Official Candidate Profile

 

I am experienced in local government and business as a former CEO of four councils, Waikato Regional Council, Dunedin City, Moonee Valley Council (Vic) and finishing as head of the City of Sydney. I was CEO and director of Dunedin Holdings which is a major firm involved in forestry, electricity, transport and tourism. Currently an orchardist and while my new trees are growing, I am also CEO of the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce.

If elected to the HBRC I will bring a sharp focus to council dealing with the fundamental building blocks of our environment, land, air and water. In collaboration with the wider community I am keen to ‘kick-start’ the local economy ensuring real sustainable growth.

We should grow our demand for rates less than inflation and consistent with our population growth. I pledge to fight to control costs and keep rates rises down.

www.murraydouglas.co.nz tel 0274764777

Top 5 Issues

1. Focus on the critical core issues- land, air and water
2. Pursue low rates- rates have gone up many times inflation in the last 8 years
3. Promote effective regional economic development
4. Ensure an efficient council- too many examples of poor quality spending

Personal Profile

Vote Murray Douglas for Regional Council

A strong experienced voice

 

Murray Douglas is the current CEO for the HB Chamber of Commerce and runs a growing commercial orchard. A town planner and economic policy analyst by trade, he has never been shy of expressing his voice, challenging the actions and thinking of local government. Now putting his money where his mouth is, Murray stands for the Regional Council, focusing on regional council basics: improving our Land, Air and Water.

Murray chose Hawke’s Bay as his preferred area to live in after being away from New Zealand for almost 10 years. The overall abundance of high quality land with all its various uses and purposes was the main attraction for Murray and his partner Helen to settle in Hawke’s Bay.

With extensive experience in local government and business, being the former CEO for the City of Sydney and Moonee Valley in Victoria Australia and before that Dunedin.  Murray knows what he talks about.

Importantly Murray has also served as CEO the Waikato Regional Council.

 For 8 years, Murray was also the CEO  and Director of Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL), managing companies that are owned by the Dunedin ratepayer. These companies exist to provide vital community services and make a financial return to the city, either directly in cash or indirectly by what they bring to the community. As part of this Murray was also chair of the finance company within the DCHL group so he is well versed n government and private sector funding.

• Current CEO HB Chamber of Commerce
• Current manager of boutique commercial orchard
• former CEO for the City of Sydney
• former CEO for Moonee Valley in Victoria Australia
• former CEO of Dunedin City Holdings
• former CEO Waikato Regional Council

Murray has had the unique combination of working for local government with a business attitude. Apart from that he has a true interest and commitment to the community and in particular the arts sector. He is currently the Chair of Opera Hawke’s Bay and involved with the HB Tree Crops Association. He has been on various committee groups including a former member of the Creative New Zealand Board, Chair and President of Opera, Operatic and Orchestra companies and a long involvement in the Red Cross both in New Zealand and overseas.

• current Chair of Opera Hawke’s Bay
• current Treasurer of HB Tree Crops Association
• former member of the Creative New Zealand Board
• former Chair and President of Opera, Operatic and Orchestra companies
• former member of various committee groups
• long involvement in the Red Cross both in New Zealand and overseas

Through HB Tree Crops Association Murray is involved in developing a summer fruit orchard and increasing diversification into new crops such as commercial fig growing here in HB and other parts of NZ.

His combined experience in local government, business and community services make Murray the ideal person to look after our basics and focus on both on value for rates money and achieving a effective local government for Hawke’s Bay.