Waitākere Ward Candidates 2022

Yes. I feel that a pathway may need to be developed to affordably transition toward a fares free goal, working with central Government as well to help realise this important aspiration.

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

I voted in favour of the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway, and I am committed to addressing our public transport needs. We need more frequency where we have existing routes, we need new routes too (such as to Piha), and address wages and working conditions of drivers. All will require resourcing, which will be scarce, so we will have to think of innovative ways to fund this vital work.

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

This is a big question. So much of our crime comes from poverty and deprivation, and as someone that grew up in a difficult environment myself, I know the value of public services to families that are doing it tough. As a kid I relied heavily on parks, playgrounds and libraries as our entertainment, it was all we could afford. We need to re-commit to securing funding for this vital work, so long-term, our families can break the cycles of poverty and tragically in some cases crime as well. In the more immediate term, we need to work with local communities and support the great work of social services on the ground that are changing lives and showing people there are different ways to live and belong in a community. A positive approach that tackles crime at its root causes.

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

I have some real sympathy for the points raised by those opposing the marina, and I hope that this can be captured through Resource Management processes. I feel that the role of local politicians in regulatory work is that we need to be conduits for feedback that we receive from community, and to feed that through to Council’s regulatory staff. Frankly though, we do need to maintain the independence of consenting staff, political interference in such matters could produce wide-ranging and unintended consequences in the future. Having said that, I support the right of communities to give their views in any way they see fit, including protest, and to try and influence outcomes as best they can.

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

Council’s role in this more indirect that the toolkit available to central Government. Council’s have a vital planning function, and I feel that Council need to do more to encourage supply, and this will filter through to tackle rent inflation. We should be allowing more housing closer to people’s work and study, in the central areas of Auckland, where young people and families want to live. More housing will mean downward pressure on rents, and that will help families across the socio-economic spectrum.

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

Yes, I have long supported this.

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

I have answered in the above how supply should be encouraged, which helps housing our homeless as well. Housing exists along a continuum, we encourage more people into housing and this frees up scarce housing stock to allow more of our housing-vulnerable communities to access rentals. We also need to work with the Housing First initiative and Homelessness Action Plan, and re-affirm housing as a human right. I’m up for doing all we can.

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?

​Unfortunately, I cannot commit to this, however much I support the intent of this proposal. The reality is, our finances will be hard pressed in the future term to even maintain the level of services we currently have and desperately need. I feel philosophically that yes Council’s do have a roll in direct housing, and we see this in many cities across the western world. Our finances however is in a parlous state, I cannot see how we could fund such an initiative in the near term.
,

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?

I have spoken passionately and at length about our responsibilities here, it was even the subject of my maiden speech. I voted for this, and the TERP, and I commit to doing all I can in my office to see our goals met. I have talked about the transport element of this, which is key, but I also believe we should be working with local communities for them to drive the change too. I’d like us to fund Climate Action Plan outcomes fo revery local board as a start, so funding and work is closer to local residents and buy-in is more easily achieved.

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

​I encourage Police to adopt a positive policing approach, that connects rough sleepers to resources and social services. A punitive approach is immoral and wrong. If no-one is being harmed, we should take a compassionate and not a punitive approach.

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? 

It is not something I have turned my mind to, but I would be very happy to have that conversation with mana whenua. I want to know more, to learn and understand, and not presume what I think may be important to mana whenua personally. I am committed to de-colonisation and healing the hurt of racism that has tainted our history and in at least in some respects still haunts us today.

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?

Before committing to such an action, I would need strong evidence that it is both beneficial to workers and has no real productivity loss. In some departments at least, Council are slammed. Consenting is a key area where short-staffing is chronic. I wouldn’t want to commit to any proposal that could unwittingly increase the pressure on public workers.

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?

