Viewpoint – Settling in

I was elected to Kaipara District Council in October last year and feel a real sense of responsibility to represent our district in a practical and pragmatic way. I have strong ties to Kaipara through both work and family, and I’ve chosen to live and invest here because I genuinely believe in the future of the district, as well as being a beautiful place to live.

Like many locals, I juggle professional commitments alongside family and community life, and that perspective comes with me into the council chamber.

Since being elected, a big focus for me has been getting my head around how council actually works. There’s been a learning curve covering everything from governance and long-term planning, through to infrastructure funding, legal obligations and how council engages with the community. I’ve made a point of digging into the detail and asking questions, rather than just skimming the surface or relying on summaries.

As a council, the first few months have largely been about bedding in and progressing work that was already underway. That’s included moving forward with key infrastructure projects, continuing work on long-term planning and dealing with the ongoing challenges of growth, affordability, and service delivery across a large and diverse district. A lot of time has also gone into making sure council remains financially responsible while still delivering the services our communities rely on every day.

One thing that’s really stood out to me is just how complex council decision-making can be. Most decisions aren’t simple yes-or-no calls – they involve balancing legal requirements, budgets, long-term risks, and different community views. It can be a shame to see decisions judged without the background or the reasons behind them being fully understood. Healthy debate is important, but I think better conversations happen when the focus is on why a decision was made, not just the decision itself. I’ll be the first to put my hand up as being guilty of this in the past also.

Looking ahead, I want to keep contributing in a constructive way, with a focus on common sense, good governance and long-term outcomes for Kaipara. While it’s still early days in this term, and we have some big changes afoot, I’m committed to representing the district with integrity, independence and a clear focus on what’s practical, affordable and best for our communities.