Rod Kendall and Kerry Pascoe make their case for mayor

What is your vision for Wagga's next four years?

My vision is for Wagga to reach its full potential and play a pivotal role in the nation’s growth. 

Over the last four years we have made significant progress and seen very significant infrastructure commitments.

These commitments include almost $500 million for the hospital, the Kapooka bridge, the main city levee, Bomen enabling roads, Eunony bridge, Eunony and Burns roads upgrades, airport terminal upgrade and taxiway expansions, and the multi-user stadium at Equex.

What can you point to in the last four years as mayor to justify another tilt?

One of the most significant achievements of this last term of council has been the building of relationships, particularly with federal and state governments, industry and business.

This is resulting in unprecedented confidence in Wagga as a place in which to invest and do business.

The commencement of the Bomen enabling roads is the start of the most significant job and business creation projects this city has ever seen.

You presided over a loan to Douglas Aerospace of $2.5 million to build a plane hangar the banks wouldn't touch. After the company went belly up, it was revealed the numbers didn't stack up and council didn't do due diligence. Are you fit to manage ratepayers' money?

The elected council made the decision to proceed with this project on the recommendation of staff with advice that due diligence had occurred. 

It's a matter of public record that the elected council took control of this issue when it identified that significant management shortcomings had occurred with this project. 

Council and the new general manager have resolved this issue with the sale of the hangar, which has resulted in the continuation of an aircraft painting business employing upwards of 25 people.

You've offloaded the city's transport future to bureaucrats. Why can't elected councillors make decisions without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on reports?

Council has not off loaded decisions to bureaucrats.

Rather council has employed the services of expert traffic engineers and planners to determine not only the current traffic issues but also to model and predict forward traffic requirements.

The worst decision council could make would be to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on projects that have not been properly identified, prioritised and designed.

How do you explain the atrocious condition of Wagga’s roads?  

We have had the wettest winter in over 60 years and this rain has occurred with very few breaks.

Our soils are generally clay based which are poorly drained.

It is a feature of these underlying clay soils – unlike the freely draining sandy soils of the coast – that when they come saturated they lose the majority of their strength and stay that way until a long period of dry weather occurs.

I know there are many things a council can do but controlling the weather is not one of them.

You've made no secret of harbouring aspirations to become mayor again, why are you the best man to lead Wagga?

If you're mayor of the city, your connection to the community is extremely important.

I've got Wagga at heart; may allegiances lie with the community.

I believe over my seven-and-a-half years as mayor I have developed the credentials to do the job well.

But it's a numbers game within the group of councillors and I've never had to horse trade for a vote. 

When so many key development issues are handled by local government, isn't there an inherent conflict of interest as a construction company owner?

I have a personal policy in council if I believe I have a conflict; if in doubt, get out.

That means I leave the chamber, I don't take part in any of the discussions and I don't vote.

It happened recently with the debate over the Riverina Recovery House on Gurwood Street, I have a building close by.

My main construction work over last 12 years while I have been a councillor has been in the commercial field, where it’s a matter of tendering for work, they’re not my own developments. 

Have you, or anyone you know, ever benefited from your inside information about council planning?

No.

Never.

I have never purchased any council property either. 

What are the biggest issues Wagga faces?

There are many everyday issues that most local councils face in Australia.

Dwindling revenue coupled with our need to do more to support out communities means that we face the constant battle of trying to best allocate our scarce resources amongst many competing priorities, which often results in the needs of the community not being met.

As a long-serving councillor and former mayor, it is painful to see works and services that are so desperately needed suffer due to a lack of funds.

However, it’s irresponsible for council to live beyond its means and create debt that would place a further burden to future councils.

Recent cost cutting has been a painful but necessary step in order to bolster the viability and strength of this vibrant city and to set us up for success into the future. 

For the third term running you will bankroll one of the most expensive campaigns including television ads in prime time. Why do you spend so much on re-election?

I made a commitment to support the candidates on my ticket and my responsibility is to get information out to the community about why they have merit.