Sunday Start Times Opinion Piece

31 August 2025

“Yes we can.” Former US President Barack Obama's powerful slogan encapsulated a desire to achieve more and make

things happen.

This sentiment is incredibly relevant to Auckland, which has diverse challenges and many opportunities in its future. So we need a Council that makes good decisions through careful consideration of the path ahead. Listening to all points of view, scrutinising information and making good sensible decisions. Every dollar spent by Council must represent real value for money.

To achieve that, we need a team of Councillors willing to work together to advance our wonderful City. Our Council needs to move beyond the political theatre and focus on what matters: delivering for our communities, fixing our infrastructure, and managing our finances responsibly.

 The job of a councillor isn't to block, grandstand and delay. A good councillor builds consensus, to bring people together, and to find a path to "yes."

As a candidate on the "Fix Auckland" ticket in Albany, we believe our city needs a direction defined by constructive collaboration, not endless political friction that leads to delays and inevitably - increased costs.

Albany is a major part of our city and deserves a strong voice around the Council table. We need representation that focuses on improving local services and dealing with the massive impact of the rapid growth in our area. While keeping rates affordable. We will be strong advocates for our Ward, working to get the other 19 votes around the Council table to say ‘Yes” when we bring forward solutions.

Our Mayor Wayne Brown wants to focus on “Fixing Auckland”, that can mean taking some tough decisions. We joined his ticket because we share his commitment to finding solutions for Auckland, not just highlighting problems.

The Mayor’s role is to lead, and a councillor's role is to work with that leadership to achieve the best outcomes for their ward and our city. This doesn't mean we will always agree, but it does mean we will always seek a way forward.

In our experience in local government, the most successful initiatives are born from shared sense of direction. As Councillors we won’t just vote "no" out of habit, we will work to shape a proposal into something that everyone can support. We won’t be afraid to disagree, but we are committed to finding a way to say "yes" to progress and positive change. And do so with an open mind.

Our ticket is built on this principle. By working together, we can achieve faster progress, more effective solutions, and Fix Auckland for everyone. And yes, we can!