Own our future

• mickysavage
• 2 years ago
• Categories: auckland supercity, efeso collins, elections, local body elections, local government, supercity

This year’s Local Government election is reaching a critical stage.

And it is vital to get the right people elected.

Conservative cost cutting mayors will cause mayhem.  At a time when we need to prepare Aotearoa for climate change and accelerate investment in walkways and cycleways and public transport anyone advocating for anything but this is doing our grandchildren a great disservice.

The science is settled.  Thanks to global warming we are facing decades of carnage.  All we can hope for is that enough people throughout the world adjust their lifestyles and enough governments and councils throughout the world change the way they run their countries and their cities.

Then we hang on.  And hope.  And prey.

If right wing mayors and councillors and MPs get elected then we continue a debate that was frankly settled by the science some time ago.

They will adjust their language.  It will now be about sensible spending and consulting with road users when Council wants to make cycling safer and more attractive and why can’t we reduce rates and prepare for the climate change cataclysm at the same time?

Unfortunately we can’t do both.  Either Councils prepare for the future or they ignore it and become part of the problem.

There are only a few days before the local elections close.  And can I suggest that you make sure that friends and whanau and aiga and anyone who wants a better world votes?

If you want my personal recommendations for the mayoral races in the four major cities here they are:

1. Dunedin Otepoti – Aaron Hawkins is great.  Give him another chance.
2. Christchurch Ōtautahi – David Meates.  He wants to make Christchurch a climate leader.  Let’s give him that chance.
3. Wellington Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Tory Whanau.  I am afraid that Paul Eagle lost me with his comments about cycleways.
4. Auckland Tamaki Makaurau – this is easy.  Efeso Collins who has placed climate change at the centre of his campaign and will make it the centre of his mayoralty if he wins.

And remember to vote for progressive councillors and local board members.  In Auckland there are some tight council seat races.  In particular can I recommend Kerrin Leoni for Whau, Pippa Coom for Waitemata, Julie Fairey for Albert Eden and Richard Hills for the North Shore.  And any Labour, City Vision, Green or Future West candidate.

It is too late to post your ballots in.  But they can be dropped off at libraries, Council service centres and some Countdown supermarkets.

But please vote.  Your kids and your grandkids futures depend on it.