Local councils are the level of government closest to the community. From transport to infrastructure, libraries to sporting facilities, emergency management to parks through to waste and environmental protection, the council plays a vital role in our community.
Auckland’s local election is less than six months away and Aucklanders are looking for bold leadership to take on the opportunities and challenges the city will face in the upcoming term. And there are many for the people elected to our council.
Aucklanders are all too aware of the issues facing their city and have their own views on how they might fix them.
To help, Auckland is looking for candidates to put their hands up to take on the challenge and play a critical leadership role in setting the strategic direction of their city. Auckland needs a team of leaders to accelerate the city’s journey in addressing climate change, growth, infrastructure, and transport while serving an increasingly diverse community.
“While there are many decisions to be made, a candidate doesn’t have to be a boss, have a degree or have had experience on committees or boards,” says Rose Leonard, Manager of Governance Services at Auckland Council.
“We are looking for diverse candidates to represent our super-diverse region. The best decisions are made when there are a range of perspectives at the table.
“Although no formal qualifications or experience is needed, it will help to have good communication skills, decision-making and strategic thinking abilities and be able to collaborate with others,” she adds.
Could you be one of the candidates to join with others to address these issues; could you help your local community?
Want to see more climate action?
Not only is the city changing, so too is our natural environment. Decision-makers will need to lead Tāmaki Makaurau’s preparedness for these changes. Auckland Council has set targets to reduce emissions with a planned approach to build resilience to adapt to climate change and proposes to invest funds to respond to the climate emergency.
What leadership will Auckland’s incoming elected representatives provide on plans for funding, policy development and the protection of our communities?
Believe in a fairer future for all?
Tāmaki Makaurau is an exciting city to live, work and play in. Aucklanders will want to know how newly elected members will serve diverse communities with their different needs, to create a fairer city. Currently council is implementing programmes and initiatives that are inclusive and sustainable to stimulate socio-economic change. These programmes offer leadership roles within local communities.
How will Auckland’s new representatives prioritise and advocate for the needs of a wide range of communities?
Care about how Auckland’s money is spent?
Auckland has many services that require funding. A key challenge for decision-makers will be deciding how to spend the budget for a growing city. At the start of the pandemic, in response to COVID-19 impacts, Auckland Council proposed an emergency budget, identified savings and managed to reduce costs.
How will the next group of elected members decide on these competing priorities?
Auckland Council has just released the Pre-election Report [PDF] required by legislation to help candidates and voters understand the key financial and non-financial matters for the city. It provides information on the opportunities and challenges facing the council and highlights issues that will need to be considered in the next council term. It expands on major projects the council expects to fund over the next three years and you can read the full 2022 Pre-election Report here.
If you care about Auckland and want to make a difference, stand as a candidate in the local elections. Stand as mayor or a councillor if you want to make decisions that affect the whole Auckland region. Stand as a local board member if you want to provide civic leadership, set local priorities and decide on local matters.
Nominations open 15 July 2022 and close 12 August 2022.
If you think you have got what it takes – visit voteauckland.co.nz for all the details.
