Chinese Vocal Concert entertains and delights
On Friday 25 November, I had the pleasure of attending a Chinese Vocal Concert hosted by the Pakuranga Chinese Association. It was an amazing concert and wonderful afternoon.
On Friday 25 November, I had the pleasure of attending a Chinese Vocal Concert hosted by the Pakuranga Chinese Association. It was an amazing concert and wonderful afternoon.
Accompanied by piano and sometimes accordion, it was otherwise a pure vocal concert with no microphones, allowing the performers to showcase their incredible skill. We heard performances ranging from classic European opera, an American folk song and Chinese classics. We also heard a beautiful performance of the kiwi classic Pokarekare Ana and another based on a Chinese poem from 520 BC.
It was a privilege to thank the performers at the end for sharing their amazing voices with us.
Elected Chair of Howick Local Board (with cake)
Thank you to everyone for their birthday wishes yesterday. It was an extra special day for me, as it was also the inaugural meeting of the Howick Local Board.
I look forward to helping lead the Howick Local Board over the next few years as we serve our local community.
Thank you to everyone for their birthday wishes yesterday. It was an extra special day for me, as it was also the inaugural meeting of the Howick Local Board.
After months of campaigning and a few weeks of intense induction, this was our first formal meeting where we each formally declared that we would serve our community to the best of our ability. It was awesome to have our friends, family and other community members present to witness this.
After being sworn in as local board members, we had an election for the role of chairperson. Unlike the mayor who is elected directly, the chair of the local board is chosen from the members, by the members. The person in this role is responsible for leading the meetings, representing the Board in the community and supporting the other members.
I’m humbled to have been elected as chairperson for this term and I’m very thankful for the vote of confidence from the Howick Local Board. As I noted in my speech, as the newest member of the Board I bring a unique perspective and as an independent I can work with anyone. I acknowledged the challenging last few years and also the opportunities with a new mayor, greater powers and funding for the local boards, and a new leadership team for the Board. I’m looking forward to building and maintaining strong relationships with the communities we serve - it was great having so many representatives present last night to celebrate together.
Shortly after this, we elected our deputy chairperson - Bo Burns. I’m thrilled to have a passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable businesswoman alongside me. While we were competitors during the recent election, Bo and I are both focused on delivering the best outcomes for our communities.
As I mentioned last night, one of the reasons I stood for council as that I know that council can do great things - when it’s responsive to community needs and focuses on the outcomes. I’ve seen council staff enable incredible positive change in communities and I have no doubt we can do it again. I’m extremely grateful for the incredible support that I’ve already received in my first few weeks from council staff across the city.
I’m looking forward to working with the Howick Local Board, staff and community, as we work together to do great things for East Auckland.
Sun shining for Howick Village Hop
Fantastic weather in Howick for the Village Hop and Market, so no surprise there was a huge turnout.
Fantastic weather in East Auckland for the Howick Village Hop and Market, so no surprise there was a huge turnout. Great to see so many locals and visitors enjoying the cars, market and music.
Beautiful details on these classic cars, restored and maintained with a lot of love.
'Local board’s fresh face keen to serve' - Times
It's an absolute honour to be elected to represent my community on the Howick Local Board. I love living in Botany, at the heart of East Auckland and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to serve my community.
Damian Light is the only newcomer joining the membership of the incoming Howick Local Board.
He’s been elected to serve on the board representing the Botany subdivision.
- ‘Local board’s fresh face keen to serve’, Times 10 October 2022
It's an absolute honour to be elected to represent my community on the Howick Local Board. I love living in Botany, at the heart of East Auckland and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to serve my community.
I know we've got our challenges and I'm prepared to tackle them with professionalism, transparency and determination. I've attended countless Local Board meetings so have some appreciation of what the job will be like and look forward to being on the decision making side shortly.
Last term was a challenge for local boards, as council slashed budgets and stalled projects when they ran out of money. I'm a firm believer in robust financial discipline and have professional experience in eliminating waste. I also know that we need to invest wisely to better utilise what we’ve got and build what we don’t have. Flat Bush Library and Community Centre is a key priority for me and I will do everything I can to see it delivered as soon as we can - we’ve waited long enough.
I will continue to advocate for better transport, including a sensible resolution to the Burswood diversion. The new mayor is shaking things up and I hope this means we get a more responsive, cost effective Auckland Transport.
For over 15 years I’ve worked as a problem solver for large, complex organisations so I understand what it takes to drive change. Big organisations take a long time and a sustained effort to shift - I’m determined to help shape council into a more responsive, accountable and transparent organisation. In the meantime, I’ll do everything I can to help communicate and engage with the community I represent.
Read the whole article on the Times website: https://www.times.co.nz/news/local-boards-fresh-face-keen-to-serve/
Proud and humbled to be elected to Howick Local Board.
I’m proud to have been elected to the Howick Local Board, Botany subdivision. It’s a bittersweet, with my campaign for council unsuccessful. But I’m thrilled to be able to represent my community and help work towards a better Auckland.
I’m proud to have been elected to the Howick Local Board, Botany subdivision.
