Danielle Borell-Faa’soo, 19, campaigns for Western Bay mayor with youth focus

Danielle Borell-Faa'soo wants young people to learn they have a voice too. Photo / Supplied

Local body elections are under way and eight hopefuls are vying for the Western Bay of Plenty’s top job. Local Democracy Reporting quizzed the mayoral candidates about key issues ahead of the October 11 election. This is the final profile in the series.

Quick Bio

• Name: Danielle Borell-Faa’soo
• Age: 19
• Resides: Auckland
• Profession: Unemployed, looking at study options
• Political party affiliations: None

The council’s youngest candidate, 19-year-old Danielle Borell-Faa’soo wants to be Western Bay of Plenty’s mayor to inspire other rangatahi (youth).

“I want people my age to learn about how they have voices too, and how they shouldn’t be afraid to speak up to older people,” she said.

Borell-Faa’soo is also running in the Kaimai ward and said she would move from Auckland to the district if she was elected.

She previously lived in Whakamārama for a year, with her aunty Suaree Borell − who is also running for mayor − and attended Tauranga Girls’ College.

Borell-Faa’soo’s three priorities as mayor were water infrastructure, the Te Puna industrial park and roads.

The decisions around how water was used and where were far-reaching and had impacts across council functions, she said.

“Without water you can’t build communities.”

Ask what she would do about roads and the industrial park, she said: “I don’t really know.”

Her long-term goal for the district was to stop spending council funds on “out-of-date” consultants who did not know how to talk to communities.

Asked for a nice-to-have on her agenda, Borell-Faa’soo said to become mayor and for other rangatahi to “have a turn” as well.

Danielle Borell-Faa’soo wants to change the Western Bay's roads because there is too much traffic. Photo / Alex Cairns

“I want people not to judge 18-year-olds and up [older] for just doing the adult stuff.”

She also said she wanted to change the roads in the Western Bay because “there’s so much crashes and traffic going between roadworks” which was “really bad for people”.

Borell-Faa’soo was open to discussion about amalgamating with other councils because she believed fewer councillors would mean fewer costs and the sharing of resources and investments could make things cheaper.

“I am open to that discussion with the view that community being engaged from the outset.”

She supports Māori wards for councils because “nobody loses”.

“It’s important for representative democracy and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

Asked what needed to be included in a regional deal with the Government for her to support it, Borell-Faa’soo asked to skip the question.

Voting is open until midday October 11.

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.