Ian Pottinger – Governance Record & Outcomes

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Governance Integrity

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• Championed removing councillor directorships from council-controlled companies, ensuring independent expertise instead of political appointments.

• Sat on the Venture Southland Joint Committee, contributing to regional economic development.

• Bluff wastewater upgrades – raised concerns about under-budgeting and regulatory risks.

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Infrastructure Chair (2019–2024)

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• As Infrastructure Committee Chair, led public discussions on:​

  • Three Waters renewals – probed staff on risks, consents, and programme delivery.​

• Fronted public communications about recycling changes, taking accountability for decisions.

• Ran meetings in a structured way: questioning staff in open session, surfacing risks, and pushing for clear answers.

• As Chair of the Infrastructure Committee, Pottinger helped steer major redevelopment initiatives such as the Invercargill City Centre Streetscapes project (Esk and Don Streets). This $20 million initiative revamped key urban precincts to be more pedestrian-friendly and interconnected

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WasteNet & Recycling

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• Served on WasteNet Southland for ~15 years.

• Advocated to keep Recycle South (Southland Disability Enterprises) as contractor, protecting jobs for people with disabilities.

• Criticised WasteNet’s governance model as “too cumbersome,” urging more efficient in-house decision-making.

• Pushed for education and enforcement around recycling contamination and supported separating glass collection.

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Standing on Principle

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• Lost his Infrastructure Chair role in 2024 after lodging a code of conduct complaint against Mayor Nobby Clark, then calling for his resignation following repeated controversies. Widely seen as a politically motivated removal.

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Suitability for Mayor

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His record shows:

• Community-minded decision-making (keeping Recycle South, supporting inclusive employment).

• Governance reform and integrity (ending councillor directorships, raising issues with WasteNet).

• Policy and project scrutiny (probing costs, risks, and accountability on major infrastructure).

• Courage to challenge leadership when ethical standards were at stake.​

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These experiences demonstrate not just longevity but active governance, fiscal scrutiny, and a willingness to defend democratic process — qualities many consider relevant in a mayor.