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The information on this page has been provided by the candidates. It does not reflect the views or positions of Auckland Council.
Dan COLLINS
Candidate for Henderson-Massey Local Board
Labour
Candidate statement
I love my West Auckland community. I’m proud to raise my young family here and I’m committed to making Henderson-Massey the best place to live, work and grow up in. There’s a lot of hard work that needs doing to improve our communities and I’m proud of what I’ve delivered in my first term as a local board member – from having rubbish bins reinstated and making streets safer for our kids, to upgrading our parks and driving initiatives that bring people together to solve problems and deliver results. I hold Auckland Council to account and advocate for what we all need to live well. I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back and make a difference, and with your support I’ll continue to work hard and fight for a better deal for Henderson-Massey. Please vote for Dan Collins and the Labour team. Email: dancollinslabour@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanCollinsHendersonMassey IG: https://www.instagram.com/dan_collins_henderson_massey
Why I want to be elected
I love my West Auckland community; I’m proud to raise my young family here and I’m committed to making Henderson-Massey the best place to live, work and grow up in. I’m proud of what I’ve delivered in my first term and the learnings that I've gained – and I know that my best work is ahead of me. Local Government done well can have a huge impact on peoples lives. I want the opportunity to give back to Henderson-Massey and make our neighbourhoods better placed to live.
My key skills and qualities
- knowledge of the issues and challenges that need to be addressed to move our communities forward - a strong work ethic and passion to drive positive change - decision making that's always centered on what's best for people and communities - good collaborative working relationships with community organisations, colleagues and Auckland Council staff - not afraid to ask hard questions and do things differently
My top three key issues
1) Infrastructure: For the West to thrive we need fast, convenient and reliable public transport, storm and waste water networks that don't discharge raw sewage into our environment, and better planning laws that enable growth in a sustainable way. 2) Community organisations: We are blessed in the West to have a network of locally-led organisations that deliver at the grass roots. They must be supported. 3) Growing our employment and education opportunities right here in the West.
My position on key topics
Transport
Westies are disadvantaged by a lack of investment in transport. This has created transport poverty for the West. I actively support three key projects that will be transformational for the West - the Northwestern Busway, the Te Whau Pathway and the CRL. Our roads and our footpaths need to be better maintained. We need better and safer ways for our kids to get to school without having to rely on cars. Decisions, policy making and planning should be made by Auckland Council - not AT.
Water
Our water is our lifeblood - too many of us take it for granted. I strongly support the roll out of the Northern Interceptor which is a key (and long overdue) infrastructure project that will protect our waterways and manage our waste water better. I also actively support community groups such as the Te Wai o Pareira Rivercare Group that do an excellent job of advocating for our waterways and educating our communities.
Built environment
The West has taken an unfairly high share of development across the Auckland region - Te Atatū Peninsula is a prime example of this. Many inner city suburbs that already have good transport links and infrastructure have not been taking on their fair share. We need and deserve better infrastructure investment to cope with this growth, and planning laws that more equitable for all of the Auckland region.
Natural environment
I support the retention of the Natural Environment Targeted Rate and the Water Quality Targeted Rate. While these two rates help to stop our environment and water quality from going backwards, they are not enough by themselves to fully protect and enhance our natural environment. We need to support and empower environmental community groups such as Community Waitākere who work at grass roots level, and we need to educate our communities on how to better treat and respect our environment.
Community
I strongly support Henderson-Massey's community empowerment model that fosters locally led solutions and supports local organisations to serve the needs of their communities. People feel good and take pride in their neighbourhoods when public spaces like parks, libraries and community centres are well maintained, fit for purpose and reflect the communities around them. We need better and smarter investment to maintain what we have and to build for the future.
Economic and cultural development
We need more job and education opportunities locally. Far too many of us travel outside of the West to go to work or study. I strongly support the Te Puna Creative Quarter which will deliver highly skilled and well paid jobs in the heart of the West. I support more density around our town centres (particularly Henderson) that will drive more trade and demand to local businesses.
Well-managed local government and outcomes for Māori
I acknowledge Te Kawerau ā Maki as mana whenua and have a deep appreciation and respect for the mahi that they do in the West. Henderson-Massey has a high population of Maori whānau - this is an asset for our rohe. I appreciate Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a statutory and core consideration of any decision making and policy development within Auckland Council.
Candidate's supporting links
These links to external websites have been provided by the candidates. The content on these websites does not reflect the views or positions of Auckland Council.