Bobby Shen’s valedictory speech
Bobby Shen during his valedictory speech to the Puketāpapa Local Board.
Bobby Shen is retiring at the 2025 election after six years on the Puketāpapa Local Board. In his valedictory speech to the local board’s meeting on Thursday 18 September, he reflects on two terms of teamwork and community connection.
Whakarongo! Whakarongo! Whakarongo!
Whakarongo ki te tangi a te manu e karanga nei a te mātui
Tūī tūī tuituia!
Tuia i runga, tuia i raro!
Tuia i roto, tuia i waho!
Tuia te herenga tāngata
Ka rongo te pō
Ka rongo te ao
Tuia te muka tangata i takea mai i Hawaiki nui, i Hawaiki roa, i Hawaiki pāmamao
Te hono ki wairua, ka puta ki te whaiao, ki te ao mārama
Tīhei mauri ora!
Ki ngā tini mate o te wā kua whetūrangatia, haere koutou, haere koutou, okioki atu ai.
Ki ngā tini ora, e ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā rangatira mā, tēnā koutou katoa,
Ki ngā manuhiri, nau mai haere mai ki taku huritau nei
Mānawatia te wiki o te reo Māori
Tēnā koutou katoa.
As we journey through te wiki o te reo Māori, welcome to you all to my reflections for my time as a Puketāpapa local board member.
As I was telling one of my most early supporters about this valedictory, my friend reminded me that he helped me review my 'maiden speech' of sorts, the kōrero that I gave to City Vision as part of the selection process to run for the local board. I had completely forgotten about it. As the years rushed by, term after term, it was like an afterthought. It seemed appropriate as I close my time on the local board to revisit it again.
During that kōrero, I talked about how I visited long-time family friends, who still live in the heart of Roskill South. At that time, it was helping them make sense of the change and chaos around them—earthworks, construction, a neighbourhood in flux. Their main concern at that time was that the plans for a duplex would block the sunlight to their home—the home that I played in many times as a child. I quote myself from 6 years ago:
"It took me, with my tape measure, measuring up three metres, and saying to him, “Imagine a 45 degree angle that way, they won’t be building beyond that line.” Not only did this restore his faith in city planning, he finally understood the plans in his hands."
And with that, welcome to height in relation to boundary rules! Now, they are so so happy with their new and refreshed neighbourhood, Freeland Reserve, the great new homes, and the community that has flowed back into the area.
The reality is our city is changing—it always has—and there's a lot of information that people can't grasp for its jargon and legalese. But I set out to use my architectural knowhow to help others understand this complexity. And I feel like with every resource consent that I explained to the board, or every conversation I have had with people about zoning, or flood risk it helps them understand the system that shapes Tāmaki Makaurau.
I also talked about diverse representation, bringing my view as a Chinese New Zealander, a child of immigrants, to the decision-making table. Puketāpapa is likely the most diverse area in Aotearoa, and to have that rapport and understanding has been invaluable.
I was lucky to be invited to countless ethnic gatherings, Chinese moon festivals, Somali independence day celebrations, Muslim iftars, Indian day for seniors…in the end, it is about connecting and seeing the harmony that brings us all together. I still remember meeting Karla and Kathy on the first ever volunteer day for Friends of Wairaki Stream. And the Welcoming Communities work the local board is doing is going to pay dividends for years to come, not only helping people settle in from outside the area, but people moving here from overseas.
A slogan from one of the groups was 'helping one another' and it speaks to my own philosophy. I bumped into a former local board member recently. We were first elected at the same time but she only did one tough term. We met at one of the trainings that was done for elected members. It didn't occur to me back then, but she told me that it was so nice to have a friendly connection in the local board space, and that our few interactions over the years made it a better place to be. Because politics at whatever level isn't easy, but it is a privilege to serve, and a service to community. I’m glad I was able to bring a positive influence to the role.
Luckily, the Puketāpapa Local Board has been relatively collegial in my time here. We are all Roskill people, trying to help Roskill, and in our own humble way, we get the job done.
Highlights for me include things where I've attempted to solve a specific issue that I feel is unjust or inequitable. A good few cycle facilities have popped up around our school areas, continuing Puketāpapa’s greenways network. Notably, the top of Frost Road feels so much safer now, and the shared path now goes all the way up for the kids and others to use. Another example was a local mum who contacted me about access issues on Parau Street in Three Kings where the power poles were blocking up the one narrow footpath available. Her photo showed that she couldn't get her child's pram around it, and after visiting the street on several occasions, I saw people constantly forced onto the road. Not a hard thing for an able-bodied person to jump down and back up, although unsafe and a nuisance, but we have to think about our most vulnerable for these things.
