By Kira Carrington, Local Democracy Reporting
Marlborough District Council candidate Barbara Faulls said the council could not enforce a cat control bylaw without government legislation. Photo: KIRA CARRINGTON / LDR
An unusual revelation came from the person behind Marlborough council's animal control decisions: Cats are the bane of her life.
Incumbent Marlborough District Council candidate Barbara Faulls said she hasn't been the biggest fan of running the animal control sub-committee for the past three years.
"I'm chair of animal control, and cats have been the bane of my life," Faulls said.
"I'm just wondering if maybe I can ask mayor Taylor for a different committee."
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Her comment was greeted by laughter and applause from the residents gathered at the Picton's Endeavour Park pavilion for the meet-the-candidates evening on Wednesday.
The event featured six candidates vying for three-seat Marlborough Sounds ward, and incumbent mayoral candidate Nadine Taylor.
The two other mayoral candidates did not attend. A chair was saved for Shaun Brown of the Money Free Party, but he didn't show. Aniva Fruean was unavailable.
The idea of a cat control bylaw, requiring domestic cats to be registered, neutered, and microchipped, seemed particularly important to residents due to the damage feral cats do to the native wildlife of the Sounds.
The mostly silent and attentive room erupted in whispers when the candidates were asked if they would support it.
Marlborough Sounds residents were very vocal about cat control, greeting the candidate’s responses with applause and agreement. Photo: KIRA CARRINGTON / LDR
One resident could be heard saying feral cats "ought to be shot on sight."
"We get asked this often about whether we think we should enact a bylaw," Faulls said.
"I totally understand the feral cat situation. [But] central Government is very reluctant to actually bring in anything underneath the Animal Control Act that specifically states cats.
"Until they do, we could enact a bylaw, but we have no teeth. We have no ability to enforce anything."
Incumbent candidate Raylene Innes echoed her colleague's answer.
"I live in a place where we're not allowed cats. So that's it, bottom line, no cats allowed in the bay," Innes said.
"I think that cats do a lot of damage out here ... I haven't missed them."
"Central Government has to come to the party on this."
Candidate and retired businessman Greg Billington called cats the "elephant in the room".
"Cats are what made predator free New Zealand the concept of a complete joke," he said.
Billington's word were greeted by a resounding 'hear hear' from around the room.
"I've seen the destruction half a dozen of my neighbour's domestic cats do. I would absolutely support a bylaw," he said.
Candidates Anteisha O'Connell and Scott Fuller both said they were dog people.
"One of my priorities would absolutely be protecting our Sounds environments," O'Connell said.
Taylor said that while government action was needed, any cat control bylaw, either just for the Sounds or for the whole region, would be made in consultation with the community.
Candidates beware. Mayoral candidate Nadine Taylor said one of them might just end up in charge of animal control. Photo: KIRA CARRINGTON / LDR
"It's a really valid conversation [to have], but I hear Barbara's plea to be let off animal control sub-committee.
"Be careful what you wish for some of the other candidates, you may find yourself leading that conversation."
'A blunt tool' - candidates rule out rates-cap commitment
All Marlborough Sounds candidates, bar ACT's Malcolm Taylor, refused to sign the Taxpayers' Union's ratepayers protection pledge to cap rates rises.
Taylor said that while he signed the pledge, he opposed rates-capping.
"The traditional theory of rates caps is government would pick a figure, say 5 percent.
"If that happens, councils will automatically put their rates up by 5 percent, even if inflation was only 1 percent.
"But then you get a downturn in the economy and inflation flicks up to 9 percent, and councils can still only charge 5 percent... capping will not work."
ACT candidate Malcolm Taylor said he signed the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, but is against rates-capping. Photo: KIRA CARRINGTON / LDR
Candidate and secretary of the Picton Business Group Scott Fuller said he had received an email from someone saying they wouldn't vote for him unless he signed the pledge.
"My response was, thanks for your note, I have not and will not be signing the pledge," Fuller said.
"I totally agree in principle... but as a councillor, I don't believe I can be bound by commitments to an outside body and still be truly independent."
O'Connell said that she didn't sign because rate capping would lead to underinvestment and poor decision-making.
"It looks quite attractive... especially when we're facing such a high cost-of-living crisis," she said.
"[But] us being bound by a national rates capping is too blunt of a tool for us to be able to make good decisions on behalf of our community."
Faulls questioned the room in what council services they would be willing to forego if rates were capped.
"My question to anybody who thinks that rates capping is a good idea for Marlborough would be ... what do you want us to actually stop doing for you in the community?"
"Do you want us to stop maintaining this facility here? Do you want us to stop maintaining our footpaths and our roads, because that's what it essentially comes down to."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