It’s a question for our time, where do we draw the line at “freedom of speech”. Legislation helps us, the NZBORA limits such rights as justifiable limitations in a democratic society. So the question then, is what is a justifiable limitation. To me personally, any speech that incites hatred of a group of Aucklanders, and that can lead to harmful effects on that group like marginalisation and the threat of violence, I cannot see how the people of Auckland, who own these venues, could condone its use for that.

Yes if we can make it work financially without cutting other critical services and without having to raise rates to an unaffordable level. What is required for that is a much larger government subsidy which I would welcome.

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

Council already pays an extra subsidy to make PT free for Gold Card users over and above the govt subsidy. Also we have made PT free for children under 5 and free for children 5 to 15 in the weekends, concession fares for High school and tertiary students. See answer to question 9…busway work.

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

This is a police issue but council buildings and open spaces designed using CPTED ( crime prevention through environmental design) principles. We have staff who work in community safety…working with and supporting Pacific and Maori Wardens and Community Patrol groups who are on the ground with youth and out in our communities and working to support better behaviour and prevention of issues before they arise. There is some council funding for these groups. We liaise closely with NZ Police.

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

This already has a resource consent so not possible to halt unless there are breaches to the consent. This has already been tested in court.

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

This is a government role. Council have no powers in this space but we do advocate to government.

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

Yes

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

Council have adopted the Auckland Unitary Plan in 2016 which enabled 900,000 houses. The government Housing Enabling Bill requires another Plan Change which will now enable enough land for housing for 100 years! The building of the houses is up to government and the private sector.

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?

​No. Reason being we can not legally borrow enough money to do that. We will be up grading and rebuilding our current Older Adult Housing up to a much better standard over time. A great example is Opanuku apartments on Henderson Valley Road which was completed about 3 years ago.
,

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 have set a Climate Action Targeted rate which will fund large amounts of tree planting especially in South Auckland which has the least urban tree cover. Also it will fund electric ferry and bus fleet and many more express bus services in West and South. We are also building Eastern Busway and Interim Northwestern busway to make PT faster more frequent and reliable.

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

You have misunderstood Part 2, Section 6 of the bylaw. The related note about police is related to the Summary Offences Act. Council does not empower police, this Act does. It exists with or without the bylaw. All bylaws are subservient to the law and can’t be harsher than the law. If people’s behaviour is dangerous it can’t be dealt with by council staff. That is a police matter. In the last review of the bylaw in 2021 in fact moving people on was removed from the bylaw. Council only require that people don’t obstruct footpaths and keep their belongings tidy so they don’t become a nuisance or trip hazard. Our staff work with rough sleepers to assist them if they want help. We work very closely with City Mission to help rough sleepers and contributed $5m in our 2018 budget as well as many million in earlier budgets including Housing First project contributions.

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? 

Leave as is. I don’t believe history should be rewritten because we find it offensive. I believe we should see all our colonial and Maori history told and their interrelationships and the effects bad and good if any. We must learn from the past.

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?

That wouid be up to the CEO but council already have flexible work practices including work from home . As long as we have good productivity and services are met then I see no reason not to.

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?

No!

NO

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

Add value to the time commuters spend travelling on public transport, particularly people commuting to the city. For example; free Wi-Fi connectivity on (at least peak hour buses) so commuters can productively use this otherwise idle time. Commuters would see a tangible advantage over their private vehicle in which they’re stuck behind the drivers wheel and unable to be active in any other way.

3) How will you address the causes of crime?

Proactively fund Maori and Pacifica Wardens. Better integration in support of local police and advocate strongly for the return of policeman walking a beat.

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

I do not have enough knowledge of the subject to comment.

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

This is not Council business.

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

Based on my understanding ,at this point in time, as to how Maori Wards are to be structured; YES

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

Support small local business to prosper and build quality full time jobs for the peoples of their local communities.

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?

​NO,

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?

[No response]

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? 

No

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 don’t believe your claim that minimal or no loss of productivity occurs when people reduce their standard five day working week to four days. I do not support people getting paid 5 days wages for four days work.

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 civil free speech for everyone.