I am standing for Mayor because of the thoughts you’ve expressed to me about the future of this city we all love. They have formed a vision of what Wellington can become.
At 38, my success as an independent publisher and business innovator has been possible from here in the heart of Wellington.
Wellingtonians want the attributes I offer: international marketing experience, an open and passionate attitude to compelling, achievable new ideas, and collaborative team building.
The city I would lead for Wellington taps in to the energy of all citizens frustrated about being so near to something better, but so far.
Better use of technology is just one of the many things I believe can make the difference, but what really counts is your vote for change.
I invite you to further dialogue about our city’s future. I’m ready to listen. Email me (jack@jya.net) or visit my Facebook page.
Top 5 Issues
- Free wifi
Wellington should join the top cities around the world with secure, free wireless internet—at no cost to ratepayers. I’ve pushed this from day one—and I think it’s easily achieved.
Giving people enough bandwidth to check email and look up directions will help businesses connect, and visitors communicate and learn.
It lets the world know that Wellington is “open for business” when it comes to high-tech, creative enterprise.
Free wifi would help Wellington take its place among the world’s capital cities. Wellington has the opportunity to be a connected city, and there is no reason it can’t be. - Transparent government
It’s time to run Wellington for the present day, not the red-tape-tied 1960s.
I see a city where governmental transparency leads to every community and voter feeling heard and respected—not just the wealthy and powerful.
We expect to be able to see our mayor and council work for us. I support webcasting public meetings and posting council meetings online for comments.
This is the way we interact in the 21st century. Great ideas come from great dialogue. When elected, I want citizens to have a direct line to government, especially directly to me. - Growing businesses
Strong economies are founded on enterprise.
Let’s open the doors for business.
With a rise in unemployment during the last decade, and people not feeling any increase in their wages, we know business can be better.
I plan to streamline processes and use sustainability incentives to encourage best-practice business to build their future here.
I believe that Wellington is the home of businesses that can, and should, go global. Let’s build our creative and technological sectors, growing jobs. Free wifi will help businesses and tourists. Let’s have real plans helping small businesses and employees, in which the council helps, not hinders. I’ve grown businesses into exporters, and know what it takes.
Creativity, not procedure, powers the next decade, and I’m willing to champion it. - Water management and the environment
Improved water conservation does not need to involve privatization.
We must not privatize water, one of our most precious resources. Creative use of online usage tracking and other transparent methods can improve conservation.
I want to lead Wellington towards serious, committed use of energy-saving solutions and alternative power. That includes solar for government, homes and businesses, warmer homes, and electric transportation.
I’ve been concerned with environmental causes since the early 2000s, working with the United Nations Environment Programme. Your next mayor needs to be ahead of the curve, not be reactive. - Public transport
Public transport should run efficiently to decrease reliance on private vehicles.
When a train arrives, a bus should be waiting. Public transport options should be affordable to all. Cities around the world make it work, so why can’t Wellington?
We need to make our public transport network more efficient, with strong civic communication to Kiwirail and Wellington Bus. As mayor, I’m ready to collaborate, innovate and stand up for Wellingtonians.
Personal Profile
 Photographed by Sarah Burton |
It’s the 2010s, and the politicians don’t seem to realize that.
The current mayor and council are playing catch-up with Dunedin on free wifi and, in the meantime, floated ridiculous ideas such as the Wellywood sign.
If only they’d listen.
I’ve been listening—and acting—not just since September 2009 when I first announced my candidacy. My desire to run for this office goes back a lot further than that.
I’ve had my share of business success over the years. I’m virtually a life-long Wellingtonian: I first came to Wellington when I was three.
Everything I’ve accomplished, I’ve done from Wellington.
Most importantly, I get it. I understand that we’re part of a global community. I understand that if politics are going to be relevant to you, you need to be able to talk to your representatives.
That means being open to meeting you in person, which I’ve done a lot of over the last year, to understanding and participating online, where you take your causes when you want to rally support.
No one else has been participating with you to the same degree on Facebook and Twitter and listening to what you think. But I’ve been there.