It’s a bittersweet, with my campaign for council unsuccessful. But I’m thrilled to be able to represent my community and help work towards a better Auckland. I love Botany and am proud to call it my home - we have our challenges and I’m determined to fight to address the gaps and leverage the opportunities.
While the final results won’t be announced until Friday 14 October, the provisional results have me elected to the Howick Local Board (Botany Subdivision) along with Mike Turinsky and Peter Young. I’ve worked with both and know them to be hardworking, community minded people and I look forward to representing Botany alongside them.
I’ve been in contact with Sharon Stewart and Maurice Williamson to congratulate them on being elected as councillors for the Howick ward. I look forward to working with them both to help make Auckland better.
I’ve passed on my commiserations to the other unsuccessful candidates. It’s always tough when you’ve put in so much time, effort and money. I was impressed by the quality of the candidates across East Auckland, especially some of the new faces who worked hard on their campaigns.
Thank you to everyone who supported me during my campaign and for those that gave me their vote.
Thank you for your support!
As the campaign draws to a close, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their support. Campaigns are a massive team effort and I appreciate everyone who has contributed in their own way.
The last billboards came down today, marking the end of the official campaigning period. As the campaign draws to a close, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their support. Campaigns are a massive team effort and I appreciate everyone who has contributed in their own way.
Thank you to my incredible volunteers who helped deliver leaflets, put up billboards and support me throughout the campaign. I couldn’t have done it without you!
Thank you to my amazing donors who have generously supported my campaign - as a true independent, I’m self funded so I really appreciate the support to help cover the costs.
Thank you to my fantastic supporters who have told their friends, family and anyone else who would listen to vote for me. Online, in person and everything in between, I appreciate your efforts.
Thank you to the voters who have entrusted me with their vote. I take voting very seriously and I’m humbled by the number of people who put their faith in me.
And finally, thank you to my family and friends who have not only helped out on the campaign, but also supported me in other ways including moral support and keeping me fed. Also for understanding when I couldn’t make it to something because of campaign commitments.
There’s still time to vote!
Votes can still be dropped off at the secure boxes at the local libraries and Countdown Supermarkets until midday Saturday 8 October.
If you haven’t received your voting papers, you can cast a special vote but you’ll need to head to one of the service centres to get your papers. Read more here.
Initial results are expected Saturday afternoon
Initial results are expected to be announced around 3pm Saturday on www.voteauckland.co.nz. If the result is clear at this stage, the outcome may be decided. However, if it’s close they will wait until they have all the votes from the voting boxes before making the final declaration (expected Monday 10 October).
Low voter turnout symptom of wider engagement issue
Every local government election there is a discussion about low voter turnout, yet every election seems to get worse.
“I think that’s just a characteristic of how our local government systems work rather than a symptom. I think it’s wrong to blame the eligible population of voters for not coming out to vote, because the way we frame and communicate local government has simply not translated effectively to voter turnout.”
-Sanat Singh, ‘Where are Auckland’s voters?’ Newsroom 6 Oct 2022
Every local government election there is a discussion about low voter turnout, yet every election seems to get worse. I agree with Sanat - people don't vote because they don't connect with council.
Absolutely elections are part of the problem - I’ve talked about how postal voting is clunky and we need to modernise the process. But we also need council to connect everyday with the people it's meant to be providing for - outdated consultation processes, poor online presence and dated language contribute to disengagement.
Council is too focused on process, rather than outcome. This creates barriers to engagement, like overly formal public meetings that put off most people and provide little to those that make the effort. I’ve seen numerous groups and individuals speak at the Local Board meetings, expecting to have a discussion about the issues but the rules prohibit a proper conversation.
Consultations rely heavily on people reading dense PDF documents that still only provide some of the details. Submission forms are either too short and restrict responses, or too complex and cumbersome. Auckland Council has pivoted to online webinars in the past few years, but in my experience we still don’t get the answers to our questions and the format doesn’t suit everyone.
Even in daily interactions council is challenging. I've helped community groups navigate the bureaucracy to find the right person to talk to - it’s rewarding when it works, but it shouldn't be this hard. You shouldn’t need to be an expert in council structure, policy and process to get support.
When I've been out talking to locals about the election, most don't understand even the most basic structure of council. I spend most of my time explaining what council is, how it operates and who does what. In Auckland, this isn't helped by the complexities created by legislation but we could do more to communicate this clearly and in a way that's relatable.
In my experience, engagement is about communication - people want to feel informed and heard. Proper two-way communication, where ideas are conveyed and questions are answered in fit-for-purpose settings. A one size fits all approach will never work - public meetings during the day are great for some people, but not everyone; the same can be said for evening online sessions - different demographics need different approaches.
We have to improve how. where and to who council communicates. Otherwise, we'll never address voter turnout.
My practical suggestions that I will pursue if elected:
Continuing to be available in the community to hear concerns and communicate decisions. Regular informal sessions across the ward where people can drop in and chat, as well as more formal opportunities.
Ensure that council communication and consultations are done in ways that are relevant and accessible to all people. Not just multilingual, but also multi-format recognising that people consume information in different ways.
