Disclaimer
The information on this page has been provided by the candidates. It does not reflect the views or positions of Auckland Council.
Rowan CANT
Candidate for Puketāpapa Local Board
City Vision
Candidate statement
Kia ora, Talofa lava, Namaste, Malo e lelei, Nǐ hǎo I care about people coming together. Whether that is at the local playground, the schools, gyms, pools, the library, sports clubs, faith communities, the local community centres or at the local park chatting while your dog has a run. Throughout the last 9 years living in Roskill South, I’ve established a community garden, I’ve been a strong advocate during the housing developments and I’ve been behind the scenes setting up for community events. I’m putting up gazebos and picking up the rubbish at the end. I waded through the floods and I remember how long it took to dry our garage carpets. I’ve spent the last 20 years as a youth worker in a range of roles. I represent experienced advocacy for issues our neighbourhood cares about. City Vision and I will listen to your concerns and represent you well.
Why I want to be elected
I want to be elected so that I can serve my community even more. I want to see more fresh produce available. I want to see progress on the housing developments in Roskill South. I want our streams to be clean. I want to see fruit trees planted on berms and near playgrounds. I want the neighbourhood to be more connected through events and activities. I want developments to consider the experiences and cultures of people who will live in them. I want everyone to feel safe and belong.
My key skills and qualities
I have been involved in youth work and community building for the past 25 years. I'm a registered social worker. I've already delivered community projects such as Tā Tātou Māra Kai in Molley Green reserve. I successfully advocated for the Molley Green basketball courts to be the last thing closed and first thing opened during developments. I'm good at listening and asking the right questions. I’m a practical person who prefers action over ideas and I’m a deep believer in community led change.
My top three key issues
- Flood infrastructure - Food access and affordability - People centred housing development Many people in our neighbourhood have been affected by the flooding. We need the right drainage and systems to prevent people having damp and mouldy homes. Healthy food is expensive to access. We can provide affordable access to healthy food for people who would often go without. Development should consider people. Homes need to be built in ways that are social and comfortable.
My position on key topics
Transport
When children walk to school, this needs to be safe. We need to be slowing traffic in school areas and have sufficient speed bumps and pedestrian crossings. Some areas of Puketapapa have good cycling lanes, but other areas like Lynfield lack sufficient cycling lanes. I support improvement of public transport systems and active transport such as walking or cycling. We are a one car household and you’ll often see me cycling around the neighbourhood.
Water
Stormwater needs to be managed in multiple ways, through encouraging private catchment of roof water to slow the influx on our stormwater during heavy rains, but also we need to have space for rivers and streams to safely be rivers and streams. Fresh clean drinking water and waste water systems are essential. I will support any necessary upgrades to ensure that these services endure and are future proofed.
Built environment
Auckland needs more houses and these need to be built in ways that consider the infrastructure to support them, the ways people connect with each other and the parks, schools and facilities needed to support a growing population. As a resident in an area that is currently under development, I understand the hassles. We need homes and communities. We also need to be sensitive to history, both Māori and settler histories that shaped our area. These histories need to be protected and remembered.
Natural environment
As we have seen, we can expect to have heavier tropical rains as the climate changes. We need to prepare for this and create space for streams to be streams. We also need to increase tree planting to lower temperatures in our streets. Natural spaces improve mental health and decrease stress. They need to be accessible. Waikowhai tracks took way too long to re-open. We need to prioritise maintenance and repair of natural spaces.
Community
Events and hobbies bring people together. Cultural festivals and performances, markets, community centres and parks are essential. When people have spaces to talk, walk, play, celebrate together and find common interests, that's what builds community. Sometimes small things that matter most, like seats to wait near school pickup. The design of developments also matter. They need to reflect the cultures of people who will live in them and provide space to celebrate, connect and be neighbourly.
Economic and cultural development
We need to consider that as we upgrade services, we work with businesses around the issues and impacts of road closures. With increasing unemployment in our communities, we need to find ways to generate opportunities through markets and events prioritising local businesses for contracts within local board. We also need to explore innovative solutions for safety and crime prevention so that store owners feel safe and supported by their neighbourhood.
Well-managed local government and outcomes for Māori
I'm a strong believer in te Tiriti o Waitangi. I believe that we need to be actively seeking and funding partnership, protection and participation of Tangata Whenua in decision making. Storm recovery is important, but so is storm infrastructure and preparedness. We should eliminate the need for recovery from floods with better flooding infrastructure. Preparedness kits to be available. Schools and community centres need to be resourced and trained to support communities in disaster recovery.
Candidate's supporting links
The candidate has chosen not to provide a response.