At the same time, I have a real and achievable vision for this city—to be an advanced city with the best lifestyle not just in New Zealand, but in the world. I don’t believe my opponents are setting their sights as highly.
But my whole life tells me that you should set your sights high.
I attended St Mark’s Church School, Rongotai College, Scots College and Victoria University, and through most of my high school and uni years I worked in my own business. I was the first digital typeface designer in the country, one of the first web designers, and in 1997 launched Lucire, the country’s first commercial online fashion magazine. We extended Lucire into print in 2004, both here and in Europe and Asia. The idea: that you can be a brand-new designer and get the same kudos as someone who has been around for years, if you’re good enough. (Our first feature was Starfish here in Wellington, incidentally.)
From 2002 I have been a member, and later became a director, of the Medinge Group, a think-tank in Sweden dealing with humanistic branding. Or, in other words, how branding can work for humanity, and not corporate greed. In 2003, Lucire became the first fashion industry partner of the United Nations Environment Programme, and we were the first international fashion magazine to publish sustainable fashion shoots. With my colleagues at Medinge, I co-wrote Beyond Branding, which might be one of the first carbon-neutral business books. (Since then, I’ve written one on my own, and contributed to one other.)
In most things I’ve done, I’ve been a few years ahead of the pack. Publishing typefaces from New Zealand was, with the notable exception of Churchward International Typefaces in Wellington, unheard of in the late 1980s. ‘New Zealand? Don’t they just buy fonts from overseas?’ Not any more.
Publishing on the web was considered odd at a time when some people were figuring out email. But I saw the potential to communicate a more positive message, away from the establishment and the élites.
Talking about corporate social responsibility, raising the profile and income of developing nations, and the environment in 1999–2002, which led me to Medinge, had people scratching their heads. But I wanted to create change. In many areas, I have.
So when you’ve ticked a few boxes in your life, and you’ve always wanted to help people, where is another place where you can make a real change?
I’ve always been interested in politics as another area that needed a big overhaul. And the world is heading that way: there has been democratization in communications (anyone can say something on the ’net, for example), in business (one person can start a business with far less capital today than 30 years ago), and other fields—so why not politics?
Why not be an agent of change who brings power back to the people? Politics needs our wisdom, not the tiredness of the same old voices.
I see Wellington as a global player where businesses feel supported rather than hindered.
Where governmental transparency leads to every community and voter feeling heard and respected—not just the wealthy and powerful.
Where our health, creative and technological sectors lead to more jobs and a stronger economy.
Where basic wireless internet is free in the city centre—at no cost to taxpayers.
Where frugality and consideration of the long-term public good are the first considerations—working with private partners where it makes sense, but keeping our most precious resources—such as water—owned by the people of Wellington.
Wellington has had 35 mayors. Make me your 36th—and let’s bring some real change. Visit my personal site, my campaign site, Your Wellington, where you can raise more issues with me, or my Facebook campaign page, and let’s build the city we want.
Academic qualifications
LL B (1994), BCA (Hons.) (1996) and MCA (2000) from Victoria University of Wellington; Proxime Accessit at Scots and Dux at St Mark’s
My work
CEO, Jack Yan & Associates, 1987–
Publisher, Lucire, 1997–
Member and director, the Medinge Group, 2002–
Some of my other work
Typography columnist, Desktop magazine, 1996–2010
Co-founder and legal adviser for TypeRight, a type designers’ advocacy group and Publish Impact Award winner in 1997
Design theory lecturer, Natcoll, 1999–2000; created and taught typeface design programme, Massey University, 2000
Guest lecturer and programme advisory board member, Whitireia Community Polytechnic, 2000–7 (and variously at Natcoll, Massey University and AUT from 2001 to 2009)
Editorial review board for Journal of Brand Management, invited 2002 and active 2009–
Volunteer mentor for Business Mentors New Zealand, 2006–
Authorised by Grant Beban of 31 Arlington Street, Mt Cook, Wellington
Questions answered by Jack Yan
Question
Jack Yan's Reply
1. My father, his siblings, his parents and his grandmother were refugees into Hong Kong in 1949 after the Communists revolted. So I grew up hearing stories about the hardships that refugee families endure. There is an issue with integration and jobs. If we get both wrong, then this potentially becomes a social problem. There is an added dimension in Wellington, where our refugees are unlikely to be of the same race as the majority—so they confront racism and prejudice. On that note, I certainly have confronted my fair share first-hand.