Reduce the bureaucracy community organisations are forced to navigate through for funding and other council support, shifting the focus to enabling the community.
Revamp of council website to provide richer information in an easy and accessible manner.
Continuing to communicate council consultations and decisions as it relates to East Auckland using easy to understand language that identifies the key issues. Look to expand the distribution of this information (potentially through local media).
Another extended shutdown of the rail network due to more poor planning
Auckland Transport’s shock announcement that they will be closing large portions of the passenger rail network throughout 2023 and beyond is yet another example of the poor planning holding our city back.
Auckland Transport’s shock announcement today that they will be closing large portions of the passenger rail network throughout 2023 and beyond is yet another example of the poor planning and terrible communication holding our city back.
Auckland needs to urgently shift more people onto public transport to address congestion, climate emissions and road safety. Patronage took a hit from COVID-19, but has been showing encouraging signs of recovery. However this latest announcement will hurt the reputation of public transport.
In addition to the existing weekend, overnight and Summer shut downs:
Onehunga Line will be closed from January to March.
Southern Line will be closed between Ōtāhuhu and Britomart from January to March. Remains closed between Papakura and Pukekohe until late 2024.
Eastern Line is to be closed from March until December.
Western Line will be closed sometime in 2024 and 2025.
The Eastern and Southern Lines each carry around 300k passengers a month, all who will be forced to use alternatives. Apparently Auckland Transport have known about this for 7 months before announcing it today with vague promises that “Some rail replacement buses will run”. In truth they’re expecting most people to use existing bus services. But will there be any buses running - Auckland Transport is still cancelling around 1,800 trips a day due to significant driver shortages.
As many have pointed out, there have been plenty of other opportunities to get maintenance done with regular closures and shut downs. Most of the tracks and sleepers were replaced over the last 2 years, yet only now are we addressing the foundations. In October, the Eastern Line is closed 17 times, including the entire Labour Weekend for “track repair and upgrade projects”. On top of all of this they need 9 months for 23km of track (roughly 80m a day).
Auckland Transport have said that rail needs maintenance “Like roads, they suffer wear and tear over time.” But no one would anyone accept the closure of a main road for 9 months for maintenance. In East Auckland, they’re demolishing 140+ homes along Ti Rakau Drive to reduce disruption for road users during the construction of the Eastern Busway.
I don’t have an issue with the work being done - I’ve long campaigned for greater maintenance to improve the reliability and speed of rail services. But there’s little detail in the announcement about what this will actually deliver - what are the reliability or speed improvements?
I use public transport as my primary mode of transport, preferring it to sitting in traffic, so this will impact me directly. I use the Eastern Line to get to work and if elected to Council I planned to use it to get into the city centre.
Auckland Transport must urgently provide clarity on what the closures will provide, including the existing weekend, overnight and Summer shut downs. They must also provide the plan for the alternative services to give certainty - vague promises about some rail replacement buses isn’t sufficient. I would expect on some major routes that dedicated express buses would be available, using priority bus lanes where necessary to maintain reasonable timetables.
In addition, Auckland Transport needs to get it’s long term plan for transport infrastructure sorted - we cannot keep having massive disruptions to our network while we’re trying to encourage people to use it.
Vote now. Vote for change.
Auckland needs change in it's leadership and we're running out of time to vote for change.
Auckland needs change in it's leadership and we're running out of time to vote for change.
You don't have to vote for every position, but your vote is important so please use it.
Voting papers need to be in the mail by Monday 3rd October OR drop them off at the Library or Countdown supermarkets before Saturday 8 October. Check out locations here.
If you're not sure who to vote for, check out the candidate profiles on Vote Auckland.
If you've already voted, then please encourage your friends and whānau to vote too. Turn out can be really low so every vote counts.
Locations that you can drop off your votes in East Auckland
Submission on Plan Change 78: Intensification
This is my submission on Plan Change 78: Intensification.
While I do not support the process that parliament undertook to implement the enabling legislation, I do support the enablement of greater intensification.
Enabling more homes will help improve affordability and address some of the causes of the housing crisis, including helping improve the quality of our housing stock. We cannot afford to continue encouraging urban sprawl - it’s unsustainable and covering fertile soil in concrete and asphalt. Greater urban spread creates more infrastructure demands, while a denser urban form will lead to more concentrated investment. Therefore we must focus our efforts on ensuring that the intensification that is delivered is done well.
In my local area of East Auckland, we’ve seen what happens when poor planning enables intensification that lacks the required infrastructure and rules to be successful and sustainable. As a renter, I’m keenly aware of the housing affordability issues and poor quality housing stock. I’ve lived in Auckland my whole life and I know the potential that our city has. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel overseas and see how others have done it (good and bad). We must take this opportunity to ensure that we deliver the best possible outcomes for Auckland, now and into the future.
Chapter D: Overlays - Historic heritage and special character
Figure 1. Newton Special Character Area limiting walkable catchment
I do not support the D18. Special Character Areas Overlay as proposed especially in the walking catchment areas. The process used to determine which areas should be covered is questionable, relying heavily on desktop assessments. I fully support the protection of heritage and would be more comfortable if these overlays were more directly linked to specific heritage buildings. Many of the suburbs that this Overlay covers are some of the best served by transport and other infrastructure, e.g. Newton (figure 1).
