Roskill Community Voice

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Media Release: City Vision Candidates Selected and Campaigning

City Vision Media Release

City Vision Candidates Selected and Campaigning 

City Vision is the first team to select candidates and start campaigning across the Waitemata and Albert-Eden-Roskill wards for this year’s Auckland Council elections.

“Over the past three years our elected members on the Governing Body of Council, Local Boards, Licensing Trusts, and the Auckland District Health Board have led the way. With strong and effective incumbents in place, and an exciting group of community-connected new candidates, we are ready and eager to take our message out to the people of our communities” says City Vision spokesperson Gwen Shaw.

“Our communities need a strong voice in the Auckland Council structure, and it is City Vision who will provide that. In our communities we are the only team who stands for:

  • Public ownership of our important community assets.
  • Better public transport including completion of the City Rail Link
  • Giving our communities a real voice by delegating responsibility and resources to the local level.

“City Vision is ready and organised. We will be taking our campaign to local streets and town centres to hear from local people and to win their support. Local people deserve a strong community voice and we will deliver”, says Gwen Shaw.

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Full media release available on Scoop, with all City Vision affiliated and endorsed candidates. Below are the ones relevant to the Puketapapa Local Board area.

Albert-Eden-Roskill Ward – City Vision 

Cathy Casey – Dr Cathy Casey, the current Albert-Eden-Roskill ward Councillor is experienced and effective. She is a strong advocate for building strong inclusive communities across Auckland with access to quality council services and facilities like libraries and community centres.

Peter Haynes – As Albert-Eden Local Board Chair, Peter Haynes has worked to protect AlbertEden’s heritage and character, improve our open spaces and strengthen the local economy. A strong believer in local democracy and transparent processes, he looks forward to greater emphasis on community-led initiatives in the next term.

Puketapapa Local Board – Roskill Community Voice

Michael Wood – Michael is a Dad of two from Roskill South, a sitting member of the Puketapapa Local Board, and has wide involvement and experience in a range of community groups. He is a passionate supporter of Roskill’s parks and heritage, and believes that it is time for Roskill to receive a fairer share of Council resources.

Garth Houltham – Garth is a father of one son and has resided in Hillsborough for sixteen years. He is committed to protecting the heritage of Roskill, improving public transport and getting a fairer deal for Roskill residents.

Julie Fairey – Julie is a current member of the Puketapapa Local Board and helped to establish the Puketapapa Garden Web to support Roskill’s community gardens. She has a strong interest in helping advocate for our area’s needs, in particular better access to community funding and public input to Council decision-making.

Harry Doig – Harry has been involved with community development for a number of years – the last two in Puketapapa / Mt Roskill. He believes that Puketapapa residents should have a greater say in how their community works and believes that the Local Board is a great way for residents to have their say.

David Holm – David has lived in the Puketapapa Board area since 1970 and sees it as a great place to bring up a family. He is keen for the Board to involve the community in initiatives to provide local employment, reduce congestion and plan for liveable housing and recreation facilities.

Shail Kaushal – Shail is City Vision’s youngest candidate and brings with him fresh thinking, new ideas about leadership, and great energy. He is also committed to being a voice for Mt Roskill’s diverse ethnic communities. A proud graduate from Mt Roskill Intermediate and Grammar, he is passionate about sustainability, giving youth a fair go, putting families first and developing safer communities with better resourcing for Roskill.

Auckland District Health Board – City Vision Health

Jo Agnew – Jo is a wife, mother of two and a Registered nurse who works in Nursing Education. She has served on the ADHB for the last six years. Two areas of great interest and concern to Jo are the Disability sector and the older person’s health sector. Jo believes it is imperative that nursing as a profession is represented on the ADHB so that patient advocacy is prioritised and a clinical focus is maintained.

Will ‘Ilolahia – Will is a Pasifika grandfather of 12, born and bred in Auckland’s CBD. He has been a Gullian barre Syndrome sufferer and wants to be strong advocate for patients on the DHB. He believes that the DHB must serve the interests of all New Zealanders, both new and old.

Helen Gaeta – Helen works in the Health Faculty at AUT University, teaching neuroscience and conducting research on the ageing brain. Helen believes equal access to preventive and primary health care is a cornerstone of social wellbeing.

Robyn Northey – Robyn is a sitting member of the DHB and has worked her whole adult life in front line health services as a Chief Executive, General Manager of Age Care and Disability Services, Health Social Worker and School Dental Nurse. She believes that all Aucklanders who are sick or have a disability should receive effective and timely treatment and services.