2. Wellington needs to signal that it is prepared to be a multicultural society. One of the many reasons I am standing is to break a glass ceiling: to finally highlight that this city does not care what colour or creed you are if you seek to be its mayor and its advocate. From day one I have tried to be the most inclusive person I can—which is why I learned so many languages and travelled so widely.
The specific measures would be (a) a proper outreach to all refugee groups, through liaising with them and working with them. When my family first arrived in Wellington in 1976, it was the personal intervention of Sir Frank and Lady Kitts that helped us integrate into society. Sir Frank even fought to get my Mum’s pay (she was a nurse) at the WHB sorted out. (b) I would create a mentoring programme to them to help them into our economy. I’ve already said I would do this for entrepreneurs and I see no reason such a programme should not be extended to our newest arrivals, who need our help the most. We could ask business leaders, or we could lobby Grow Wellington to assist us. (c) The plight of refugees is often ignored and racism often arises through media who refuse to focus on names that sound unusual. Let’s change that, by highlighting different groups of Wellingtonians through the circulars that the WCC currently prints. (There’s no reason this doesn’t go online, as well.) The more exposure different Wellingtonians get, the more we integrate, and the more integrated we feel. It’s worth it for the social benefits we gain.
3. I’m the son of a refugee. I was at school with children of refugees. Ever since I was a kid, I would befriend people from overseas, refugees or not. Maybe it was Sir Frank’s example, but I always wanted to make people feel welcome in Wellington. Outside my family, I have met numerous refugees, especially those who have started their own businesses, through the course of my career. I found their stories inspiring. I also realize they are the lucky ones who, through perseverence, got to where they are. I also know that if we all had those same opportunities, we can all excel. That’s what I want to deliver for Wellington: creating opportunities. So, unlike Mr O’Donovan, I have not directly worked with refugee groups at a formal sense, but I’ve learned so many of the lessons of the refugee experience through my whole lifetime. I’ve absorbed them into the way I see the world and the way I do things.
What we must remember is that we should never condescend to refugees, because, if we found ourselves in similar situations, we might not be as resilient. They’ve proven their mettle by losing everything they know—and they deserve respect for their hardship and dignity, from which we can learn.
check out other candidate's answersKevin, a lot of these should be brought back under council control. Capacity and Waterfront Ltd. for a start should be revised and be made totally accountable to ratepayers, and I have said this at some of our debates and forums. It is a waste of money for Waterfront Ltd. to defend legal action from Waterfront Watch—Waterfront Ltd. should be enacting policy that has been agreed on by the citizens of Wellington, not sneak in projects that we have already objected on. On parking enforcement: when the contract is renewed, this will also be brought back under council control as I cannot see any efficiency gain through contracting it to Tyco. In fact, the efficiency dogma, most of the time, is deceptive, in my book (it was the argument of Slater Walker and British Leyland in the UK, for instance).
The theme of my administration is transparency, which means sharing information with all citizens so that we can comment and know we have been properly consulted. This means we would encourage public participation as a counter to any organization exercising undue monopoly power—something that is certainly an offence under the Commerce Act.
I would not mind your clarifying ‘tourism promotion’—do you refer to Positively Wellington Tourism? This is perhaps one area where I see us needing to maintain this organization but have closer links to it from the Mayor’s office and council.
