E ngā iwi o te motu, e rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Your Worship, I begin by congratulating you on your election to the office of Mayor of Auckland. I would also like to congratulate all members of the governing body and every local board member on their success.
I acknowledge in particular my ward colleague Sir John Walker. On 31 July 1976, Sir John powered away from Ivo Van Damme and Paul-Heinz Wellmann to win the gold medal in the men’s 1500 metres final at the Montreal Olympics.
That same year, around five weeks later, I was born at National Women’s Hospital. My then 19-year-old solo mother, Cathy Kraan, raised me on her own – I have never met my real father. It is an all too familiar story – a journey experienced by many of my constituents. That the good people of Manurewa-Papakura can elect both Sir John and I is a testament to our cosmopolitan tradition.
I would not be here but for the tremendous and empowering support of many people. I thank in particular: Angela Dalton – who is here today – and the countless other friends of a lifetime.
Manurewa-Papakura is a complex and contrasting community of people who have come here from all parts of the globe. We are hardworking people, and we value the role of family, whānau and aiga. Your Worship, we also value Easter Sunday as a time for loved ones, fellowship and rest. I hope to use my incumbency to promote more young people, more women, more Māori, Pasifika and Ethnic New Zealanders, and support their promotion to elected public office on merit.
This is what will be required if we are to drive greater participation in this council’s decision-making processes.
Politics is not easy. I wish Mr Calum Penrose and his family my best for their future endeavours. He sought to be a good and diligent representative, and I thank him for it.
Your Worship, I hope this term will see a transition to a workable and credible system of political leadership around this table, as well as co-governance with the local boards. There must be a cultural change to facilitate real change, which is driven by both political and executive leadership.
This body of people – the elected leadership – must shape the strategic direction and policies of this council. This must also inform our CCOs. Local boards should have responsibility to implement these strategies and policies, complemented by an enabling long-term plan, asset management plans, as well as the ability to pursue local procurement.
Our local boards need to help with place-shaping. We should not be scared of the co-governance option model – it is the means to drive public confidence and restore trust.
Your Worship, growth in itself is a vital business driver. However, we have a duty of care to balance our focus on growth with two other vital business drivers: the renewal of assets, and levels of service.
Our constituents – hardworking people who represent of region’s dynamism – deserve value for every dollar of rates spent. Progress moving forward should not mean a decline in the standard of living for the people of Tāmaki Makaurau.
Your Worship, one of the greatest challenges facing my community is the plight of many of our Year 9 cohort, who are unable to cope with secondary curriculum because of insufficient standards of literacy and numeracy.
Too many of those young people – many of whom are disengaged Māori and Pasifika people – are failing in education. The solution will be found in the home. It will be found in the classroom. And it will be found in trade-training and employment pathways. It will also be found in business enterprise.
I will use my time in public life to advocate for certain things:
- I will use my advocacy and facilitation to enable greater child participation in early childhood education to provide for better pre-school foundation learning
- I will support my local teachers to adopt a more integrated curriculum to ensure that the necessary foundation literacy and numeracy skills are taught in a way that is engaging our children
- I will seek ways and opportunities to facilitate family literacy
- I will be an enthusiastic supporter of organisations like the Graeme Dingle Foundation to support the roll-out of great initiatives like KiwiCan within Manurewa and Papakura schools.
I will be a busy representative for the people who elected me to serve. I thank them for their confidence and hope to do them proud.
Politics is a noble tradition and service is a privilege. I aim to do justice to my time here for however long that may be.
My prayers and love to Cathy and Tony; Angela, George and Jan; and to May – who is forever in my heart and in my prayers. I feel truly blessed for the love and friendship of so many.
I thank you.
