The elections with multiple messages
The 2025 local body elections are over with the Official Results finally released. First, I wish to thank all those people who voted for me, especially the dedicated team of volunteers led by Puneet...
Ponui Kiwi for Waiheke?
Letter to the editor Gulf News Dear Editor, In regard to the forthcoming talk by the inspirational Paul Ward hosted by Te Korowai o Waiheke, it’s really encouraging to hear of good news on...
The election of paradoxes: how the ‘insider’ was really the outsider – and vice versa
This is my last column as the councillor for Waitematā & Gulf so I wish to thank all the wonderful people who have helped and supported me over my time as your representative. A...
Kangaroos in the Hauraki Gulf
the remarkable story of Kawau Island’s wallabies Auckland Council is currently spending millions of dollars to eradicate wallabies from Kawau using 1080, guns, dogs and drones. It’s a divisive issue unfortunately and I frankly...
Local Body elections – the decision is now in your hands
Dear Waitematā & Gulf voters, A recent Auckland@15 survey revealed ‘low trust in council governance’ with only ‘18% of Aucklanders feeling they have influence over council decisions.’ Despite the council now taking over $3 billion in rates and...
Housing unaffortability & the consequences of the Left’s ongoing alignment neoliberal developer friendly deregulation policies
How do we solve the housing crisis and the problem of housing unaffordability The housing crisis, and the persistant failure by the political class to solve it, is in many ways the consequences of...
Council’s high rise towers plan will not help affordability but will wreck heritage neighbourhoods
This to enable property developers to reach into the highly desirable northern slopes of St Mary’s and Herne Bays currently a special character area. ‘Location, location, location’. Photo Grant Mountjoy.
High Noon for helipads
Helipads and their ear-shattering impacts on neighbours have become highly controversial in recent years, especially so in this ward. The issue was brought to a head once agaIn by the now rather notorious proposed...
The Killing of Queens Street; the sad end of Smith & Caughey’s
The elitist ‘City Centre Master Plan’ is strangling the life out of the city centre The closing of Smith & Caughey’s with the loss of 98 jobs after 145 years as Auckland’s premier department...
Kiwi released on Waiheke – the return of our national bird
Kiwi releas On a brilliant sunny afternoon on Friday 16 May on Waiheke Island, a visionary conservation project, 15 years in the making, finally came to fruition. One of the Ponui kiwis about to...
War – Humanity hanging from a Cross of iron
This year was the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings which ANZAC Day was founded to commemorate. From that time onwards thousands of communities, in towns and cities across New Zealand and Australia, have...
St James theatre restoration finally gets the green light & Waitematā & Gulf boundary changes overturned by Local Government Commission
On 27 February Council’s Governing Body confirmed the formal agreement between the council, government and the owners to enable the restoration of St James Theatre to finally proceed. Mayor Wayne Brown inviting me to second...