The BFD | Albert-Eden Local Board (Maungawhau Subdivision): An Absolutely Biased Guide to Auckland Local Elections

Albert-Eden Local Board (Maungawhau Subdivision)

RATINGS GUIDE:

$ to $$$$$ with $ being a leftist trougher and $$$$$ being small government dynamo

For some however a clown is more appropriate. More than one may be awarded.

Maungawhau Subdivision

There are 8 candidates for this 4 seat subdivision of the Albert-Eden Local Board. You may cast up to 4 votes in this FPP contest

Linda Cassells – City Vision $$

Linda likes to get things done. That’s great, depending on the things.

She has served on the Council of the Publishers Association of New Zealand.

The book publishing sector experienced a “severe digital disruption to distribution channels in 2013-14” but has since rebounded.

“PANZ enjoins the government to work closely with us and our partners (such as Booksellers NZ, the NZ Book Council, Copyright Licensing NZ, the NZ Society of Authors and WeCreate) to support the creative sector contribution to New Zealand’s cultural and economic wellbeing.”

PANZ Manifesto

Cassells has also worked as a literary advisor to Creative New Zealand.

Her candidate profile states: “My top priorities are restoring our environment, even better parks, and building a stronger, more vibrant community through libraries, cultural and arts projects, and thriving local businesses.

I am a lifelong lover of books and reading…”

Guess we can see where she will be sending Albert-Eden Local Board’s share of funding. Guess it is up to you to decide whether that is a worthwhile project. Personally I think cultural and arts projects should stand on their own two feet (through market demand or private philanthropy) or not at all.

Lee Corrick – C&R – Communities and Residents $$$

Corrick is an incumbent who has contributed to the Local Board’s unhealthy obsession with historical preservation. When I say unhealthy, I don’t mean historical preservation is bad, I mean Local Boards sticking their beaks into private property owners’ business is.

As an incumbent, Corrick must take some responsibility for the shambles of an upgrade in Mt Albert village which I covered during the rating of Albert-Eden-Puketapapa’s ward race. When the Chair of AT says, at the opening, it was a “job not well done”, that is disastrous.

Her priorities over the next three years focus on high standards in “community facilities and parks, improved pedestrian safety…and to strengthen community networks. I enjoy working alongside the community to navigate the often-confusing council processes.”

Everything I could want from a local board member.

Yeshe Dawa – City Vision $

Dawa, like me, is part of Generation Rent. A Local Board member’s salary isn’t going to change that.

She wants to see more affordable housing options (which she can do nothing about aside from advocacy). Speaking of things Local Board members can do nothing about, she also wants to take action against climate change.

Peter Haynes – City Vision

After several failed attempts to be elected to council as Cathy Casey’s running mate, she has ditched the prehistoric moaning minnie for someone who wants to increase rates but doesn’t know why.

Why is Hayne’s prehistoric? His obsession with preserving volcanic rock walls regardless of whether they’re on public or private property is dangerous.

Moaning Minnie? When a busy local supermarket refurbished and expanded, the Herald asked him for comment:

Peter Haynes, Albert Eden Local Board chairman, complained about the store growing so much.

“I know that I’m not the only person in my neighbourhood – Mt Eden/Balmoral – who preferred the supermarket as it was and who now finds that there’s a lot more walking required to do the same shop,” Haynes said.

But he is happy with the Valley Rd basalt rock wall which was a local victory.

“I doubt very much whether they would have thought of the rock wall,” he said referring to Countdown “but they were very happy to incorporate that into their plans.

“As it is, I think that the rock wall shows very tangibly a concern for the local, and will be perceived that way by the local people.”

Demolition of two residences on the site was also initially opposed by some locals due to heritage value and the encroachment of commercial into a residential area, Haynes said, and questions were raised about a big car park expansion.

Auckland Council found the building had little heritage value, Haynes said.

As the chairman of the Local Board, Haynes must take full responsibility for their investigations of private property for historic value, without the owner’s consent or knowledge.

The Albert Eden Local Board 2017 plan states:

“Our iconic villas and rock walls date back to the 19th century and give our suburbs their unique character. You have told us you are concerned that heritage features such as these are not being preserved appropriately. We will work with private owners to encourage restoration and maintenance. We will continue to advocate for protection (sic) of relevant sites through heritage provisions in town planning and development activity.

“Challenges • Many of our heritage buildings and natural features are on privately-owned land.”

If you are a property owner, Peter Haynes presents a clear and present danger to your property rights. Despite being elected Chairman of the Local Board, he only just scraped in during the 2016 election by 96 votes. You have an excellent chance to be rid of him in 2019.

Rachel Langton – C&R – Communities & Residents $$$$$

Langton has served on the local board for 6 years and was the highest polling candidate in 2016. She has ten years of experience as a lawyer, in employment and local government law. That’s got to be darn useful.

She claims her successes include championing the Potters Park redevelopment (I agree, it looks great) and the sporting facility upgrades at Windmill and Nicholson Parks.

Whether she had nothing to do with the Mt Albert village upgrade or is simply too embarrassed to mention it, I’m unsure.

Benjamin Lee – C&R – Communities and Residents $$$$

Incumbent member. With an engineering degree, he should be capable of making meaningful contributions to transport and infrastructure solutions.

Lee is at least honest about the limitations of being a local board member. He will advocate for putting Eden Park on a financially sustainable path (I hope that means sending Helen Clark into exile on Little Barrier Island) and setting up residents parking schemes in the suburbs.

That’s a good idea.

Bernadette Power – City Vision $$

Power backs practical, safe ways for families to travel between home and work, having seen how “community-led initiatives like the Walking School Bus create strong neighbourhood networks, while getting kids to school safely.” She must also know that these Walking School Buses are administered by Auckland Transport, not the Local Board. Guess she just ran out of room to write that in her profile (149/150 words – fair enough).

She has plenty of experience working on large scale transport projects in Sydney and Auckland which would give her a solid knowledge of best practice transport infrastructure.

That knowledge will be largely wasted on Local Board, restricted to haranguing Auckland Transport rather than, say working for them.

Kendyl Smith – C&R – Communities and Residents $$$

Kendyl is a nooby to local politics. What she has done prior includes pioneering the ‘Attitude’ programme for The Parenting Place, which teaches life skills.

Her goals for Local Board are appropriate:

“I want to see good use of public space, strong and safe communities, sensible solutions for traffic congestion and thriving businesses. Our community is a great place to live but could be even better.”

Sensible.

MY RECOMMENDATIONS: You have up to 4 votes in this FPP contest