Mayors promise a Super City for children

John Angus in his Auckland offices. Photo / Martin Sykes

Auckland's two leading mayoral contenders are promising to make the Super City a "child-friendly city".

Right-wing candidate John Banks and left-wing standard-bearer Len Brown made the promise after separate meetings this week with Wellington-based Children's Commissioner John Angus.

Dr Angus gave them a five-point "child-friendly city" agenda including recognising children's interests in the mayor's vision statement, appointing an advisory panel and an adviser for children, and ensuring that the new Auckland council and local boards seek children's views and consider children's interests in their planning.

"I'm seeking a real commitment from them to give a lot of attention to children's interests, not just some token gesture about youth participation," he said.

He proposed a fulltime adviser on children's issues in the mayor's office who would be "the person to go to about children's issues, not just tagged on to the end of a whole lot of social concerns or whatever".

The proposed children's advisory panel would be similar to panels which the new council will be legally required to appoint to represent Pacific people and other ethnic minorities.

Dr Angus said it could include youth council delegates and also children's advocates such as Great Potentials Foundation founder Dame Lesley Max and advocates from Auckland's diverse ethnic groups.

Mr Banks said he would establish advisory panels for seniors and rural people as well as for children, Pacific and other ethnic groups.

He promised only to "continue the conversation" about appointing a children's adviser in his office. But he endorsed the "child-friendly city" goal.

"At the moment the central business district of Auckland, from all international comparisons, is not user-friendly for kids. Many of the great cities of the world, for example, have playgrounds within most public open spaces," he said.

"So in terms of the spatial plan that Auckland will be putting together, this will be a critical work stream for the children's advisory panel."

Mr Brown said he would seek advice from a regional youth council but would not put adults on it because they might inhibit youth voices.

He would make children and youth issues part of a policy adviser's job, but not a fulltime role.

But he promised to unveil a pre-election "kids' city policy" including providing reserve land for early childhood centres, a youth transition scheme to help young people into jobs or training, and extension of Sir John Walker's "Field of Dreams" to ensure "every kid is active and involved in sport and recreation".

CHILD-FRIENDLY
Dr John Angus's five points:

1. Recognise children's interests in mayor's vision statement.

2. Appoint adviser for children in mayor's office.

3. Establish children's advisory panel.

4. Ensure council and local boards consider children in planning decisions.

5. Make sure council and local boards seek children's views.