He said the Whanganui council, like all local authorities, is facing big issues that will involve far-reaching decisions which will shape the community for years to come.
"Take the Resource Management Act [RMA] and Three Waters reforms," Oskam said.
"Yes, I support their intent, however, I can't fully agree with the way the Government is going about things.
"I'd like to see the RMA legislative framework overhauled so that national outcomes and quality standards are more clearly defined and that will set the scene, informing the implementation of national reforms at the local level."
Oskam said that would keep the solution close to the source of the problem.
"To me, this is very important because remote decision-making is too slow and too blunt.
"It lacks local nuance and on-the-ground understanding and it also insulates decision-makers from responsibility and accountability."
Oskam hopes the independent review of local government, scheduled to conclude in April 2023, will lead to positive growth for Whanganui.
"I'd like to see our council implement strategies to improve citizen engagement and the quality of local democracy," he said.
"The awa gives Whanganui a unique culture and a unique voice. I would like to see it amplified, locally of course, but even nationally and beyond."
If elected, what do you want to be judged on after your first year?
I would like to be judged on how I have increased the effectiveness of our community and the council as a key local decision-maker in implementing national reforms. I will ask myself if I have protected what needs to be protected and if I advocated well for our community.
And how will you do that?
Through hard work. There are no shortcuts. And, there are no excuses. You have to put in the hours. I'm not political. I don't like spin. I'm not left. I'm not right. I'm pretty straightforward. Most of all I want progress, and I want the community to have [a] clear voice in defining what success looks like - and a strong hand in achieving that.
