“Dunedin has a fantastic future, but we will only achieve it with a shared community vision, transparent processes and responsible leadership. All parts of our community and city should be valued and engaged.  I lead the diverse Greater Dunedin team of talented, energetic candidates determined to put Dunedin back on track economically, socially and environmentally.

As mayor I will seriously address community concerns about escalating debt and costs, unsustainable rates rises and lack of transparent engagement. I will lead a Council that values and encourages businesses and promotes job growth, especially in areas of proven strength like IT and energy research, hi-tech manufacturing, animation and filmmaking. Dunedin needs unity and a future-focussed vision that sees challenges as opportunities.  Dunedin needs a mayor who will listen, take control of Council responsibilities and champion a sustainable and inclusive future for our city and community. Vote Dave Cull for Mayor.”

Top 5 Issues

Personal Profile

I was raised and educated in Invercargill, and then gained a BA and PG Dip in Political studies at Otago University. I pursued a varied career covering contracting, TV presenting, radio and writing. In addition to hundreds of columns, scripts, presentations and magazine articles, I have written a dozen books including “Vineyards on the Edge”, “The Great New Zealand Kitchen Book”, “Iceberg: The Antarctic Comes to Town”, “A Toast to Martinborough” and “Big Weather South”.

Over some 25 years my television presenting slots included “Renovators”, “Kaleidoscope”, “Open Home”, “Maggies Garden Show”, “Home Front” and “Master Builders House of the Year”.

 

I am married to Joan Wilson with whom I share two daughters and two granddaughters.

 

My interests include fishing, gardening, wine appreciation, architecture, history and politics and travel.

 

I was elected to the Dunedin City Council in 2007. I am deputy chair of the Economic Development Committee and Chairs the Harbour Cone Steering group, the Digital Strategy Steering Group and the Economic re-use of Heritage Buildings Working Party. I also sit on Resource Consent Hearings. In addition I am a member of some ten other committees and working parties.

 

My main concerns going into October’s elections are threefold:

• turning around the economic slide that Dunedin is on. As a city we must develop our economy to provide more high value jobs and businesses. That is only way we will encourage families to settle and stay in Dunedin. Hence my promotion of the Digital Strategy to create the 21^st century infrastructure required to underpin hi-tech business growth and the contemporary delivery of health, educational, social and commercial services to the community.

•  the need to develop a vision of where we want Dunedin to be and what we want it to look like in 20 years time. “If we don’t decide where we are going, how will we know when we are getting there?”

• the need to address the converging challenges of rising energy costs and climate change, how they will impact on our community and the imperatives and opportunities they will present.