Disclaimer
The information on this page has been provided by the candidates. It does not reflect the views or positions of Auckland Council.
Candidate statement
Singapore-born and having lived in Tōtara Vale for 28 years, I have a good understanding of cultural cohesion and hope to bring together and connect locals with newcomers to make Kaipātiki a great place to live. As a public servant for over 20 years, I am a strong advocate for diversity and inclusivity to enable better deliver of community and environmental outcomes. The Council must provide services and listen to families with young children, elderly and disabled communities. With a PhD focused on optimised and sustainable public asset value, I believe in the need to balance community outcomes with financial viability for future generations, being transparent and accountable for decisions based on facts and evidence. Please support the Shore Action Team; #8TicksShoreAction; www.shoreaction.org.nz Vote Ming Ren Tan to speak for the community and take responsibility for the future.
Why I want to be elected
If elected, I'll ensure engagement processes reflect genuine power-sharing/co-design, not tokenistic consultation, but embrace kaitiakitanga and equity, not just symbolic, but structural and all-encompassing. I hope to create a unique Kaipātiki Identity that we cherish and be proud of, where inclusive communities feel safer, connected, foster trust, mutual respect & shared responsibility that cut to the heart of community building of happy, meaningful, diverse social spaces & vibrant economies.
My key skills and qualities
As a public servant involved with governance & community services for 30 years, I am guided by several codes of practice of ethical decision-making based on evidence and balanced with cultural and emotional intelligence considerations. As a Chartered Director and Company Secretary with a PhD, an MBA, BA(Hons), various postgraduate qualifications and skills in finance, policy & strategy development, I believe decisions must be made with transparency, appropriate personal integrity & rationale.
My top three key issues
I strongly advocate these as fundamental priorities for creating high-quality living environment for local & new residents: 1. Social cohesion & harmony to create a unique Kaipātiki Identity with changing demographics of 50% born overseas and over 30% Asians 2. Environmental and Infrastructure Sustainability for future generations to cope with population increases in the next decade 3. Better use of community facilities and spaces with sufficient funding that can meet community expectations.
My position on key topics
Transport
To ensure Council Transport Strategy aligns with Kaipātiki economic recovery & enhancing Community well-being. Hold AT accountable for lessening the burden of travelling to work/school, reducing costs/barriers for recreation, leisure & quality of life due to poor investment decisions. My priorities are to maximise capacity of existing arterial roads with more lanes, more carparks on side streets, increase public transport services, and repurpose cycling/walking assets no longer fit-for-purpose.
Water
Must proactively monitor water discharges/contaminants from housing development sites as wastewater infrastructure is being upgraded. Adapt adequately to climate change, minimise flooding to properties by actively monitoring & proper maintenance i.e. increase frequency of street cleaning, removing debris/blockage from critical stormwater devices & culverts. Increase drought resilience by incentivising the use of residential water tanks for water conservation and reducing overland water flows.
Built environment
Delay further housing intensification in certain areas until adequate roading, water & social infrastructure are in place to avoid degradation of quality of life and wellbeing of local and new residents in Kaipatiki. Avoid mistakes of foreign cities and towns that have reversed intensification to prevent major infrastructure failures. If NZ is considered part of OECD, heritage protection & preservation must be a high priority as an advanced Nation, well respected and admired Global Leader.
Natural environment
Advocate Council policies to reduce individual carbon footprints through education and incentives e.g. waste minimisation, public transport use, energy conservation. Work closely with the community and schools to ensure waterways, natural spaces are protected and preserved from wilful damage, inadequate pest control or lack of understanding of newcomers. Create partnerships with schools and ethnic communities to create a Kaipātiki Identity that is now enjoying efforts of others from the past.
Community
Good public asset management is not just about building more assets, but with increased partnerships and collaboration with the communities to enhance public spaces with events. A community's strength often grows when its people feel seen and valued. Increase cultural activation, removing communication/language barriers, through advocacy for equity and inclusivity, better understanding & representation will ensure decisions reflect the diverse realities that improve the well-being of everyone.
Economic and cultural development
Council help fund major cultural, arts, sports and trade events in collaboration with the universities, schools & businesses to enhance economic activity to support the hospitality/retail sectors. Promote Kaipatiki as an Advanced Technology / Education Hub with one of the highest STEM-qualified population in NZ. Increase economic and cultural development through overseas “sister cities” or “town twinning” to promote international business, cultural partnerships, tertiary education & investments
Well-managed local government and outcomes for Māori
Accelerate delivery of Māori outcomes by enabling staff and elected members to become more proficient in Tikānga Māori & te reo Māori over time. Support Port of Auckland expansion as the last significant revenue-earning entity after the short-sightedness and pre-matured sale of Auckland Airport Shares that benefited a few without having a proper investment strategy for the Auckland Future Fund that must be used to support future population growth >2.3m & uncharted economic opportunities.
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.