Not quite the same (the opposite really) but there's this good video highlighting some of the 'red flags' youtu.be/vOILcuJAPVg?...

Great to hear a positive reaction from OUSA in today's Critic Te Ārohi magazine.

www.critic.co.nz/news/article...

This pledge highlights how the Otago Regional Council could better serve students. I'm here to serve all of the residents of Otago, and I've seen how students often get left out of the picture (students certainly aren't the only ones though).

tinyurl.com/policiesforstudents

This is so cool

They are free to print out and use, and are perfect for classrooms and offices, so please share with anyone who might want them! Personally, I've printed out a big poster for my bedroom.

orc.govt.nz/lizards

There are posters as above, and these fact sheets for all of our lizard species (+ Tuatara!), plus maps and more..

At the ORC we are committed to filling in the accessibility gaps in our public transport network. If government shakes things up though, important decisions around the future of the scheme will likely come back to the council table after this year's election.

www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...

And yes, it costs regional councils and central government a whole lot of money. With an aging population, these costs will only increase. But while there may be ways to run the scheme better, cutting transport services to some of the most vulnerable residents in our communities is not an option.

The scheme has been under review since 2023, with any decisions expected end of this year or early next year. While government have remained tight-lipped about their plans, many are anxious given the cuts to disability services that came with no warning in March 2024.

As a member of the Regional Public Transport Plan hearings panel, alongside Crs Andrew Noone and Kate Wilson, we heard from dozens of scheme users and disability advocates who spoke passionately about how important it was in their daily lives.

The scheme runs as part of our public transport network, providing a 75% subsidy for eligible users to order a wheelchair-accessible taxi van to get them from A to B and back home. Mobility taxis are expensive and the subsidy can be the difference between someone leaving the house that week or not.

If you're keen and able to volunteer and/or donate to my campaign you can do so at linktr.ee/ElliotforORC 💚

My councillor FB page is still the best place to find updates from me, but thanks for tuning in for (and sharing if you'd be so kind) this Bluesky update.

It's a bit cheesy but people power really is our strength here, especially if we present a united front. A chat with a friend is more convincing than a full-page ODT ad. Turnout will also be key, and volunteering or donating for one good candidate can help uplift others too.