Mark was educated in Auckland with a B.Com from Otago University he and his family have lived  in St Heliers and Glendowie for 27 years. He has a genuine desire to participate in the process that will preserve and develop the community living spaces, historical landmarks and the amenities which we currently enjoy for the families of the future. As a Company Director Mark has a background in General Management, Marketing Management and Industry Administration, he brings to the Local Board a broad base of commercial experience and an awareness of the essential elements of commercial governance. Both will be necessary to ensure the success of the Board within the new Local Government structure to be implemented in Auckland.  Please vote for Doug Armstrong for Council  and all our local Citizens and Ratepayers Orakei Board candidates.

 

Top 5 Issues

1. Keep rates affordable and maximise ratepayer benefit in the Orakei Ward
2. Improve transport around the Ward and into the city
3. Enhance the Orakei Basin, and our community sports fields
4. Keep our beaches well maintained and continue to develop our parks
5. Work with our local businesses to enhance our town centres

Personal Profile

I have lived in the Orakei Ward since 1983 when my wife and I bought our first home in Glendowie.

I am a fourth generation New Zealander I am an old boy of Auckland Grammar  and aside from a few years Otago University and four years when my wife and I travelled in Europe I have lived and worked in Auckland all my life.

I have a Commerce degree and a have built my career as Company Manager within such businesses as AHI, Carter Holt Harvey and Clyde Industries I have been the CEO of the Hire industry Association in New Zealand and I am currently the General Manager of McEntee Hire and a Director of Timpack Industries in Hamilton

I have visited and worked in many of the great cities of the world .However there is no place like home and despite our frustrations I think we must all acknowledge that Auckland is still one of the great places in the world to live.

 In my view the Orakei Ward is the jewel of Auckland and we, as its current guardians have a responsibility to preserve and enhance the Ward not only for ourselves and the citizens of Auckland  but also for the generations to come.

I believe that the greatest threat we face in this Ward is the loss of identity through the consolidation of representation and the regional desire to focus resources exclusively on the interests of a Greater Auckland

I do not disagree with visionary aspirations but even common sense dreams must be paid for. It is simply not practical to expect that the broad range of projects that have been put forward during the run up to the election can be  financed solely at the expense of the city’s current citizens be this through the imposition of an ever increasing level of  rates or through the mortgaging of our children through  irresponsible levels of debt.

I have joined the C and R team because they are in my view the best group of people to represent the Citizens of Orakei within the new commercial structures that will dominate the delivery of services under the Super City of Auckland.

Under the new structure the key vehicle for day to day representation available to the citizens of Orakei will be the Local Board. The old days of going to the Council with a list of problems and expecting instant solutions are gone.

The resources available to the Board will at least in the initial stages be very limited. However for the Board to be successful it will be necessary to

• Develop new commercially viable and practical solutions to the real issues that exist within the Ward
• Effectively promote these solutions to the CCO’s who will provide the Regions services
• Possess the ability and the resources to drive these initiatives over sustained periods of time

For the new Local Boards to be effective they will need to efficient, well managed professional organisations. At this time I think that C and R is the only organisation that has the experience and representation to offer that security to the Citizens of Orakei.