After many unsuccessful attempts at going through different channels, I penned an old-fashioned letter (on letterhead) to the chairs of Entrust and Vector asking them to put themselves in the shoes of these locals and get rid of those poles. I also pointed out that according to their website, their undergrounding programme did plenty for other areas, but Roskill? Nothing! Nothing in the last 12 years of the programme. I even got the tape measure out (yes, me and another tape measure) and measured the space between the edge of the footpath and the power poles to prove the point against accessibility standards. It took several years, but the poles are gone, and the footpath is clear.
I've been party to street-corner meetings organised by residents where they have passionately advocated for safety improvements, one on the dangerous Mt Eden Rd and Landscape Rd intersection, where numerous crashes have occurred. Now, four and a half years later, finally, finally there is a solution and it can't come soon enough, with the busier road and pedestrian activity. Our city is growing and we need these places, which probably were fine in less busy periods of history, to be fit for purpose.
A few reflections from my two terms here on the board:
I love contemporary art and creativity and at the beginning of my time on the local board, I remember former chair and now councillor Julie Fairey outlining the many issues at Pah Homestead, one of the region’s most valuable contemporary arts facilities. I didn't really see how it could be solved, but lo and behold, bit by bit we got there. We now have a thriving arts facility with some great energy. A huge mihi to the work of council staff and the new arts trust for their work to make this happen.
As an architecture and urban designer, I remember campaigning on a revived town centre at Roskill Shops, helping people reimagine and figure out what people wanted out of the local shops which I used to walk through as a kid back from school every single day. As I started as a local board member, the streetscape upgrade had just been completed. Jon Turner, Harry Doig and I went to the uncovering ceremony of the carved stones there, and now, several great restaurants, a medical centre, and other businesses have moved in, bringing new life to the centre that is a hub for so many people. I look forward to more placemaking projects that make our public realms so much more attractive and safer.
I've also enjoyed the many interactions with Māori during my work on the board. Contributing to a working group including 14 iwi representatives on the Area Plan was an extraordinary process and a valuable one. Addressing the ongoing and predicted housing growth, the plan was a huge effort led by former local board chair Harry Doig. It plotted out a 30-year plan working toward the sort of things we need for more people and increasing developed neighbourhoods. As an urban planning nerd, this work looked beyond what we have today and acknowledged the area's history that brought us to what we see around us. Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: 'I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.'
It's not often you get to work with mana whenua on that level, and as tangata Tiriti, I could see the urban planning approaches woven together with Māori insights—so enriching to our plan. We also connected on the many occasions we had dawn blessings: for environmental projects, opening new buildings, the dual naming of Wairaki Lynfield Reserve, and the opening of Te Auaunga/Oakley Creek's restoration and daylighting. I still remember how beautifully the mist cloaked the newly restored stream, walking next to Wendy John, a conservation champion.
My environmentalist heart sings when in the space of 6 years, I've seen Te Auaunga restored, Wairaki Stream revived, Freeland Reserve and the stream there opened up, and a daylighting project at Lynfield Cove on the way. Not to mention all the volunteer efforts and pest maintenance that we have supported. This connection between the board, the environment and community were a pleasure to see and be a part of.
This isn't the Oscars, but how could I not thank the many that have helped me to this point?
To my parents, for without them and the sacrifices they have made, I would not be here (at all!)
To my team: Julie Fairey and Harry Doig for their mentorship, Jon Turner for being the best of friends and colleagues in this role. We have done so much great mahi together!
To the board, for the work we collectively do and to the staff. Who knew the inner workings of council had such amazing minds working for the benefit of all Aucklanders? Poho ki te rangi, I am so proud, and personally I've learned a lot from the advice and approach you all take.
To my workplaces, who let me fulfil my role as a board member during the last six years. It's tough taking on two commitments but I have gained a lot from it.
To you all in the community, my supporters, those I have connected with. You are the reason I do all of this.
So, what to next? As well as focusing on my health and wellbeing, spending more time with loved ones, some of you may know I have a career in architecture, and four years ago I shifted to helping a meaningful cause as a senior manager at the New Zealand Green Building Council, a not-for-profit in the property sector driving more sustainable buildings. There I have been working with property companies and the finance sector (investors and banks) to understand the value of building better buildings and operating them well, for the people that use them and for our planet. So now I'll be able to focus on that cause, and there's a lot to do.
But I'm not disappearing either. I'll be out and about in our community—it has helped raised me, and I love Puketāpapa so much. In fact, I'll probably still be out there helping grow this new community that is developing around me in the Three Kings Quarry so that it is a well-connected, lively and safe neighbourhood.
So, see you all around and thank you for everything, it's been an honour and a privilege.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Bobby with family and supporters at the Puketāpapa Local Board’s final meeting of the term.
