I promise that I will:
1Be honest about the science and the community’s needs and best interests.
2Take responsibility for council’s actions, and proactively communicate my perspective.
3Increase the resilience of our community by supporting strategic initiatives around food, water and shelter.
A bit about me:
Nathan is a 47-year-old father, Professional Engineer, tertiary educator and Invercargill resident.
Nathan is currently an HVAC subject-matter expert, and also works scoping renewable energy projects. With over two decades in engineering, he blends deep insight into energy, economics and ecology with a talent for listening and learning.
A father of four school-aged kids, Nathan stays stubbornly hopeful about their future while remaining clear-eyed about the region’s challenges and limits.
When time allows, you’ll spot him cycling Invercargill’s trails or tramping, hunting and mountain-biking in Southland’s magnificent wilderness—reminders of the taonga he’s determined to protect.
A vote for Nathan is a vote for practical know-how, long-term vision and positive change—building a stronger, more resilient future for every Southlander.
Water.
A Safe and Secure drinking water supply, with Environment Southland working proactively with Invercargill City Council.
Ensure clean, safe, reliable drinking water is delivered to Invercargill and Bluff.
High nitrate levels have cost the city an extra treatment plant ($11.5M*), and continue to be a concern regarding the increased risk of colo-rectal cancer. Southland surface and ground water nitrate levels have continued to worsen over time, as have cancer rates**.
The Oreti river nearly ran dry in recent years***, which would mean no water in town mains and your taps!
An Alpine Fault earthquake (75% chance in the next 50 years!) will disrupt town water supply. We must encourage water storage options as an Emergency Management initiative.*https://icc.govt.nz/11-5-million-water-treatment-plant-upgrade/
***https://icc.govt.nz/full-hosing-ban-starts-on-sunday/
Community Resilience.
Future generations are relying on us to take strong action.
We’ve seen these limits coming, now regional councils must act!
I’m an advocate for
- Community resilience building -supporting our people to recover well from crises such as natural disasters, economic shocks, etc.
- Renewable Energy - did you know that Environment Southland has a responsibility in its Regional Policy Statement to provide education to the community on this matter? Apparently they don't either..!
- Regional food self-sufficiency - lets meet our own needs from within the region first!
- Targeted investments in our infrastructure - e.g water systems that address multiple drivers - distributed rainwater storage on a home by home basis, rather than a second supply into a network that would fail in a big earthquake.
The sorts of changes that are indicated have many opportunities associated with them, and I want to be on council to ensure that the issues considered are not just the negative aspects.
I'm amenable to the idea of a Unitary Council..!