Figure 2. Stockade Hill Viewshaft Overlay
I support D20A. Stockade Hill Viewshaft Overlay (figure 2) so that the agreed height controls in the existing overlay remain. However, I note that the limited protection of the harbour views was only part of what the community had asked for (being complete 360 degree protection).
Chapter H: Residential Zones
One of the missed opportunities of our previous intensification has been perimeter block housing. I’ve seen this sort of development delivered extremely well overseas in countries such as Denmark, enabling high quality housing with shared yards and increased privacy. Instead we’ve forced the development of blocks of housing with the minimum amount of yard and windows that face each other.
I encourage Auckland Council to alter these rules to enable perimeter block housing. I’ve included some proposed rule changes below which I believe will enable the appropriate outcomes.
H5.6.5. Height in relation to boundary: change from proposed 4m + 60 degrees to 6m + 60 degrees for four or more dwellings per site within 21.5m of the site frontage. This should encourage development to front the street and discourage outlook to be directed to neighbouring properties increasing privacy and light.
H5.6.8.1 Yards: change from proposed Front: 1.5m / Side: 1m / Rear: 1m to Front: 0m / Side: 0m / Rear: 1m. This would enable building out the front of the site and leave more space at the rear.
H6.6.6. Height in relation to boundary: change from 4m + 60° for up to 3 dwellings to 16m + 60° within 21.5m of the front boundary of the site. Change from 8m + 60° for 4 or more dwellings to 8m + 60° beyond 21.5m of the front boundary of the site. This should encourage development to front the street and discourage outlook to be directed to neighbouring properties increasing privacy and light.
H6.6.9. Yards: change from Front: 1.5m / Side: 1m / Rear: 1m to Front: 0m / Side: 0m / Rear: 1m. This would enable building out the front of the site and leave more space at the rear.
In addition, I encourage Auckland Council to enable low intensity commercial activities (such as dairies and cafes up to 100m2) within the THAB zone to be permitted activities. This should encourage local services to be established within walking distance of higher density living and will make these areas more attractive to live in with services within walking distance.
Chapter G: RUB and Walkable Catchments
Figure 3. Eastern Busway corridor with new bus stations as red dots
I question why the corridor for the Eastern Busway has not been included in the walkable catchment areas for the Rapid Transport Network stops, with only Pakuranga Bus Station included. This is one of the most significant transport projects underway in Auckland that will provide considerable additional transport capacity with new stations at Edgewater, Gossamer and Burswood yet the corridor has not been identified as within the walkable catchment. Given the massive amount of construction and disruption that will occur along this route during disruption, surely now is the time to enable new zoning.
Qualifying Matters: Water and Wastewater Servicing Constraints
Figure 4. Water and Wastewater Servicing Constraints overlay for East Auckland
I support the limited use of the qualifying matter for areas which have been identified as lacking the infrastructure to cope with water, stormwater and wastewater. It was good to see that these areas included a plan to address the gaps, including timeframes. In particular Mellons Bay, Howick and Cockle Bay which have old infrastructure that struggles with existing demands (figure 4).
However, given the large number of properties through Pakuranga and Howick (and surrounding suburbs) that flood during heavy rain yet don’t feature in this overlay I question how well the current capacity is understood and therefore how accurate the controls are for stormwater disposal.
General comments
While I appreciate the complex nature of the legislation and required plan change, I am disappointed in the feedback process. While the interactive map is relatively easy to navigate, the related documents are deeply technical. While some effort has been made to provide simple English explanations in the information sheets, they don’t provide any references to the technical rules that submitters need to quote in their feedback.
Form details
My submission relates to
Rule or rules:
Chapter D: Overlays - Historic heritage and special character
Chapter H: Residential Zones
Chapter G: RUB and Walkable Catchments
Qualifying Matters: Water and Wastewater Servicing Constraints
Do you support or oppose the provisions you have specified? I or we support the specific provisions identified
Do you wish to have the provisions you have identified above amended? Yes
The reason for my or our views are:
While I do not support the process that parliament undertook to implement the enabling legislation, I do support the enablement of greater intensification.
Enabling more homes will help improve affordability and address some of the causes of the housing crisis, including helping improve the quality of our housing stock. We cannot afford to continue encouraging urban sprawl - it’s unsustainable and covering fertile soil in concrete and asphalt. Greater urban spread creates more infrastructure demands, while a denser urban form will lead to more concentrated investment. Therefore we must focus our efforts on ensuring that the intensification that is delivered is done well.
In my local area of East Auckland, we’ve seen what happens when poor planning enables intensification that lacks the required infrastructure and rules to be successful and sustainable. As a renter, I’m keenly aware of the housing affordability issues and poor quality housing stock. I’ve lived in Auckland my whole life and I know the potential that our city has. I’ve also had the opportunity to travel overseas and see how others have done it (good and bad). We must take this opportunity to ensure that we deliver the best possible outcomes for Auckland, now and into the future.
