VOTE!!
KELLI FOR MAYOR
2025 Waitaki District Council Mayoral Candidate
This advertisement is authorised by the candidate, Kelli Williams of Oamaru, 021629718
I LOVE the Waitaki District and I am passionate about it's future.
Our people and communities are what makes us so SPECIAL.
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About Me
Born and bred in Oamaru, I had a wonderful childhood as a kid of the 1970’s and 80’s, immersed in the world of horses. I joined the Air Force soon after my 18th birthday, where I served for 20 years. I started in an accounts clerk role before transferring over to the commissioned ranks and training to become a helicopter pilot. I served operationally in both East Timor and Bosnia during my time, and had a couple of years as the lower South Island Air Force recruiter, and in Defence HQ looking after the Annual Planning cycle. I was also a teacher of Air Power, amongst many other roles.
I returned to Oamaru in my mid 30’s because there really is no other place like it, and started a family. Real estate eventually found me, and I’ve been selling houses for the past 10 years, starting up and running the local One Agency office from 2017. I’m currently finishing a term as a parent representative on the Waitaki Boys High School Board of Trustees, and as a member of the District Licensing Committee, and I’ve been a long time local spokesperson and representative for our local RSA scene. At the heart of it, real estate is all about people - which is exactly what being the Mayor is really all about. I'm not doing this to climb ladders, I am doing it to change the conversation and bring leadership back to the people. This wasn't a decision I made lightly but the more I listened to the community, to the state of things, and to my own conscience, it became more clear. I care too much to stay silent so I am putting my name forward to stand for something different. Something better, and something real. We need courage, clarity and action, and I am here to offer all three.
Why I'm running for Mayor?
We need real people representing real issues. I am NOT RUNNING TO PLAY POLITICS - I'm running to change what's possible. I am putting my name forward to stand for something different. Something better, and something real. We need courage, clarity and action right now, and I am here to offer all three. There has been a loss of trust in leadership, this is a huge risk to the future of democracy as we know it, and while democracy isn't a perfect system, it is the best we have so we need to defend it. Local politics is effectively all about working with people. I can work with anyone and talk about almost anything. I have enough previous experience in local politics, finance, marketing, negotiation, public speaking and decision making - all of these things giving me a good skill base with which to enter this role.
What do I stand for?
Many of our rate payers around the district are on fixed incomes, therefore any increase in rates directly affects their quality of life. Limiting rates increases is so very important.
So, How do we save money in council? The same way we do in our own lives! We direct council's focus and energy into accomplishing the things that are essential, and anything that’s left can be focused into the areas that we can make the biggest difference - for all of us. As people, we all have wants and needs. As communities, we all have things we would like to see happen to make our slice of paradise a little better. The council needs to look at what our people and the Waitaki district as a whole really need right now, and prioritise our spare resources towards making this place a little better for all of us. So we all need to understand that we can’t have everything we want in these tough economic times. While our people, and communities will always be listened to, decisions will be made with the entire district in mind. Priorities need to be made in order to keep affordability and rates hikes in check. Leadership is about standing beside our people and communities. Power with people, not over them. Bringing everyone along with the conversation and making sure they not only know how, but why we have made decisions surrounding the prioritisation of spending. The environment that local government find themselves working in is becoming increasingly frustrating, and especially for councils like ours, with a large land mass and a low population base. The approach that the government takes, to make one size fits all demands across all councils, without appearing to understand or care about the nonsensical implications that such type of approach can have upon us, has made it become increasingly obvious that local government voices are not being heard at central government level. It’s time for councils to stand up to the nations leaders and help them remember how important districts like ours are to the nations economy. Without regions like ours thriving, our entire country’s economy suffers. The government has lost touch with what’s really important, and it is local government's job to remind them.
EXPERIENCE
DECISION MAKING
Throughout my military and real estate career, I have developed strong leadership and decision-making skills, which will serve me well in the role of Mayor. In the cockpit, I was responsible for the safety of my crew, and making quick and informed decisions in high-pressure situations. In real estate, I look after the transition of one of the most important financial assets that many of us will ever hold. Any Mayor can sit around a table and make the call to direct more money towards fixing potholes and spend less on Christmas decorations. But not many Mayors can see what is so broken in this system, and say that they are going to stand up and try to change it.
QUALIFICATIONS
Experience and credentials make the transition into local politics a lot easier, but the biggest attributes that elected members can bring to the table include an open mind, and a lack of self interest. Being able to listen, and see things from another’s point of view is so very important. We end up with a group of people from vastly different backgrounds, all coming together to represent the communities and the people that they serve, to make the best possible decisions they can after taking everybody’s viewpoints into account. That’s democracy - and while it’s not a perfect system, it’s the best we have and we need to defend it. Local politics is effectively all about working with people. I can work with anyone, and talk about almost anything. I have enough previous experience in local politics, finance, marketing, negotiation, public speaking, and decision making - all of these things giving me a good skill base with which to enter this role. Academically, I’ve got a diploma in business, which is accounting based and I’m two thirds of the way through a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in politics and international relations.
PROGRESS AND COMMON SENSE
As a business owner, I've developed a strong understanding of the local economy and the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and small business owners. Oamaru has many empty shops and therefore missed opportunities. The regulations surrounding our older 2 story commercial buildings have become increasingly complex. Many of our commercial buildings require strengthening under current laws and regulations to make them more saleable and/or leasable. Engineering reports gained determine the standard they’re at, as compared to a new build standard (NBS). Often the upgrades required to get the NBS rating higher are cost prohibitive - in that the lease or rent achievable upon upgrade is not financially viable to warrant the investment required. Not to mention, that banks won’t lend against properties with an NBS rating of lower than 67% - so without finance as an option, the number of potential purchasers available becomes very limited. Once again, the cookie cutter approach taken by our government is hurting the potential of our region. People need places, communities need progress, and Waitaki needs for common sense to prevail.
Get in Touch
Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Email: kelli.williams@oatps.nz Phone: 021 629 718
© 2025 Copyright Kelli Williams
This advertisement is authorised by the candidate, Kelli Williams of Oamaru, 021629718