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
Experienced outspoken councillor, former merchant navy officer, former ARC chairman (2004-2010), led major regional parks expansion, led electrification and renaissance of Auckland rail, opened Queens Wharf to the public. Standing at the request of residents concerned at council decision-making (eg helipads, Western Springs etc), lack of accountability and growing debt. Mike consistently voted against rate rises, now totalling $3 billion. Opposed council's sale of Downtown Carpark building and Auckland Airport shares and helped stop the long-term lease of Auckland's port to foreign interests. He is leading a campaign to prohibit helipads from residential areas and opposes AT's blockade of Queen Street to private vehicles. Headed St James Theatre restoration working party. A passionate Hauraki Gulf conservationist Mike is leading a marine reserve application off Waiheke which attracted 93% support of public submissions, 'A councilor's primary role is to represent the public to the council - not the other way round.'
Why I want to be elected
I will work with a majority of like-minded councillors to hold council rates at or below the level of inflation. I will continue to work for & speak out on behalf of the people of Waitemata & Gulf. Like most Aucklanders today they are being squeezed by the cost of living crisis & by the ever increasing burden of rates and water charges imposed by council. I will continue my mission to ban helipads from residential areas of the city & to defend the way of life of Gulf island communities
My key skills and qualities
Experience, knowledge and a willingness to speak truth to power. To withstand political and bureaucratic pressure ('groupthink') to conform with the system. Instead to put the interests of the public, the ratepayers, first. I have always beleved the primary role of an elected member is to represent the community to the council - not the other way round. I was the chairman of the Auckland Regional Council from 2004-2010, hold an MSc in biological sciences and I am a published historian.
My top three key issues
1. Wasteful spending and incompetent contracting by council and Auckland Transport which left unchecked will eventually bankrupt Auckland. 2. Destructive council policies strangling the life out of the city centre. I oppose AT plans to further blockade Queen Street to private cars, and instead pledge to work to restore full end-to-end vehicle access 2. Make helipads in residential areas of the city a prohibited activity just as I have succeeded in doing for Waiheke & Great Barrier Islands
My position on key topics
Transport
Put the public back into public transport. Restore AT's failing patronage levels still 11% below what they were in 2019 with rail 38% below 2019 levels. Yet costs are 50% higher. This is unsustainable. Make the preferences, comforts and safety of PT users the first priority - not last. Advocate for an 8km rail link from Auckland Airport to the main trunk line to serve a potential huge catchment of rail users maximising the benefits of the CRL. Design cycleways to avoid destroying car parks.
Water
Watercare which was once the best performing CCO has lost its way and is overcommitted with its capex budget blowing out in a similar way to AT. Watercare needs to regain the financial and operational efficiency it once had at the start of the Super City. Similarly council's 'Healthy Waters' is becoming a bureaucratic empire and needs to be refocussed on upgrading the existing stormwater network and cleaning out street catchpits currently badly neglected & contributing to localised flooding.
Built environment
Protect Auckland's heritage and special character town-scapes from mindless Wellington-driven plans to replace them with shoe-box apartments. Give greater priority to the property rights of existing, often long-standing Auckland residents instead of, as now 'new jimmy' property developers. Extend protective listing to more of our currently un-protected historical heritage buildings. Call for more sustainable immigration policies, enabling infrastructure and housing to catch up with demand.
Natural environment
We need greater emphasis on marine protection, especially in the Hauraki Gulf. As the chair of the Friends of the Hauraki Gulf Inc I have been leading the Hākaimangō-Matiatia (NW) Waiheke marine reserve proposal, the first in, decades - and at 2350ha the biggest. This received 93% public support. Currently on the desk of the Minister of Conservation, council should call on the government to stop slow-walking the process. On the land Auckland needs more regional parks, managed by park rangers.
Community
Restore 'local' to local government Devolve more power & responsibilities away from governing body committees to local boards. With more power should come greater responsibilty and accountability. Therefore enhanced relevance to local communities. At the same time take back more power & roles away from non performing CCOs to the governing body. Only 18% of Aucklanders feel they have influence over council decisions, The anti-democratic trend of the so-called 'Super City' must be reversed.
Economic and cultural development
Get council rates and charges under control. Local small businesses should be the priorty not Aussie owned corporates the council currently favours. Council/AT have to stop deliberately removing car parks and loading zones, a policy destructive to small businesses. This is strangling the life out of retail e.g. on K Road and Queen Street. The recklessly incompetent management of disruptive 'forever construction' in the city centre must end and be replaced by smart and rigorous management
Well-managed local government and outcomes for Māori
Maori ancestral rights as tangata whenua are enshrined in resource management law - these always should be upheld. In all other respects council should serve all citizens equally. The ethnicity of a public transport user should not be a priority - that the bus or train turns up on time and is affordable for working commuters should be. The Port of Auckland is the last major strategic asset owned by the people of Auckland & currently clearing a million dollars a week. It must not be privatised.
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.