Queenstown resident and former mayoral candidate Nik Kiddle has announced he will run for mayor of Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) later this year.

Nik contested the mayoralty unsuccessfully in 2019 against incumbent Jim Boult, following his opposition to Boult’s bed tax proposal.

Nik was a member of a tax equity lobby group which said the proposed levy (five to ten per cent applied to visitor accommodation in order to help fund tourism infrastructure in the region) would have disastrous consequences for accommodation providers’ profits.

The former owner of Villa Del Lago now says it’s time for “big improvements” at QLDC, starting at “the top”.

“New leadership is vital to rebuild a trusted well functioning team,” Nik said.

“The mayor must return to forging consensus among elected representatives and opening up the council’s administration to community led views.

“No more back room deals, no more selling out to drive corporate profits. Transparency and information sharing must become the new norm. Care with ratepayers’ money must dominate decision making and prioritisation must deliver first on core business.”

Nik said while QLDC rates have been increasing there has been “a deterioration in the quality of life here”. 

“This council has got us into a great deal of trouble over sewage, transport and housing. Productivity is suffering. Neighbourhoods and the environment are suffering. All these issues need fresh leadership to drive improved outcomes.”

Nik said QLDC’s relationship with central government also needs to be improved. 

“We’ve got a golden opportunity now to grab new resources. But we need a leader focussed on options that exist, instead of peddling a pipe dream of new law so council can tax business turnover.

“This must be our focus now without distractions over outdated complex ideas. Current leadership is mired in the past and needs to be swept aside to achieve success.” 

He criticised a lack of compliance with regional standards, and public transport decisions which “fail to take account of our district’s unique needs, whether it’s school buses or miles of traffic cones, traffic jams and drawn out roading ‘improvements’.” 

“We can do way better. The best strategy to improve our council is to vote for change and ‘tick Nik’,” he said.

Glenorchy resident and Shaping Our Future executive officer John Glover announced in April that he will contest the mayoralty. 

Read more: John Glover to contest mayoralty

Local body elections will take place from September 22, 2025.

PHOTO: Supplied