Please refer to the attached submission for more specific comments and feedback.
I or we seek the following decision by council: Approve the plan change with the amendments I requested
Details of amendments: Please refer to the attached submission for specific amendments.
Submission date: 29 September 2022
Supporting documents
2022-09-29 Plan Change 78 Submission - Damian Light.pdf
Attend a hearing: Do you wish to be heard in support of your submission? No
Declaration:
Could you gain an advantage in trade competition through this submission? No
Are you directly affected by an effect of the subject matter of this submission that adversely affects the environment; and does not relate to trade competition or the effects of trade competition. No
Proposed rules for housing intenfisication open for feedback
We have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes to housing rules in Auckland that will guide increased intensification (known as Plan Change 78).
We have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes to housing rules in Auckland that will guide increased intensification (known as Plan Change 78). There’s a lot to cover in the proposals and it can get quite technical so I’ll quickly cover what the changes are, how we got here, what it might mean for East Auckland and how you can engage with the process.
What are the changes?
There are two key changes that Auckland Council has to respond to:
National Policy Statement on Urban Development: enables buildings of six storeys or more within walking distances of our city centre, 10 large metropolitan centres (such as Newmarket, Manukau and New Lynn) and around rapid transit stops, such as train stations and stops on the Northern Busway.
Medium Density Residential Standards: enables more medium density housing of up to three storeys, such as townhouses and terrace housing, across almost all Auckland suburbs.
Councils are able to place some restrictions on these using what is called Qualifying Matters. Some of these are defined by the legislation and council has matched them to existing rules (known as overlays). However Auckland Council has also created some new qualifying matters which may or may not be accepted, which is a risky strategy. Matters like Auckland War Memorial Museum Viewshaft Overlay, Notable Trees and Māori Cultural Heritage are more likely to be accepted (especially given their limited impact). The more risky ones include Significant infrastructure constraints and Special character areas.
Significant infrastructure constraints.
We know there are parts of Auckland where the infrastructure cannot cope with current demands, flooding streets and homes when there is heavy rain. Beaches become unswimmable as waste floods into our harbours. As our city continues to grow these issues continue to compound, increasing the risk of serious, long-term environmental damage.
The risk is that this isn’t accepted based on the fact that this problem has been created by council. If it does go through, council must ensure that there is a strict and transparent process to ensure it is not abused. Areas that are identified as requiring limited development must have a robust plan developed to address the gaps, including timeframes and funding. Long-term and permanent use should be extremely rare and only where there is no other alternative.
Special Character Areas (SCAs)
These are areas that have been identified as being older, established suburbs that have special character value. Auckland Council is proposing to maintain approximately 70% of properties already covered by existing special character areas. Properties that have been identified to define or support the special character of an area are proposed to be subject to the demolition, removal and relocation rule, meaning a resource consent will be required for this activity as well as any replacement building.
I fully support the protection of heritage (environmental, cultural and historic) including buildings and places. However, the process that council has used to create Special Character zones is pretty loose - there is no good definition of what Special Character is and most of it is based on desktop assessments i.e. no one went to the site to assess the buildings. After all the work that has been done, it may get thrown out and leave some of our heritage with little protection.
How did we get here?
It’s important to note that these changes come from parliament - National and Labour teamed up to push through legistation requiring intensification, without consulting councils or the other parties. The Greens citicised the speed and lack of funding, but voted for it; Act voted against it but have since said they don’t expect it to be repealed.
I’ve been critical of the lack of consultation and the speed of the changes - the public was given very little time to submit to parliament on significant changes and councils were also not consulted prior. The changes are intended to unlock greater housing density (which done well can be good) but failed to provide the funding to deliver the infrastructure that we so desperately need. But the law has been passed and councils have no choice but to implement them (parliament has supreme authority in New Zealand).
What does this mean for East Auckland?
I’ve tried to capture some of the key impacts on East Auckland, although some of the rules are site specific so you’d need to check the exact property if you’d wanting the details.
Single house zone gone, replaced with medium density housing of up to three storeys through most suburbs.
Viewshaft protection for Stockade Hill is retained although it’s still not the full 360 that the community asked for.
Howick Village retains it’s business special character area requiring resource consents for significant changes to buildings covered by the special character.
No Special character residential areas for East Auckland (no change).
Botany Town Centre and Pakuranga Bus Station identified as walking catchments which enables six storeys or more.
Meadowlands, Highland Park and Pakuranga Plaza identified as town centres (Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings or THAB) which enables up to five storeys.
Infrastructure Qualifying Matter limits intensification in Mellons Bay, Cockle Bay, Shelly Park, Highland Park, Pakuranga Plaza, Pakuranga Road and small part of Golflands (around Tiger Road).
Maunga viewshaft over Beachlands (The Parade and Hattaway Ave) to protect views of Rangitoto.
How do I learn more and submit?
All of the documents are located on the Auckland Council website under Plan Change 78: Intensification.
There is an interactive map where you can see the proposed changes plus some more information on OurAuckland: Time running out to submit on Auckland’s new intensification rules and OurAuckland: More housing for our growing city.
