My Account
Currently Councillor for Rodney, I have had a varied political career spanning share milker representative, Federated Farmers and both central and local government. I’ve been a member of the Conservation Board, have just stepped down as chair of the Rodney Surgical Centre and am currently on the Springboard Advisory Board. In the last three years, I have been on the National Council of Local Government New Zealand where I chaired the working group for looking at alternative means of funding local government.
Why are you standing?
With a new Mayor, it is important that Rodney has continuity of representation with someone who understands the workings of Council and has a good knowledge of how to get things done. Rodney’s rates on the whole have come down over the last few years and we continue to get the best out of the Auckland Council and I want to be there to ensure this happens.
What are the three main issues facing the Rodney Ward?
- Managing the growth with area structure planning, which will be vital in the immediate term, both for Warkworth and Huapai. This is especially important with the growth predicted for these areas in the Unitary Plan.
- Continuing to improve the roading infrastructure, with the Matakana link road, with improvements to Hill Street, ongoing sealing of roads and solutions to the congestion in Kumeu, Huapai and Riverhead areas.
- Special attention to the preservation of our environmental assets such as our coastlines, regional parks and Kawau Island.
What would you hope to achieve over the next three years?
Keep Rodney needs at the forefront of Council decision making.
Facilitate ongoing road sealing finance while keeping rates at a reasonable level.
Continue to help communities and individuals to achieve goals and work through Council processes.
How could Council improve its performance?
The most important aspect of Council that needs to be improved upon is our communications with the people of Rodney. Often there is confusion and misinformation about Council. Sometimes people’s interaction with Council staff leaves them feeling dissatisfied, which is when they contact me. I want to see this part of Council improve dramatically.
What skills can you offer?
Knowledge of the system, considerable experience and a proven track record of getting things resolved for issues big and small.
Where do you stand on the proposal to split Rodney from Auckland Council?
I do not support the split of Rodney as we could not survive without the considerable amount of extra money we get through being part of Auckland. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t look at some form of reorganisation of Rodney within Auckland as the region is very large and very diverse.
Representing Rodney takes a great deal of hard work, relationship building and intricate knowledge of the diverse character of the area. Getting issues sorted is not just a case of issuing instructions to Council staff. It’s about having their trust and respect. It’s also about understanding individual issues and working through the most effective ways of finding solutions. I would like to be able to continue this service for another term.
