CHLÖE SWARBRICK: MP AUCKLAND CENTRAL

LOCAL NEWS CHLÖE SWARBRICK: Auckland Central MP

If we want to get big things done in and for this city, we need alignment between central and local government.

That’s not to be confused with agreement on all things. It’s about finding the areas of accord. Some of those issues will be obvious, while others will take a whole lot of work.

This is why I was glad to hold one of the first official public meetings with our new mayor, who also happens to live just around the corner from Ponsonby. About half of my electorate workload involves trying to get council to do something; to implement the City Centre Masterplan (signed off 10 years ago), enable more community gardens (a collaboration with Bayfield School hopefully coming soon!) or just install and maintain public toilets.

It was brilliant that we were able to find areas of consensus, most notably on city vibrancy and safety. These included supporting the Māori wardens with a base at Myer’s Park, resourcing Heart of the City and City Mission’s ‘Street Guardians’ programme, a public toilet strategy with budget attached, a single-point contact for those experiencing or concerned about those experiencing homelessness and removing barriers for food trucks (remember the White Lady drama?). These are all tangible and measurable actions that will make a difference, especially together.

Tangible matters, because that’s what council has the mandate and flexibility to do: to govern, improve and care for our immediate natural and built environment. It’s got levers that central government does not and it should use them.

Returning 77 hectares of waterfront land to Aucklanders is tangible – on that, the mayor and I strongly agree. I know some of the foundational work had been considered by former Mayor Phil Goff, particularly when it came to separating the land and operating company.

We’ve had reports up to our eyeballs for more than a decade noting the operation will run out of space within the next 30 (now 20) years, so the move is not a surprise to anyone who’s been following the issue. I met with, then wrote to CE Roger Gray in March asking that they start removing cars from the ‘fingers’ along to Bledisloe Wharf for public use. But it takes alignment with council’s plans and priorities for things to start moving.

Speaking of, council consultation is currently open on concepts for the restoration and modernisation of the Leys Institute – thank you to Friends of Leys’ Helen Geary for the ongoing advocacy and provision of information for all of us supporters out there! Please do submit to show the tidal wave of community support for getting this beautiful building restored and back in community hands.

In parliament, we’re closer than we’ve ever been to an Inquiry into the Covid-19 economic response, with Minister Hipkins announcing mid-October that the government was scoping one on the entire response. It’s disappointing to have lost so much time to politics in Finance and Expenditure Committee, my motion for us to fulfil our democratic function to undertake such an inquiry blocked every sitting week for almost a year now by Labour members, but I’m glad we’ll finally take these important steps.

Work also continues across all other portfolios, not the least in tertiary education, I’ve been working for two months to get investigation into and policy change on inconsistent postgraduate and placements support. This could make all the difference to the pipeline of not only research and innovation in Aotearoa, but our social workers, nurses, clinical mental health workforce and so much more. (CHLÖE SWARBRICK)  PN

Mayor Wayne Brown and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick discussing actions Council can take for the electorate.

CHLÖE SWARBRICK, T: 09 378 4810, E: chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz www.greens.org.nz/chloe_swarbrick

Kia ora Ponsonby!

Let’s talk about our community.

Get in touch about any local issues or if you need support. I’m here to help and would love to hear from you. Chlöe Swarbrick MP for Auckland Central

09 378 4810 chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz

Richard Northey - World Homeless Day

RICHARD NORTHEY: FORMER WAITEMATĀ LOCAL BOARD CHAIR

This will be my last article for the Ponsonby News as Chair of the Waitematā Local Board.

I will not be seeking the chair’s position and am happy to pass it on to someone with a fresh outlook. I want to thank all of you who voted or campaigned for me to return me to the Waitematā Board and I pledge that I will continue to work hard in the interests of the people, communities and businesses of the Waitematā Board area.

I also want to express my appreciation and thanks for the great work of former Councillor and 9-year Waitematā Board member Pippa Coom and to the Waitematā Local Board Members of the last term, particularly to Glenda Fryer, who was not re-elected. I look forward to working positively and constructively with whoever the new board chair is and with all my colleagues on the newly elected board. The new board will be sworn in at a public meeting on Wednesday 2 November at 4pm in the reception lounge of the Town Hall.

I will be continuing to advocate for a more active and effective role for council to ensure all Aucklanders can access secure, affordable and appropriate housing and am pictured with fellow board member Gen Sage pledging to do so at the 10 October World Homelessness Day Rally in Freyberg Square. New Mayor Wayne Brown, at a big meeting at St Matthews, pledged to establish a working group to develop practical ways to give real effect to the right to housing in Auckland and he should be held to that.

The right to housing is vital for everyone to fully participate in society by having a secure place to call home. By not providing enough affordable homes and putting Auckland’s homeless people long-term into often inappropriate central city motels and boarding houses they have failed both the homeless and the neighbouring residents and businesses.

People who are stressed, have mental health or addiction issues, or a tendency towards criminal or anti-social behaviour, have inevitably contributed to what people feel to be unsafe inner-city streets and neighbourhoods. We need the right mixture of better housing and social policies and policing and security policies. The board has been working regularly with council and CCO staff and business associations to enhance the resurgence of the central city which is now well underway with activities and events helping the inner city and city fringe businesses recover and attract people back and making the neighbourhoods safer. our range and quality of council services, progress the Ponsonby Park project and restore and upgrade of the Leys Institute. A public consultation on two options for the future design of the Leys Institute is open until Thursday 1 December on our website and we look forward to hearing what you have to say. The governing body also agreed to a targeted rate to take more action by providing better bus services and more trees to combat climate change. This targeted rate will reinforce our board’s own extensive and diverse work supporting and promoting low carbon lifestyles.

We have restored the very old heritage cottage in Myers Park for public use. The flying fox in Grey Lynn Park has been restored - safer but equally exciting. A photo from the opening event, which was enjoyed by hundreds of school children, is attached. The former board advocated to council to continue to protect quality heritage and special character areas while also supporting well designed new development in the inner suburbs in its Unitary Plan review and I am confident the new board will also do so.

We are urging the provision of better-quality public toilets in central Karangahape Road and safer footpaths in Ponsonby Road and elsewhere. The Waitematā Board is organising the Parnell Festival of Roses on Sunday 13 November at Dove-Myer Robinson Park and sponsoring the Festival Italiano in Osborne Street, Newmarket the same day. We are also sponsoring the Grey Lynn Park Festival on Saturday 19 November and the restored Franklin Road Christmas Lights from early December. (RICHARD NORTHEY)  PN

I can always be contacted on 021 534 546, E: richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz