Howick Council Candidates 2022

I support all efforts to make public transport more accessible, reliable and practical. My primary focus is on improving services and making it cheaper for those on low/fixed incomes and want to see an overall reduction in price. We also need to make sure that we’re paying our drivers properly and that their working conditions are reasonable – too often drivers are seen as the easy cost saving measure. I’m open to making it completely free once we’ve address some of these core issues.

2) What other measures will you take to incentivise public transport use and reduce congestion? 

Prioritise completion of bus lanes and bus ways – separating buses from other traffic improves reliability and makes them a better option than sitting in traffic. We need to significantly improve the reliability of our services with better investment in the people and vehicles. We must increase the accessibility of public transport by ensuring the infrastructure and vehicles account for people with mobility challenges. I want to see AT provide businesses with the ability to purchase / subsidise fares for employees (especially given government is removing FBT on public transport). Active modes and micro transport are also critical to reducing congestion and providing choice. Decent network of physically separated cycleways and footpaths is essential to reducing congestion.

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

Boost the support for community and not-for-profit organisations by removing bureaucracy and shifting council to focus on empowering these groups to help reduce poverty and support those that need it. I also support community patrols which is non-confrontational and helps free up police resources. I want to see council take a more proactive role in making our streets, parks and community areas safer through better lighting, design and activations.

 4) Do you support or oppose halting construction of the marina at Pūtiki Bay?

I support halting of construction – cannot understand how this has been allowed to start and continue.

5) What measures will you take to protect renters, including tackling rising rents? 

I’m keen to see council implement a warrant of fitness to grade rental standard (similar to the food safety standard) using their existing compliance staff and framework. Providing or support tenancy advocacy services will help ensure that renters know their rights and are being treated fairly. Council also has a part to play in providing rental housing and needs to take a more active leadership role in this.

6) Will you vote for the creation of Māori wards in time for the 2025 elections?

It would be my preference to see greater representation of Māori in Auckland Council. We currently have the members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board, but I’d prefer to move to a more democratic model of elected representatives. More generally we need to modernise our election systems away from postal First Past the Past.


7) What will you do to end houselessness in Auckland?

I will support the funding of Housing First and the work of the Auckland City Mission and Lifewise working directly with the homeless. I will also support council funded services to address homelessness and specialist staff.

I strongly support the Housing First strategy of getting homeless into safe, warm homes first. More support and partnerships with the Auckland City Mission, Lifewise and other organisations to address the underlying causes and providing compassionate outcomes.

8) Would you support Auckland Council procuring or building council housing, or financially assisting communities and iwi to procure or build additional housing to combat the housing crisis?

Yes – council needs to take a stronger leadership role in this space. Council has contributed to the housing crisis and must do more to address it. I’d like to see a mix of both council built and community/iwi built to provide options and enable the scale we desperately need.

9) What will you do to implement Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri (Auckland’s Climate Plan) and ensure Auckland reaches its 2030 and 2050 climate goals?

We need to stop talking about climate change and get action underway. I will ensure that Auckland Council acts on it’s climate emergency declaration by prioritising climate action. We need the CCO’s to act faster and I will ensure that Council provides the governance to m make this happen (by use of legislated powers if necessary). Transport is Auckland’s greatest contributor and we must ensure Auckland Transport prioritises the mode shift to carbon neutral public transport and active modes, not rely on slow shift to electric vehicles. We need to work more with industry and businesses to identify reductions and how council can support and enable this.

10) What is your position on sections of the Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw 2013 which have empowered police actions against rough sleepers?

Treating rough sleepers as a safety or nuisance issue isn’t helpful and I’d prefer more focus on addressing the underlying causes and supporting our most vulnerable.

11) Academics Joanna Kidman and Vincent O’Malley recently highlighted once again the continuing presence of statues and street names celebrating colonial figures. Following the recent example of Hamilton City Council and others, will you invite mana whenua to decide what should happen with these symbols of colonisation? 

Yes, we need to talk about our history, even if it makes us uncomfortable. We cannot simply ignore what was done and hope that the wounds will heal themselves. I don’t believe there is a single answer for every situation and addressing these issues may mean removing statues or street names, or providing more context to who these people were and what they did.

12) Limited trials of a 4-day working week with full pay show minimal or no loss in productivity, while studies suggest a shorter working week would significantly reduce emissions. Would you support a 4-day working week for council staff? 

Absolutely – Auckland Council should be an employer of choice and modernising how the organisation design the work and it’s workforce is critical to this. More flexibility, more empowered staff and greater work/life balance must be part of the culture of the organisation, along with being purpose led, high performing teams.

13) In your opinion, should Auckland Council allow the use of public venues by controversial speakers who are seen as pushing misinformation, such as conspiracies related to Covid-19, or hate speech like racism, homophobia and transphobia?

I support council venues having limits on who has the ability to book and use their venues – freedom of speech does not entitle you to a platform especially one that is funded by public money. However, these rules must be clearly published and fairly enforced. Individual decisions shouldn’t be made by politicians.

Yes I do but prefer it only for certain people such as students and office workers in Auckland CBD

2) What other measures will you take to incentivise public transport use and reduce congestion? 

increase the speeding penalty

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

labour shortage of police department

 4) Do you support or oppose halting construction of the marina at Pūtiki Bay?

I don’t know

5) What measures will you take to protect renters, including tackling rising rents? 

Help the office building owners in Auckland CBD transfer some offices into residential ones

6) Will you vote for the creation of Māori wards in time for the 2025 elections?

No

7) What will you do to end houselessness in Auckland?

Introduce more building material companies to bring down the material price, to reduce the cost of new buildings.

8) Would you support Auckland Council procuring or building council housing, or financially assisting communities and iwi to procure or build additional housing to combat the housing crisis?

Yes

9) What will you do to implement Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri (Auckland’s Climate Plan) and ensure Auckland reaches its 2030 and 2050 climate goals?

Introduce electric tractors and UTS to farmers, and build charging points in farm areas, so farmers will be happy with this plan.

10) What is your position on sections of the Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw 2013 which have empowered police actions against rough sleepers?

I support it

11) Academics Joanna Kidman and Vincent O’Malley recently highlighted once again the continuing presence of statues and street names celebrating colonial figures. Following the recent example of Hamilton City Council and others, will you invite mana whenua to decide what should happen with these symbols of colonisation? 

Yes

12) Limited trials of a 4-day working week with full pay show minimal or no loss in productivity, while studies suggest a shorter working week would significantly reduce emissions. Would you support a 4-day working week for council staff? 

I will support it with robots technology introduced in government departments

13) In your opinion, should Auckland Council allow the use of public venues by controversial speakers who are seen as pushing misinformation, such as conspiracies related to Covid-19, or hate speech like racism, homophobia and transphobia?

Big no