Submit your feedback here (look for the ‘Make Submission Online’)
Feedback for this change closes Wednesday 29 September so don’t wait too long. Your submission doesn’t need to be technical or address everything in the proposal - just include what you think is important.
There is extra support available for people who are unsure of how to submit - A Friend of Submitter:
We understand that RMA processes can be a little daunting, so we have appointed a 'Friend of Submitter' who is an independent advisor to help submitters.
The Friend of the submitter can help explain the process, advise you on lodging your submission, how to express your views, and what to do after lodging your submission.
This service is available throughout the submission period and in the lead-up to the hearings.
To contact the Friend of the Submitter for assistance please email friendofsubmitter@aecom.com or phone 021 349 521.
There is no cost for this service which is contracted and funded through the governments Environmental Protection Agency.
Car Free Day opportunity to try alternatives
It's international Car Free Day so I'm using public transport to get across Auckland (as I often do). It takes a little more planning but pretty easy with the Auckland Transport's mobile app. Plus I can listen to some tunes and catch up on news, emails and social media.
It's international Car Free Day so I'm using public transport to get across Auckland (as I often do). It takes a little more planning but pretty easy with the Auckland Transport's mobile app. Plus I can listen to some tunes and catch up on news, emails and social media.
As regular user of public transport I'm aware of the gaps - reliability, frequency, affordability and accessibility aren't where they need to be. But none of it is unfixable with the right focus. Dedicated bus lanes help with the first two which is why I'm such a vocal supporter of the Eastern Busway.
I also support active modes - we also need a connected network of walking and cycling paths, physically separated for safety. They don't have to cost millions or take decades, we can build them faster using proven, cost effective solutions.
There will always be people or situations where private motor vehicles might be necessary. The more people using public transport and active modes, the less cars which frees up road space for those that need it.
Private vehicles shouldn't be the only practical answer most of the time - I want to live in a city where public transport & active modes are realistic options for majority of travel.
Like any large city, Auckland needs transport options that can move large numbers of people efficiently with a little emissions as possible - public transport, walking and cycling are key to this. Done well they will reduce congestion, pollution, emissions and injuries.
If you haven't tried public transport recently, I highly recommend it. Buses have come a long way since I used to catch them to school. We have a single integrated ticketing system which is largely painless, the trains are amazing and ferries improving all the time.
Vote for change
I firmly believe that my skills in business improvement, combined with my governance experience and passion for my community is what is needed to move our city forward.
I’m standing for Auckland Council to change how our city is run.
Despite all it’s flaws, I love Auckland and I know it has the potential to be the best place to live, work and visit.
Living in the heart of Botany, I've enjoyed everything that East Auckland has to offer. It's been a pleasure to volunteer alongside other passionate locals to make our community safer, promote local tourism and provide opportunities for local youth.
During this time, I’ve spoken to countless residents, business owners and community leaders who are frustrated with the lack of vision, progress and accountability that is holding our city back. Not enough is being done to address transport, housing, climate change, wasteful spending and poor communication.
We need change.
I have over 15 years of business improvement experience, working in large, complex organisations eliminating waste, improving delivery and cutting through bureaucracy. I have community and commercial governance experience. I know what it takes to lead an organisation through significant change and have the practical experience to make it happen.
My core priorities are to address our transport issues, lift the quality of the decision making and improve engagement with the community. I firmly believe that my skills in business improvement, combined with my governance experience and passion for my community is what is needed to move our city forward.
Vote for change, vote Damian Light for Council.
Voting in the Auckland Council elections
Council elections are done via post - sometime between 16 and 21 September you should receive your voting papers in your mailbox
Map of Howick Ward
Council elections are done via post - sometime between 16 and 21 September you should receive your voting papers in your mailbox. If they don't arrive, call the Electoral Office on 0800 922 822.
In the Howick Ward, we will be asked to vote for:
Mayor (one position = one vote)
Councillor (two positions = two votes)
Local Board (three positions = three votes)
Howick Local Board is split into three sub-divisions (Howick, Pakuranga and Botany) so depending where you live, you'll have different candidates to choose from. We all get the same candidates for Mayor and Councillor.
If you're not sure who you can vote for - go to the Auckland Council website and enter your address to see the list of candidates in your area.
Once you've voted, you can return your papers by
Post using any New Zealand Post box before Monday 3 October 2022
Drop Off at any Library or Countdown before midday Saturday 8 October 2022
Voting Boxes are located in Libraries and Countdown supermarkets
Flat Bush deserves the Library and Community Centre it’s been promised for almost two decades
The Flat Bush and Ormiston area has numerous schools and is anticipated to have a population of 40,000 by 2025, yet it has no community facilities or library. Despite promised one for 17 years, the timeline on this project is unclear.
The Flat Bush and Ormiston area has numerous schools and is anticipated to have a population of 40,000 by 2025, yet it has no community facilities or library. Just last week I was at a community event in Flat Bush where locals were asking when the facility was going to be delivered. Residents are understandably upset at waiting so long for a facility that still has no firm timeline. They want to know when they will get the facility that their growing community so desperately needs.