Also running for ADHB under the City Vision Health banner: Jeanette Elley, Brent Morrissey and Lesley Whyte

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Media release: Progress for progressive values in Albert-Eden-Roskill

Progress for progressive values in Albert-Eden-Roskill 

With one year until the local government election, elected representatives from City Vision and Roskill Community Voice in the Albert-Eden-Roskill area are pleased with their achievements promoting progressive policies since the new council was established.

The new Auckland Council came into existence two years ago and at that time many people worried it would mean local communities would lose their voice.

“We’ve been fighting to make sure the new structure looks after our local communities,” says spokesperson for City Vision and councillor for Albert-Eden-Roskill Ward Cathy Casey.

“Progressive elected members on the Governing Body and Local Boards of Auckland Council have had their shoulders to the wheel delivering better public transport, keeping rates fair, protecting heritage and the environment, and supporting investment in our local communities.

Cr Casey was speaking to launch the two year accountability reports for City Vision and Roskill Community Voice in Albert-Eden-Roskill. She says City Vision and supporting groups (made up of Labour, Greens and community independents) have been working together to try and make the new unified governance structure a success.

“We think it’s important to communicate what we have been doing at the same time as listening to what people think is important about their city. Many people tell us they’re pleased to see progressive values becoming embedded in Auckland”, says City Vision member of the Albert-Eden Local Board Peter Haynes.
“Many people had strong reservations about the ‘Supercity’ at the time of its creation, and while concerns remain, we’re working to bring Auckland together, end the negative do-nothing politics of the past and give our communities a voice.”

The reports cover the Puketapapa and Albert-Eden Local Local Boards and Albert-Eden-Roskill Ward. A report has also been produced for the Waitemata Local Board and Ward area. The reports show our elected members delivering on their election commitments, including:

  • Being staunch advocates for public ownership of public assets by fighting off attempts to privatise the airport, ports and water utility company from Communities & Ratepayer representatives
  • Advocating for stronger environmental and heritage protection standards
  • Prudent financial oversight and working to reduce the impact of the government’s amalgamation on rates – Strongly pushing for better public transport, including the City Rail Link
  • Supporting decision making at the local level to ensure local communities continue to see investment in their areas

“While some on Council have chosen to snipe from the sidelines and play negative political games, we have focussed on the issues that matter for Aucklanders”, says Roskill Community Voice member of the Puketapapa Local Board Michael Wood.

“Two years since the establishment of the new Auckland Council we are proud of our achievements, but also see much to be done. The disastrous Ports dispute must be solved fairly, CCOs need to be opened up to more public scrutiny, Local Boards need more equitable funding, the government should support our public transport agenda and Council must hold its nerve on the vision of a quality compact city. Our elected members will continue to speak up for our communities on all of these issues”, says Mr Wood.

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Media statement: Community seek discussion with The Warehouse about Pah Rd development

Community seek discussion with The Warehouse about Pah Rd development
“Community members are calling on The Warehouse to meet with them to discuss their concerns about the new store being constructed on Pah Rd,” says Julie Fairey, Roskill Community Voice member on the Puketapapa Local Board.
As legal channels to stop or change the “big box” retail development on Pah Rd have been exhausted, the community is now writing to the CEO of The Warehouse.  “Locals want to know how The Warehouse intends to address their concerns around noise, traffic, parking, flooding, and construction, as well as the impact of the store on the Royal Oak Town Centre and nearby parks,” says Michael Wood, Roskill Community Voice member on the Puketapapa Local Board.
“As a company committed to New Zealand communities we are hoping that The Warehouse will be open to public dialogue on this issue, and that we can find some ways to mitigate the negatives of this development,” says Wood.
A community letter was sent yesterday by 12 community members, including two Members of Parliament, to The Warehouse’s CEO, Mark Powell.  The letter outlines the concerns and questions of the community, and seeks a response from The Warehouse by way of a community meeting to discuss the development.  Further groups and individuals are being approached to support the community letter, including the Maungakiekie-Tamaki and Puketapapa Local Boards.   A copy of the letter is appended below, after the background information on the issue. 
“We look forward to a positive response from The Warehouse, and are hopeful that there are some steps they can take to ease the concerns of the community.  Perhaps with some inventive thinking The Warehouse can make sure this development is a bargain for the local community too,” said Fairey.
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Background:
The proposal to build a “The Warehouse” retail store, with associated carparking and additional retail tenancies and road changes, has been undertaken by Eldamos Investments.  The sites the development would cover are 100 Pah Rd (formerly the site of the Holeproof factory), 677, 677A and 679 Mount Albert Rd.  The total retail floor area would be 7500m2, with carparking less than the minimum required under current regulations. 
The resource consent notification for this proposal was notified on November 5th 2010.  It did not go in City Scene, as past notifications of this nature would have, because City Scene was no longer being published as a result of the Auckland Council amalgamation which took effect on November 1st 2010.  Roskill Community Voice leafleted approximately 500 local households in early December 2010 to encourage public submissions, whether for, against or neutral. We were surprised to discover that many locals did not know about the resource consent at all, or The Warehouse’s plans.  This was only a matter of a few days before submissions closed on December 10th.  With the assistance of Councillor Cathy Casey, we sought an extension to the submission deadline, however this was declined by the CEO of Auckland Council.  Given the high level of contact we received from locals on this issue we organised a public meeting in the area to gain broader community feedback on the proposal. In mid December 2010 over 70 people attended this public meeting about the proposal and voted unanimously to oppose it.  In late January 2011  Roskill Community Voice began circulating a petition  amongst local residents, opposing the development.  
Of the 23 submissions made on the resource consent application, 21 opposed the application, while the remaining 2 were neutral.  Those submitting against included the James Wallace Arts Trust, the Onehunga Business Association, and the Parks, Sport and Recreation department of the Auckland Council.  All local residents who submitted on the proposal indicated they opposed it.  Carol Beaumont MP submitted against the proposal as well, presenting a 300-signature strong petition to the commissioners. 
The decision of the three independent commissioners was released on April 13th.  A community meeting was held on 8th May to discuss next steps, and from that efforts were undertaken by the community to pursue an Environment Court appeal, but this was unable to proceed.  Since then an informal organising group of locals has been established, and determined that the next step was to send a letter from the community to The Warehouse raising the key issues and seeking a response by way of a community meeting.  The letter was sent by email on 7th October, and by post on 8th October. 

