Sara Gerard

My principal place of residence is not in the Christchurch West/Ōpuna Constituency area.

Raised on a mid-Canterbury farm and living in Christchurch for 35 years, I understand both rural and urban life. I bring a wealth of experience in infrastructure and environmental planning, in local and central government and in my own private practice.

Our braided rivers and drinking water supplies are in trouble. We need to work with farmers, industry and communities to create solutions, prioritising land use diversification, regenerative farming, forestry, fisheries and mahinga kai. We can design to protect communities from groundwater pollution, dust, drought, flooding and wildfires. To improve air quality and reduce congestion, low emission easy-to-access public transport is essential.

I stand for the environment. I stand for a climate resilient future, for healthy rivers, soils, and coastlines, and for sustaining our ecosystems, our communities and our economy. With significant environmental challenges ahead, I will bring integrity, practical project experience, and extensive environmental knowledge to the decision-making table.