The general election is just two weeks away (Saturday October 17), and today the Wanaka App is profiling ACT candidate Sean Beamish.

The Wanaka App asked the nine candidates one simple question: Please tell us what you think the top three issues facing the Wanaka region are, and how you would respond to them?

Here is Sean’s response:

There are a number of issues facing all of NZ with relation to the economic recovery from the pandemic response. But locally some issues that I see as being of particular importance to the Wanaka area are:

Restoring our tourist market

What the tourism industry needs is tourists, and the certainty of getting them. The best thing the government can do for the industry is to set clear rules of the game so that New Zealand can safely reconnect with the rest of the world. We should start by asking what can be done, rather than imposing blanket restrictions on people entering the country. There are already opportunities being generated for tourism operators to isolate tourists for the required quarantine period before allowing them to travel more widely. There are many around the world who would take advantage of these opportunities if the government were willing to work with operators and allow them to innovate.

Housing costs

Housing costs as a percentage of income in New Zealand are some of the highest in the developed world. Successive reports have correctly identified New Zealand’s planning system as the principal culprit. We simply do not allow enough building to house our growing population. ACT would therefore remove much of the discretion around urban planning from local councils. We would repeal the Resource Management Act and replace it, allowing property owners increased rights to build on their own land. We would also free the construction industry by replacing council inspections with compulsory building insurance, guaranteeing redress to homeowners, while allowing innovation and speed.

Infrastructure development

The Wanaka region has been rapidly developing and needs quality infrastructure to support future regional growth. Governments have, for years, chosen where to build roads and bridges, based not on the economic need for them, but on the political advantage to be gained. ACT would replace this political discretion with economic discipline. If roads are built where they are needed, rather than where they will generate the most votes, we can produce better outcomes for every dollar of government spending.

Sean is an engineering professional from Otago. He has more than 13 years experience in management and leadership roles within multinational corporations, including several years spent in expatriate mentoring roles in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Papua New Guinea. 

His work focuses on the area of asset management and reliability. Sean lives in Lake Hāwea with his partner Nicola.

PHOTO: Supplied