Buck ready to decide on mayoralty

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 9

Buck ready to decide on mayoralty

By

KAY FORRESTER

Cr Vicki Buck will announce on Monday whether she will enter the Christchurch mayoralty race.

She has first to decide whether the mayoralty would allow her to achieve the things she wants most for Christchurch. Other options are open to the Christchurch City councillor, aged 33.

“I have to consider whether I can achieve what I want for Christchurch as Mayor or whether I could best do those things through business opportunities that are available,” she said. She wants to promote the city with a focus on securing jobs. Whatever she decides, it will be all or nothing. She will try for the mayoralty or else opt out of local government. “I’m not going to have a dollar each way. If I stand for Mayor it will be just for that. I won’t be standing for the council as well.”

Cr Buck said she felt that a sixth term as a

councillor would be frustrating. “I don’t feel I’ve had too much opportunity to lead, to make a real difference. What I have to assess now is if I can do that as Mayor.” One factor she will consider is that the mayorality is full-time.

"That allows you to concentrate on that job. It’s not like being a councillor where you need another job as well because councillors are seen as part-time positions.” If she does stand Cr Buck will take leave from her position with the Local Government Commission.

She does not see any conflict in her Christchurch local body activities and her commissioner’s role and certainly no reason to resign from the commission.

“But if I stood as Mayor I’d take leave from the

selection date until after the election. It would be annual and unpaid leave because the commission has no provision for maternity leave,” she said. She had discussed the possibility of leave with the chairman of the commission, Mr Brian Elwood.

Cr Buck was first elected to the council in May, 1975 — the youngest elected councillor at 19. She has been tipped as favourite to win the Labour backing as mayoral candidate for this year’s local body elections. The only candidate to have declared availability so far is Cr David Close, a fellow city councillor.

Both will be at Saturday’s area conference of the Canterbury Regional Council of the Labour Party, where details of the Labour election campaign will be announced.