City Vision selects energetic and competent teams to stand for Auckland Local Boards
City Vision is ready to take on election year with a great line-up of Auckland Council local board candidates, joining Governing Body candidates Julie Fairey, Jon Turner and Patrick Reynolds.
‘City Vision is proud to put forward great candidates for the Waitematā, Puketāpapa and Albert-Eden Local Boards with a diverse mix of skills, backgrounds, and experience to represent and serve our community,’ says City Vision co-chair Bobby Shen.
For the Waitematā Local Board, incumbents Anahera Rāwiri (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Paoa) and Alexandra Bonham are joined by newcomers Peter Elliott, Kara Kennedy, Theo van de Klundert, Connor Sharp, and Caitlin Wilson.
Richard Northey, who was chair of the Waitematā Local Board from 2019 to 2022, has chosen not to seek reelection, retiring at the close of this term after a 46-year political career since first being elected to the Auckland City Council in 1979.
‘I thought long and hard about my retirement as I needed to be sure my successors as City Vision board members would be principled, hardworking and clearly capable of continuing the good work of the board. I am pleased to see such an energetic and competent team selected to stand, leaving the board in good hands,’ says Richard.
‘This is a fantastic team—the perfect balance of experience and dynamic new talent. I’m so pleased to have such a strong group of City Vision candidates to work alongside me in this critical part of our great city,’ says Waitematā and Gulf councillor candidate Patrick Reynolds.
For the Albert-Eden Local Board, incumbents Margi Watson and Christina Robertson are joined by Emma McInnes and Jacqui Tay in the Ōwairaka subdivision, and by Jonty Carroll, Paul Chalmers, Mark Graham and Michelle Thorp in the Maungawhau subdivision.
‘I’ve been involved in Auckland’s local boards since 2010, and this is an impressive line-up who have the skills and imagination to harness the power of local boards to really deliver and represent locally,’ says Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa councillor Julie Fairey.
City Vision thanks Julia Maskill (local board member 2019–2025) and Liv Roe (local board member 2022–2025), who are pursuing new opportunities outside politics, for their service on the local board.
For the Puketāpapa Local Board, incumbent Jon Turner will stand for the local board as well as making a bid for election to the Governing Body in the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward. He is joined by new candidates Rowan Cant, Daniel Cliffords, Soraiya Daud, Miriam Hartmann and Raphaela Rose.
Bobby Shen, a local board member since 2019 is not seeking reelection in order to further his career in the sustainable buildings sector. ‘Taking up the position of City Vision co-chair is one way I am giving back to the City Vision kaupapa that has supported me in the past 6 years and to help foster the next cohort of local board candidates. From my own experience on the Puketāpapa Local Board, I know how important it is to have competent and energetic leadership from local board members. I’m really excited about the group of candidates who have stepped up to represent their communities,’ says Bobby.
‘City Vision members have fought hard for our communities this term. With Auckland Transport and other Council Controlled Organisations coming in house and local boards making more of those decisions, we need great people on local boards to continue progress on the investments our communities need. I’m thrilled to be campaigning alongside so many capable and energetic candidates,’ says Jon Turner.
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For more information contact: Bobby Shen, City Vision co-chair
[email protected]
cityvision.org.nz
Detailed Candidate Bios:
Waitematā:
- Dr Alexandra (Alex) Bonham is a Grey Lynn resident and a parent trustee of Ponsonby Intermediate. In her two terms on the Waitematā Local Board, including as Deputy Chair from 2019-2022, she has sat on the Auckland Domain Committee, led on urban planning, parks and disaster readiness, successfully advocated for tighter rules on helicopter noise, and supported Grey Lynn Business Association in becoming a formal Business Improvement District. Her doctoral research led to the publication of a book on play in cities.
- Anahera Rāwiri (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Paoa) is a consultant, cultural strategist and principal at a major architectural design practice. With a background in iwi development, she has held roles in iwi governance and on the Auckland City Centre Advisory Board. In her three years on the local board, she has advocated for making Auckland’s city centre a destination, restoring the natural environment, and supporting economic development, and has built relationships with the Parnell and Newmarket Business Associations.
- Peter Elliot (ONZM) is an actor, communicator, musician, motorcyclist and Westmere resident. His past governance roles include serving on the boards of Actors Equity, the Mixit Charitable Trust, and Baseball NZ. While on the board of Baseball NZ, he led the development of North Harbour Stadium as a baseball venue. His goals on the local board include reversing the Hauraki Gulf’s ecological decline, restoring Cox’s Creek and other urban awa, and growing Auckland’s arts, film and TV sector, including working to establish a National Theatre Company based in Auckland.
- Dr Kara Kennedy brings expertise in the technology and education sectors and is active in digital cultural heritage. A city centre resident, she aims to bring good management and a future-focused vision to enhancing Auckland’s city centre: supporting what works, addressing issues early, and making sure there’s something for all visitors and residents to enjoy.
- Theo van de Klundert is a city centre resident with experience in health and disability policy, student governance, and not-for-profit governance. A member of the Institute of Directors, Theo was appointed the inaugural board chair of Spectrum Work Aotearoa, and is a member of Auckland Council’s Rainbow Advisory Panel and the Rainbow Auckland business association. Theo’s aims include increasing the city centre’s economic vibrancy and enhancing community engagement with council.
