, who deserve the same opportunities, in life, as anyone else.
3. Water. Our environment is our greatest treasure. When we care for our waterways, no only are we improving our quality of life, we are improving our clean green and pure brand, which is estimated to be worth 17 billion each year. New Zealand is still dependent on primary production: our environment is our economy. The Greens want to introduce a commercial water charge. Money collected from this will be invested in improving our waterways. This money will be used to protect our clean green brand by planting and fencing off waterways on farms and setting good water standards. Our tourism sector also relies on the clean and green brand, so we need to make it real, not just an image.
4 Assett sales: National seem desperate to sell our state assets at any cots. The assets earmarked for sale, earn about a billion per year. So in five years time they earn the same amount as National wants to get for their sale. This is totally irresponsible and it is an absurdity that National are planning to sell assets that you and I already own back to “mum and dad investors”. This is just plain dishonest. The Greens will retain our state assets and use them as a catalyst for our economic future. We want to create thousands of new jobs in the growing international renewable energy industry. We want more business incentives and more research and development funding for this sector.
5. Jobs: The Green Party want to insulate another 100,000 New Zealand homes. We want to increase the minimum wage and reverse the tendency towards a low wage economy. We must protect our local jobs by opposing Free trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership. Rather than “Free trade” the Greens champion “Fair trade”. Many workers have suffering through decades of poor regulation. National and Labour’s policies of self-regulation have been failures. The poor decisions around privatisation and self-regulation are becoming plain to see: Pike River, the Rena oil spill and the current state of coastal shipping is a disgrace. We have seen sinking ships, drownings and slave labour plying our coasts. On land we have seen poor maintenance of electricity infrastructure and the recent gas pipeline failure. Our rail network is a shadow of its former self. It is the responsibility of Governments to show leadership and sensibly regulate industries rather than leave it to industry interests to self-regulate. The Greens will strengthen oversight and regulation to better protect workers.
check out other candidate's answers
- 2011
Waimakariri
Results - Progress
| Name | Votes | |
|---|---|---|
| 36313 | ||
| 15014 | ||
| 1049 | ||
| 717 | ||
| 538 |
