Election commitments for 2022

In a time of climate transition we need our regional leadership to be coordinated, effective and focused on the public good. That’s my commitment to you.

Designing our city for people and offering more ways to get around are two of the most important things we can do for the climate. Happily, these changes will also make life better and more enjoyable.

I want to accelerate Wellington’s transport and urban development projects, with modern light rail through the city and a new fleet of trains for our rail network. At the same time we can make improvements right now. That means bus priority lanes; cheaper fares; more frequent services; a workforce strategy for drivers; more electric buses and high quality, accessible stations.

Let’s clean up Wellington’s urban streams, bring back thriving coastal areas and restore our native forests and wetlands. In all of this we should be guided by Mātauranga and work harder to build meaningful partnerships with mana whenua around the region.

Addressing Wellington’s major infrastructure deficit means we need to build a wider revenue base alongside rates and I have a track record of doing this. The Council's new Low-Carbon Acceleration Fund has brought $13m to the table for climate action and restoration of native ecosystems. I worked hard to get the council’s Jobs for Nature projects funded and I’ve advocated strongly for the investment we need in our public transport system.

With your support I will help shape a Regional Council with climate, nature and community at the heart of all its work.

My achievements in council since 2019:

I’m proud to serve our city and our region with energy, fresh thinking and dedicated leadership. As a first term councillor I have been working actively on climate, nature and transport and you can read my mid-term report from June 2021 by clicking the button below. The report reflects my views and analysis and of course should not be taken as an official council document.

To give you a snapshot of the report’s highlights, since being elected in October 2019 I have:

• led the council’s work on climate, helping shape a plan for the council to become climate positive by 2035, absorbing more emissions than it emits;

• overseen the establishment of a $10m low carbon acceleration fund that has provided over $2m to restore native forests and wetlands in regional parks, creating major carbon sinks for the region;

• spearheaded a new initiative for a threatened species sanctuary in the forested Wainuiomata water catchment, where a 30km predator exclusion fence would secure a 3500HA mainland nursery to support repopulation of kākāpō, hihi and rowi kiwi;

• secured a commitment in council’s long term plan to develop a “blue belt” strategy for the restoration of coastal marine ecosystems around the region;

• advocated for light rail, bus priority lanes and connected cycleways through the city;

• campaigned for public ownership of public transport, cheaper fares and a national agreement for fair pay and conditions for drivers;

• worked to promote the development of much more regional and inter-city rail;

• become an independent RMA Commissioner.

About me:

I’m an experienced leader with a proven track record of local and international success. I was elected to the Regional Council in 2019 as the top polling candidate for Pōneke Wellington and I’ve chaired the Council’s inaugural Climate Committee. I’m also a founding co-director of independent think tank Te Kuaka New Zealand Alternative and social entrepreneur in residence at Massey University. I’ve done over 20 years of social change work, influencing law and policy at the local, national and international level. Before returning to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2017, I led the international campaign to ban cluster bombs, was the founding director of London-based humanitarian organisation Article 36 and played a leading role in the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. I’m committed to economic, social and environmental justice, with specific interests in natural infrastructure, the climate transition, new models of economics and ownership and the future of housing, transport and urban design. I am tangata tiriti and live in Wellington with my partner and young child.

thomas.nash@gw.govt.nz

Facebook.com/tnashnz

Twitter.com/nashthomas