check out other candidate's answers
1. My father, his siblings, his parents and his grandmother were refugees into Hong Kong in 1949 after the Communists revolted. So I grew up hearing stories about the hardships that refugee families endure. There is an issue with integration and jobs. If we get both wrong, then this potentially becomes a social problem. There is an added dimension in Wellington, where our refugees are unlikely to be of the same race as the majority—so they confront racism and prejudice. On that note, I certainly have confronted my fair share first-hand. 2. Wellington needs to signal that it is prepared to be a multicultural society. One of the many reasons I am standing is to break a glass ceiling: to finally highlight that this city does not care what colour or creed you are if you seek to be its mayor and its advocate. From day one I have tried to be the most inclusive person I can—which is why I learned so many languages and travelled so widely. The specific measures would be (a) a proper outreach to all refugee groups, through liaising with them and working with them. When my family first arrived in Wellington in 1976, it was the personal intervention of Sir Frank and Lady Kitts that helped us integrate into society. Sir Frank even fought to get my Mum’s pay (she was a nurse) at the WHB sorted out. (b) I would create a mentoring programme to them to help them into our economy. I’ve already said I would do this for entrepreneurs and I see no reason such a programme should not be extended to our newest arrivals, who need our help the most. We could ask business leaders, or we could lobby Grow Wellington to assist us. (c) The plight of refugees is often ignored and racism often arises through media who refuse to focus on names that sound unusual. Let’s change that, by highlighting different groups of Wellingtonians through the circulars that the WCC currently prints. (There’s no reason this doesn’t go online, as well.) The more exposure different Wellingtonians get, the more we integrate, and the more integrated we feel. It’s worth it for the social benefits we gain. 3. I’m the son of a refugee. I was at school with children of refugees. Ever since I was a kid, I would befriend people from overseas, refugees or not. Maybe it was Sir Frank’s example, but I always wanted to make people feel welcome in Wellington. Outside my family, I have met numerous refugees, especially those who have started their own businesses, through the course of my career. I found their stories inspiring. I also realize they are the lucky ones who, through perseverence, got to where they are. I also know that if we all had those same opportunities, we can all excel. That’s what I want to deliver for Wellington: creating opportunities. So, unlike Mr O’Donovan, I have not directly worked with refugee groups at a formal sense, but I’ve learned so many of the lessons of the refugee experience through my whole lifetime. I’ve absorbed them into the way I see the world and the way I do things. What we must remember is that we should never condescend to refugees, because, if we found ourselves in similar situations, we might not be as resilient. They’ve proven their mettle by losing everything they know—and they deserve respect for their hardship and dignity, from which we can learn.
Ken, I have consulted with the Churton Park Community Association and a great deal of the issues seem to be the lack of recognition of Churton Park as anything but a mere satellite to Johnsonville. Indeed, a lot of the issues appear to stem from the present administration viewing any suburb north of Thorndon as foreign territory. Acceleration of facilities such as a community centre—which I am convinced needs to happen, and the CA has discussed this with me—come with proper recognition of the community and its unique identity. I pledge to be fairer, for a start, and recognize your needs.
The motorway access issue is something we need to work with Transit on, but the community centre needs to be started ASAP. I support what the CA has said about the centre and will work closely with its members.
The funds appear to not be fairly provided to growing communities, though I will say we potentially face some budgetary problems with our growing city debt (depending on who you talk to, it has either doubled or trebled from the $138 million in 2004). This is why I keep saying we need to grow the economy through my creative cluster programme, so that more funds can be available from the new businesses and residents who will come here.
I have said in a recent mayoral forum at Johnsonville that I would consult with DNZ over the Mall reconstruction project. It seems there is insufficient information although consent has been granted.
check out other candidate's answersJeff, I oppose the flyover. I was the first candidate to push IT sector growth in this election campaign, and I find it interesting that several of my opponents agree with me. With a stronger IT infrastructure, we can encourage flexible working hours and teleworking (working from home), and it would be hypocritical to require more roads if we are effectively reducing the number of cars that require them. The expense appears unnecessary as we are now in the 21st century, not the 20th, as the road-biased policies of this central government seem to indicate.
check out other candidate's answers
- 2007
- 2010
Wellington City Mayor
Results - Final
- Celia Wade-Brown
- 24881
- Kerry Prendergast
- 24705
- Jack Yan
- 7426
- Bryan Pepperell
- 5954
- Bernard O'Shaughnessy
- 1174
- Al Mansell
- 542
Al Mansell
Bernard O'Shaughnessy
Bryan Pepperell
Kerry Prendergast
Celia Wade-Brown
Jack Yan