- Connor Sharp is a writer and analyst on transport and housing policy. As a committee member of the City Centre Residents’ Group, he advocates for city centre residents on issues of transport, access, noise and air pollution. With many CCO responsibilities being transferred to local boards, Connor sees opportunities for local boards to provide a local voice in transport, housing and resilience to the effects of climate change.
- Caitlin Wilson brings skills in communications, politics and non-profit governance. As national coordinator for the Social Change Collective, a youth governance organisation, she is passionate about increasing youth participation in council decisions, making transport more affordable and accessible, and bringing more events to the city centre and surrounding suburbs.
Albert-Eden:
- Margi Watson is a past chair and current deputy chair of the Albert-Eden Local Board, and was first elected in 2010 after campaigning with the Waterview community for the Waterview Connection to be built as a tunnel. A trained nurse, Margi is a member of the Institute of Directors and has extensive governance experience on school boards, the Auckland Light Rail establishment unit board, and as a commercial director of West Auckland Trust Services.
- Dr Christina Robertson is a Sandringham resident and current member of the Albert-Eden Local Board with a background in research, tertiary education and transport advocacy. In her two terms on the local board, she has stood up for a safe and sustainable transport network, for more housing choice, and for healthier urban waterways.
- Emma McInnes is a qualified urban planner and designer who is currently the director of the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Eco Festival and the founder of the Waterview School Bike Train. A Waterview resident, she aims to bring her expertise in urban design and community safety to the local board, to support safe and sustainable transport options, and to protect Albert-Eden’s native wildlife – a stretch goal is to bring bats back to the Albert-Eden rohe.
- Jacqui Tay is a registered teacher and Mt Albert resident who has taught in Waterview and Point Chevalier since 2005. She runs the Point Chevalier Hub, which promotes local news, events and businesses. Her priorities as a grassroots community voice on the local board include equity, Te Tiriti, and community connection and cohesion.
- Jonty Carroll is a Mt Eden resident and disability advocate who works at Auckland Zoo. His goals on the local board include making the political process more inclusive for disabled Aucklanders, improving road safety, and restoring the natural environment in our parks and reserves.
- Paul Chalmers is a retired entrepreneur who owned an IT and business education firm in Mt Eden for over 20 years. His experience in business management is coupled with extensive governance and voluntary experience, including as chair of the Western Springs College Board of Trustees, founder of the Africa New Zealand Business Council and member of the Tree Council and Neighbourhood Support. Paul aims to bring a focus on efficiency and sustainability to the local board.
- Mark Graham is a business owner and former Olympic diver with extensive experience in publishing and communications in the architecture and building sector. As a community advocate, Mark led the successful campaign to save the Western Springs Pohutukāwa, coordinated a petition of over 1500 signatures for safer speeds in Point Chevalier, and is active in community weeding and orchard groups. On the local board, Mark aims to focus on road safety and supporting community volunteer efforts in parks and reserves.
- Michelle Thorp is a self-employed writer, producer and comedian in Mt Eden. She is the treasurer of the New Zealand Comedy Guild and has expertise in research, community engagement and communications. On the local board she aims to focus on economic vitality and community connections in the city fringe.
Puketāpapa:
- Jon Turner, who is also standing for Governing Body for the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward, is a two-term member of the Puketāpapa Local Board, serving as deputy chair from 2021-2022, and has chaired Manukau Harbour Forum since 2020. On the local board, Jon’s successes include widening and repairing footpaths, launching the first school bike train in Auckland, and funding environmental restoration in parks and reserves, and he aims to continue the board’s investment in parks and facilities for the growing area.
- Rowan Cant is a social worker and Roskill South local whose volunteer roles include coordinating Ta Tātou Mara Kai community garden in Molley Green Reserve, working with Hoodlinks afterschool club, coordinating church-based Te Tiriti workshops, and acting as safety officer for the Anglican service organisation Urban Vision. On the local board, he aims to strengthen community networks and help Puketāpapa’s diverse communities make the most of their parks and open spaces.
- Daniel Cliffords is a lifelong Lynfield resident who leads the Auckland branch of youth climate organisation Generation Zero and is the outreach coordinator for the Mt Roskill Community Association. Daniel’s focus in standing for local government is on climate adaptation, both preparing the community for severe weather events and helping coordinate the response. He also hopes to raise awareness of local government among young people and increase young people’s involvement with the local board.
- Soraiya Daud grew up in a family of small business owners in Mt Roskill, and works on housing strategy for Tāmaki Regeneration. She has a background in policy and non-profit governance, including leading a successful campaign against payday lending, and working to establish Mt Roskill’s first mosque with women on the trust board. On the local board, she aims to focus on housing and on better planning of Puketāpapa’s growing commercial areas and town centres.
- Miriam Hartmann is a Three Kings resident, musician and early childhood educator. She founded the Kōrero Mai te reo Māori speaking group at Mt Roskill Library, and as well as volunteering regularly with local conservation groups and Te Whangai Trust plant nursery, and leads the Friends of Te Tātua a Riukiuta volunteer group. On the local board, she aims to support environmental groups and community volunteers, and to promote road safety initiatives.
- Raphaela Rose is an architect and Three Kings resident with expertise in community engagement, planning mixed-use developments, and designing great public space. On the local board, she aims to use her experience to invest in effective public facilities and shape safe, sustainable, climate-resilient neighbourhoods where communities can thrive.