Rodney Ward Candidates 2022

​Yes but Only for students and over 65’s, if we give it free to everyone then rates will increase and im sure thats not what people want, this would help our goal with less vehicles on the road network,

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

I would like more charging stations in rural areas and more public transport in rural areas so buses are more frequent than what they have, free bus fares for students and over 65″s

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

I think we need to give the authority’s more power to prosecute parents for kids 16years and under, You should know wear your kids are and what there up to, especially at 3am in the morning, my opinion if your old enough to vote then your old enough to be prosecuted, if you are going to break the law then you should feel the full force of the law,

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

I don’t know to much about it, but if its done in a way wear it protects our Environment and the surrounding environment and also protects it for future generations then i cant see a problem,

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

If you want to protect the renters then you need to protect the property owners, if you keep hiking up property rates/ insurances/mortgage interest rates then all those costs need to be passed on, for the renters to be protected then councils need to step up and control what’s happening, I would be voting against any property rate increases,

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

No, I believe it will cause division, we are all able to vote for someone and if you want to become a councilor or local board member then put your name forward and if your voted in then your in, if not try again next time,

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

this is a hard one. as many have tried and most have failed, selling off of council assets and not replacing what has sold is part of the problem, we do need to produce more housing whether it be working with Iwi and building companies to make affordable housing, rent to buy or lease to buy options with a 5% deposit, must have a sale price of no more than $800.000 or less, there is plenty of land out of greater Auckland that is under-utilized, plenty of building Companys that have resources to build these, plenty of small acre family’s that want to do housing on their land but can’t as there’s to many restrictions with Auckland council,

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 Absolutely, the more kiwis that are in homes the better,

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?

It needs to have everyone’s input, if you don’t have everyone onboard then it will never work, As a councilor I will have the ability and voice to help with what needs to happen in my Region, by giving free public transport to student’s and over 65’s 24/7 this would be my 1st step in going forward, next would be business’s that produce the most emissions, by creating rebates to companies that reach their targets, in rural areas the more native trees you plant the more property rebates you get, if people have an incentive to do it they will,

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

​Depends are they causing a problem or being a nuisance to the public, if not then leave them be, if they are a problem then council or someone needs to help, be it housing , counselling or anything else that may help them, let’s find out why they are there and not just assume, everyone needs help and there’s a reason that their there, dont make it someone else’s problem,

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? 

If its got to do with hatred then yes they should come down but what I think we should celebrate anyone that has done good for NZ, whether it be Māori – English or Immigrant’s, We seem to be looking a lot at the past and not enough to the future, there are bigger things in Auckland than street signs named in Māori or English,

Yup, everyone is entitled to have their say, this is why we live in New Zealand it’s our freedom to let us communicate with everyone and not just 1 ethnic group,

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?

No, I believe, council is there to serve the community and need to be there when the community want them, If you want to cut emissions then every person that works for council should be using public transport or in cases wear a work vehicle is supplied in there contract, it then should be hydrogen or electric,

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 think everyone has a right to free speech but hate speech like racism, homophobia and transphobia should in no way be aloud,