Community facilities were meant to be opened at the same time as the Ormiston Town Centre, but when the ribbons were cut on the retail centre in March 2021, there was no sign of the library or community centre. Promised back in 2005 by the former Manukau City Council and then by the current Auckland Council, locals were asked for input in 2012 and again in 2017.
Over nearly two decades hundreds of locals have provided their feedback that they need this facility. What they want now is action, not more talk or empty promises. Facilities like this are more than just buildings with books - they’re the heart of communities, providing meeting spaces and support for community services and organisations.”
This election has highlighted the impact the lack of facilities has on engagement - there is no location in Flat Bush for residents to drop off their voting papers, with the nearest collection points in Botany and Otara.
The Howick Local Board have been strong advocates for this project making it their One Local Initiative, but Auckland Council has failed to provide the funding or support to address the community's need.
The project was apparently delayed as a result of the dreadful 2020 Emergency Budget when council’s financial mismanagement caught up with them. But if this project was ever going to meet its deadline of 2021 it needed to be much further along by then, which begs the question if council had any idea where this project was at.
Again in 2022 councillors voted to defer the project as part of the adoption of the Annual Budget. Neither incumbent Howick Ward councillors voted against the motion or bothered to note their objection to the further delay. There has been no communication of this to the community and the timeline remains unclear.
Auckland Council have said that work is due to recommence in 2024 but given the financial situation it’s likely that it will need to be delayed again unless we get representatives who will fight for East Auckland.
If elected, I will fight to get this project delivered sooner and ensure that the timeline is communicated to the community.
Flat Bush has waited long enough - voting papers will be received soon which is the opportunity to vote for change.
September 2022 Newsletter
My newsletter for September is out - with voting papers arriving soon, it’s time to vote for change. I’ve been busy out in the community and campaigning. Plus don’t miss your opportunity to meet the candidates this weekend!
Kia ora,
It's Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori language week) and I'm proud that my website has been translated into Te Reo Māori (as well as Traditional and Simplified Chinese) for the last few years. Making sure that information is available to everyone is important to lifting our voting engagement.
The nation woke to the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Auckland is marking the passing of the Queen in a number of ways, including allowing the public to sign books of condolence - see here for more details.
It's been a busy month in the community - I helped organise the Daffodil Day collection in Botany, supported local crime prevention efforts, contributed to the East Auckland Tourism AGM, attended the Howick Sports Awards, the neighbourhood day at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple and the local Moon Festival Celebration in Sir Barry Curtis Park.
As part of the campaign, I attended meetings with local ethnic groups including the Bhartiya Samaj Seniors group and Korean Positive Aging charitable trusts.
You may have seen the sharp opinion piece in the NZ Herald this week by Simon Wilson, noting the importance of having good councillors who can work with others to get things done. It's clear that we need change and I firmly believe that my skills in business improvement, combined with my governance experience and passion for my community is what is needed to move our city forward.
Please make sure you vote this election and encourage others to vote too. There's plenty of information out there on who the candidates are and what they're standing for - check out policy.nz or Vote Auckland. If you or someone you know wants to talk to a candidate, feel free to pass on my details - I'm always available to chat 022 543 7601 or email me damian@damianlight.co.nz
I'll do my best to keep you up to date through my monthly newsletters. In between, stay up to date via my website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. As always, if there's something you want to hear about or know more, let me know.
Warm regards,
Damian Light
Come and Meet your Candidates!
This will probably be your only opportunity to hear from your local candidates so do do come along!
Saturday 17 Sept 3-5pm
Howick Bowling Club, 33 Selwyn Road, Cockle Bay
RSVP to info@theclick.co.nz
Voting in the election
Council elections are done via post - sometime between 16 and 21 September you should receive your voting papers in your mailbox. If they don't arrive, call the Electoral Office on 0800 922 822.
In the Howick Ward, we will be asked to vote for:
Mayor (one position so one vote)
Councillor (two positions so two votes)
Local Board (three positions so three votes)
Howick Local Board is split into three sub-divisions (Howick, Pakuranga and Botany) so depending where you live, you'll have different candidates to choose from. We all get the same candidates for Mayor and Councillor. If you're not sure who you can vote for - go to the Auckland Council website and enter your address to see the list of candidates in your area.
Once you've voted, you can return your papers by
Post using any New Zealand Post box before Monday 3 October 2022
Drop Off at any Library or Countdown before midday Saturday 8 October 2022
Check out this guide on the Auckland Council website for more information.
Come meet your candidates!
This Saturday you are welcome to attend a casual meet the candidates event for all those standing in the Howick Ward area.
This Saturday you are welcome to attend a casual meet the candidates event for all those standing in the Howick Ward area.
Come and speak to them in a relaxed environment about their vision and priorities for the area, and discuss what's important to you.
Everyone is welcome! But please let me know if you're coming so we can ensure there's enough chocolate biscuits for everyone
Ko te wiki o Te Reo Māori
Ko te wiki o Te Reo Māori! It’s Māori language week!
Ko te wiki o Te Reo Māori!
