Chairman of Smith & Caughey’s, Tony Caughey, speaks to the Herald about the announcement of proposal of the closure of Smith & Caughey's. Video / Ben Dickens
Anne Batley-Burton is running for the Waitematā Local Board to combat CBD crime and oppose suburb intensification.
She aims to make desexing and microchipping of cats free, citing her experience with a cat sanctuary.
Batley-Burton is on the centre-right Communities & Residents ticket alongside six other candidates.
Auckland’s “Champagne Lady” Anne Batley-Burton is entering local politics to combat crime in the CBD, stop the intensification of leafy suburbs, and make desexing and microchipping of cats free.
The Real Housewives of Auckland reality TV star and self-professed champagne lover is on the centre-right Communities & Residents ticket fora seat on the Waitematā Local Board at October’s local body elections.
Batley-Burton said people might think she is all about celebrity TV and champagne.
However, the Parnell resident told the Herald she is “not just a pretty face” - she has a Bachelor of Commerce, was involved in a big family business manufacturing credit cards that went public, and now is in the wine industry importing champagne and wine barrels.
Anne Batley-Burton, cat advocate and star of the Real Housewives of Auckland.
She said she is sick of crime in places like the Viaduct in the CBD, where it’s “got to the point where a lot of people say, ‘Maybe I won’t go down there on a busy night’.
“There are so many bad things happening. It’s quite scary,” she said.
“A really sad matter”, said Batley-Burden, was the closure of Smith & Caughey’s department store on Queen St, which she blamed on bureaucrats partially closing the street to cars, and abuse from rough sleepers.
Another bugbear for the aspiring politician is a “free-for-all” in the leafy suburbs for intensification, saying high rises are appropriate on transport corridors for rail, “but we don’t want it breaking up our beautiful suburbs”.
As the owner of a cat sanctuary in Huapai, Batley-Burton said she has fought long and hard to get councils on board to support desexing and microchipping of felines.
“I want to campaign for councils to give free desexing and microchipping. A lot of people can’t afford it.”
Making it free, Batley-Burton said, would not only reduce the growing stray cat population, but it would be done humanely.
Anne Batley-Burton wants to tackle crime in the CBD.
Communities & Residents has selected a full slate to contest the seven-member Local Board.
Sitting members Sarah Trotman, Allan Matson, and Greg Moyle are seeking re-election and are joined by Batley-Burton, former teacher and fashion business owner Michele Wade, business development advocate Leo Grachev, and Asian supermarket owner and former Karangahape Rd Business Association chairwoman Muy Chhour.
The centre-left City Vision ticket comprises sitting members Alex Bonham, and Anahera Rāwiri. They are joined by actor and musician Peter Elliot, technology and education sector worker Dr Kara Kennedy, city centre resident Theo van de Klundert, transport and housing advocate Connor Sharp, and social change collective national co-ordinator Caitlin Wilson.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
