26 May 2016
Karen Arnold to contest the Invercargill Mayoralty

Invercargill City Councillor Karen Arnold will contest the Invercargill Mayoralty in the upcoming October local body elections.

Cr Arnold, 46, said her first term on council had strengthened her desire to lead a culture change that would enable more robust and effective decision-making around the council table.

She wanted to establish a more inclusive and cohesive culture, one that encouraged openness and transparency. There also needed to be a code of conduct for councillors that could be enforced, she said.

“First and foremost, I will be committed to the role fulltime. Currently Tim Shadbolt juggles his mayoral duties with his responsibilities as dad to his pre-school son, his international travel commitments as paid ambassador for SIT and his professional roles as a stand-up comedian, celebrity speaker and director of Invercargill Airport Ltd.

“With the mayoral remuneration package set to tip $120,000 from July 01, 2016, it’s reasonable to expect the mayor to be 100 percent focused on the city, the council and the issues both face.

“That’s what I’ll be,” she said.

Cr Arnold confirmed she was managing and funding her own campaign.

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