Why I want to be elected

To give back to the small community and island home that has shaped me into who I am. I want to ensure Aotea is the best place it can be to live, work and raise a family. It takes a certain type to live out here but that doesn't mean it needs to be prohibitively expensive or difficult, and I think some key changes can be affected at local level to make life here even better than it already is.

My key skills and qualities

Communicating ideas clearly and effectively, however I believe any representative's first role is to listen to others in order to best advocate for their community. Teamwork will be critical and I have always prided myself on my ability to be a positive influence and get the best out of my staff/colleagues/teammates. My first hand experience in conservation and biosecurity provides insight into what it takes to preserve and inhance our incredibly precious biodiversity.

My top three key issues

-Travel and freight. I think the cost of getting people and freight to the island is now affecting visitor numbers and is a discouraging factor when considering moving here to live. -Conservation and biosecurity. Our unique biodiversity is our Motu's defining feature and needs to be protected in every way. -Housing. I have friends struggling to find somewhere to live while houses all over the island are unoccupied 90% of the year. The work is here, as are the houses but people need homes.