Kei te pīrangi au ki te noho ki tētahi Tāmaki ko te aro-rohe kei te pokapū o te whakahaere kaunihera, e whakamana ana me te whakarongo ki ō tātou hapori. Ahakoa te rahi nui o te tāone nui, ka rangona, ka arohia hoki ngā reo ā-rohe me ngā whakataunga e whakaritea ana kia tautoko i ngā hapori. He tāone nui kākano maha, kanorau hoki, e whakakotahi ana ki te tautoko i a tātou me te whakanui i ō tātou rerekētanga.
Kua whakamaoritia taku paetukutuku ki te reo Maori.
Ka whai i ngā wheako pakihi me te mana whakahaere, tae atu ki ngā tūhononga hapori uekaha, nā reira, ko aku whakaemitanga pūkenga kei tua o kapenga kia tū hei kaikaunihera mā koutou.
Me te whai i tō koutou tautoko, ka whakarato au i te moemoeā me te hautūtanga ki te rutu i ngā take uaua, ka pukumahi, ā, ka whakarite kia rangona ngā tāngata o Tāmaki ki te Rāwhiti ki te tēpu o te kaunihera.
Pōtihia a Damian Light ki te Kaunihera
It’s Māori language week!
I want to live in an Auckland where localism is at the core of how council functions, empowering and listening to our communities. Despite the massive scale of the city, the local voices are heard and listened to with decisions made that support communities. We’re a multicultural and diverse city, coming together to support each other while celebrating our differences.
My website has been translated into Te Reo Māori.
With business and governance experience, combined with strong community connections, I have an unrivaled mix of what's needed to be your councillor.
With your support, I will provide the vision and leadership to tackle the tough issues, put in the hard work and ensure the people of East Auckland are heard at the council table.
Vote Damian Light for Council
East Auckland deserves good councillors who will get things done
Fortyfoot Park (like Aberfeldy) and other reserves are being sold by Auckland Council in an effort to claw back their massive deficits. In the NZ Herald there was a good column by Simon Wilson that gets to the core of the issue - ineffective councillors.
"Good councillors know how to work with others to get things done. Others just watch from the sidelines and complain."
Fortyfoot Park (like Aberfeldy) and other reserves are being sold by Auckland Council in an effort to claw back their massive deficits. I remain opposed to this - selling community assets like parks to cover poor financial management is short sighted and fails to address the root causes of waste and misspending.
In the NZ Herald on Tuesday 13 September there was a good column by Simon Wilson titled ‘What a park in Pakuranga tells us about Auckland Council’ that gets to the core of the issue - ineffective councillors.
Despite her recent opposition to the sales, Sharon Stewart voted for the $224m "asset recycling" programme in 2020 knowing that Fortyfoot Lane was on the list. This was despite the Howick Local Board and other locals (me included) asking council to not sell our parks. Parks, plural - on the potential target list were 14 properties in Howick, including Fortyfoot Lane, Aberfeldy Avenue and Golflands Drive (since saved from sale).
Stewart waited till the last minute to change sides, but it was far too late to change anything.
This is a sad reminder that decisions made by councillors have real impacts on our community. There’s been a lot of focus on the mayoral candidates which I can understand, but we must not forget that the councillors vote on the plans, policies and budgets. There are 20 councillors for Auckland, 2 for East Auckland - who these people are and what they do matters.
The repercussions of 2020 Emergency Budget are still being felt - record debt, service cuts & asset sales continue to deprive Auckland. The Eastern Busway was delayed as was the Flat Bush Library and Community Centre - when I queried these at council consultation events and via our councillors, I got vague responses that failed to address the concerns. We got a public statement from the Mayor that the cuts wouldn’t effect the Eastern Busway, which made no logical sense and turned out to be wrong.
Maybe our councillors felt that there was good justification for voting for this but they’ve never explained themselves.
East Auckland has been poorly served for too long by councillors who don't understand the impact of their decisions. Councillors who are unable or unwilling to communicate with the people they’re meant to represent. Councillors who are quick to complain but slow to offer alternatives.
It's time for change.
If elected I will continue to analyse the potential impacts of every council vote in order to make the best, well informed decisions. I will continue to listen to the community, to understand the views of the people I represent and advocate with determination and passion. I will continue to communicate the impact of the decisions that are made, even if I disagree with them or they’re bad news. I will continue to hold our elected representatives and council staff to account for the decisions they make and they ones they won’t. I will continue to work collaboratively with council and community to achieve the best outcomes for Auckland.
If not elected, I’ll continue to do this anyway, because I love my city and my community. We deserve better and I won’t stop fighting till we get it.
Happy Moon Festival
Happy Moon Festival! Also known as Mid-Autumn or Mooncake Festival. Whatever you call it or however you celebrate, I hope you have a great one!
Happy Moon Festival! Also known as Mid-Autumn or Mooncake Festival. Whatever you call it or however you celebrate, I hope you have a great one!
In East Auckland we celebrated with a festival in Sir Barry Curtis Park complete with lanterns, performances and food. Can't go past opportunity to have some dumplings and got myself a Mooncake to enjoy.
