Auckland Council's new councillors have set out their plans for the city. Photo / File
Elizabeth Taylor and a rotting fish were among the anecdotes when the seven new councillors on Auckland Council gave their maiden speeches today.
Councillor Mike Lee, who returned to the council after losing the Waitemata and Gulf ward seat in 2019, said the Super City started this very day 12 years ago.
The occasion was not lost on the new councillor for the Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward, Julie Fairey, who recalled the shock of being elected to her Local Board in 2010 holding a newborn baby.
The seven new faces around the council chamber comprised two distinct groups - three Labour and City Vision councillors, Julie Fairey, Lotu Fili (Manukau) and Kerrin Leoni (Whau) and four older men, Mike Lee, Andy Baker (Franklin), Ken Turner (Waitakere) and Maurice Williamson (Howick).
Williamson, who as a National MP made world headlines with his “big gay rainbow” speech in favour of same-sex marriage in 2014, left no one in doubt he will be the most entertaining councillor in the “short time” he plans to be on the council.
“I feel like Elizabeth Taylor’s eighth husband,” said the veteran politician, who said most councillors think of him “as a right-wing evil, horned devil … but I’m very socially liberal”.
After outlining his social credentials, Williamson went on the rampage against council debt, the unknown cost of the City Rail Link and lowering the speed limit on the Pakuranga Highway, which, he said, carries more vehicles than any other road in New Zealand, except SH1 from Tip Top corner to Newmarket.
“I’m a big fan of public transport, but only where it makes sense,” said Williamson, who put up his hand to represent the 92.8 per cent of people in his ward drive who cars to and from work.
The women councillors traversed their paths to the council chamber, acknowledging the people who inspired and encouraged them.
Leoni, of Irish and Italian extraction and one of the first wahine councillors of the Super City, recalled receiving an award from former Auckland City Mayor Les Mills and hitch-hiking with an uncle from Kaitaia to Auckland to receive the award more than 20 years ago.
After starting a degree at AUT, working in social services and going overseas for 10 years where she gained a master’s degree in international politics and economics, Leoni returned to Tamaki Makaurau to address inequality.
“I come back to the regional issues I want to address over the next three years,” said Leoni, including the economic recovery from Covid, prioritising infrastructure, having clean water, attending to the Hauraki Gulf and seeing transport tending towards cities like London.
For Fairey, there were a lot of people to thank, including her community where she chaired the Puketāpapa Local Board, and her hairdresser.
The former library assistant and union worker, who used to say local government was deeply uncool, said one of her missions is to excite people about the potential of their local council.
“At a time when climate action is essential, when social justice is vital, when the human connection to each other and the Whenua matters so much the political process we lead can be the catalyst for positive change,” Fairey said.
Lotu Fuli, one of nine children, was inspired by her parents, “two of the hardest-working people I know”, who migrated from Samoa to build a better life for the family.
Her mother started out working on factory floors, trained as a teacher, got a Master of Education, and marched with colleagues down Queen St with teachers to protest at pay parity in the 1970s and 1980s - “I hope to be half the woman she is.”
She acknowledged her father, who, due to the Covid pandemic, was trapped in New Zealand with the family in the last few months of his life when he would normally be in Samoa, where he was the first person in his village to achieve tertiary education.
“My father and I got to share many Tiktok recipes and many good times during the lockdown,” said Fuli, who has spent nine years on the Papatoteo-Otara Local Board, including six years as chair.
The “newly minted Manukau councillor” said housing remains one of the biggest issues for local residents with many people living in rental accommodation, their garages, cars and some on the streets.
“When I spoke to you recently I used the word equity, perhaps 100 times in our conversation … please don’t be surprised if you hear that word come out of my mouth every single day,” Fuli said.
Baker said it had been an immense privilege to complete his apprenticeship after 12 years on the Franklin Local Board,“ a collection of communities still struggling to get their heads around being part of Auckland”.
“Council is 12 years old and like so many 12-year-olds we are seeing some significant changes and when we look in the mirror we do have a few pimples that we need to deal with.
“I sense a real desire for a change in approach which I applaud as long as we get the balance right. As a council, we can achieve so much more if we put some meaning into the term empowerment.
“Perhaps we need to remember the wisdom of the community will always exceed the knowledge of the experts,” said Baker.
“Wow is the word that comes to mind,” said Turner, who was elected alongside Shane Henderson as one of two Waitkarere councillors.
The former Waitakere Ranges Local Board member and motor mechanic said he was very clear - “I am here to represent the people … to be their eyes, ears and voice.”
“People have asked me to focus on four issues in a way that makes affordable and lasting change. We need to ask those core questions. ‘Compared to what? At what cost? And what are the facts? We need to ensure we don’t throw commonsense and public money out the window,” Turner said.
Lee, who was first elected to the former Auckland Regional Council more than 30 years ago, believed the reason he had been re-elected was due to the fact Auckland Council is in a crisis.
“That crisis is financial and also cultural in the sense of how the council is perceived by the people we are meant to serve … we have to own the problem before we are able to fix it,” Lee said.
“Like the analogy of the dying fish, the failing starts at the top and can only be fixed at the top. The mayor at least, and I include myself in that … as do all of us really, have a responsibility to fix this council and council group.”