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Media Statement: Monte Cecilia School first on agenda

“The election of two Roskill Community Voice Members on to the Puketapapa Local Board has brought the fate of Monte Cecilia School to the top of the local political agenda,” says Roskill Community Voice member of the Puketapapa Local Board Michael Wood.

“We campaigned hard on this issue and now we have made it our first order of business. We have called for an extraordinary meeting of the Board on Tuesday 9 November, at which a motion will be put urging the Council to review the current proposal to uproot Monte Cecilia School, and to consider other more cost effective options to re-locate the school within the park,” says Wood.

“The local community remains furious about the way they have been treated, with consultation throughout the process being farcical. More broadly, Aucklanders are concerned about the massive unfunded cost of this pet project. Cost estimates of between $50 – $100 million mean that ratepayers from around the region will be stung, and there will also be less money available for other open space projects across Auckland.”

“It is our hope that a new Council and a new Board can look at the whole project with fresh eyes, and arrive at a win-win solution that meets the needs of all parties, and saves Auckland ratepayers tens of millions of dollars. We are discussing the issue with elected members across party lines and believe that a reasonable compromise can be agreed upon,” continues Wood.

“Our motion at the first business meeting of the Puketapapa Board is a moderate one that simply seeks to open the books on the current proposal and to look at the options. We strongly hope that the Board supports this reasonable approach and that it can be the start of a process that heals the rifts created by the Monte Cecilia project,” concludes Wood.

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Media Statement: Roskill Community Voice straight to work

“The election of two Roskill Community Voice candidates to the Puketapapa Local Board represents an historic shift away from C&R dominance in Mt Roskill. We intend to use our two Board positions to speak up loudly on behalf of our community”, says newly elected Board member Michael Wood.

“Our ticket was formed just six months ago, so to win two positions on the Board is a real achievement, and a testament to the hard work of our whole team of candidates and supporters. We would also like to thank the people of Mt Roskill for putting their trust in us. We will work hard on the issues we were elected on”, says newly elected Board member Julie Fairey

“First off the blocks we will be taking the fight up for the Monte Cecilia School community. We campaigned to take all lawful steps to stop the wasteful and shameful forced eviction of the school, and that is what we will now do. There is a new Council and a new Board and we are confident that a solution can be found that maintains the school on the site while meeting the objectives of other parties. We will be taking steps on this issue within a week”, continues Wood

“We will be fighting hard on many other issues too, including the spread of unwanted bottle shops, improved access to early childhood education, and ensuring that our community gets a fair share of the Supercity cake”, says Fairey

“We will be pro-active Board members who will actively campaign on the issues that matter. We will also be constructive where we can, and plan to discuss a number of matters with our C&R colleagues over the coming weeks. We want all residents to be actively engaged in the new Board and encourage them to contact us with any issues”, concludes Wood.

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