Millie Watkins has been involved in grassroots community work for 30 years. Starting just out of high school with a local food coop that distributed organic food to shelters and pensioners, balancing the scales so that everyone has a fair share has been an ongoing passion.
After a career as a Steiner kindergarten and state school teacher she now runs community education courses in financial literacy, community resiliance, and sustainable living.
A pragmatic environmentalist she built her own strawbale house and has a heart for creating affordable and sustainable natural homes. A qualified surf lifesaver, Millie enjoys skiing and rowing, created the disabled snow sports programme at Snowplanet and is secretary of Auckland Disabled Snow Sports NZ.
“I believe Waiheke’s future depends upon having a long-term sustainable plan in the context of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park and maintaining our vibrant, diverse and supportive community. This in turn requires jobs, education, affordable homes, local food and energy solutions To this end I will work to establish Waiheke as an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve serving in a collaborative and engaged local board.”
Top 5 Issues
- Local Employment Initiatives- Community investment in local small businesses. Small and local is best for the long term viability of the island's economy.
- Active Community Engagement- Regular meetings at Community Halls around the island to craft a vision for Waiheke that works for everyone, Utilizing online tools for ongoing feedback, referendums and surveys to allow greater input from the community. Updating the Essentially Waiheke Strategic Plan for the next decade.
- Long term planning for strong sustainability- Development of policies that are ecologically sustainable, economically efficient and socially fair. Planning from the perspective of looking backward from 2050 to prioritize best practices for Waiheke Islanders' continued quality of life.
- Local Food and Water Solutions- Supporting local food initiatives such as community gardens and establishing a Community Food Bank. Establishing a panel of community members to look at bore water usage and protection of water supply. Increasing water collection and harvesting around the island during the wet season.
- Natural Environment- Ongoing non-toxic pest and weed control, reforestation, and rehabilitation of water catchments, rivers and beach outflows.
Personal Profile
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Primary Education (with honours)
- Master of Arts in Multicultural/Bilingual Education
- Permaculture Design Certificate
- Surf LIfesaving Bronze Award
Affiliations
- Disabled Snowsports NZ- Auckland (secretary)
- Builders Without Borders (steering committee)
- Seed Savers
- Park Road Community Garden
- Waiheke CSA
- Toward Zero Waste
- Sustainable Living Tutors
- Transition Towns Waiheke
- Ooooby
- Surf Lifesaving New Zealand
Authorised by Millie Watkins of 37 Makora Ave, Oneroa, Waiheke Island
Questions answered by Millie Watkins
Question
Millie Watkins's Reply
Hi Sue,
I belive that retaining the current method of on-site disposal of wastewater is the best course for the island. I do not support reticulation under any circumstances. It is a solution that has not proved tenable in the long term in other locations.
Thank you for your question,
Millie Watkins
check out other candidate's answersHi Jan,
I have read the updated 2005 version of the Essentially Waiheke Strategic Plan. This is an important document for the island as it represents the highest degree of consensus from island residents. Some of my thoughts are that it is time, especially in light of coming changes in governance, to revisit the plan, with a special focus on sustainability. I would support a series of meetings to work through the plan with the community to make sure it progresses and also reflects the views of the wider community. I would like the plan to be adopted formally by the local board.
Please let me know if you have further questions,
Millie Watkins
check out other candidate's answersHi Jan,
I see Waiheke as having the potential to make itself a leader in sustainable practices, and to establish working ties with institutions around New Zealand to foster innovative, progressive solutions to the challanges the island faces.
Regards,
Millie
check out other candidate's answersHi Sue,
I support 'sustainability' being placed at the core of the Spatial Plan, the creation of which will be one of the first tasks of the incoming Local Board.
Thank you for your questions,
Millie Watkins
check out other candidate's answersHi Sue,
I believe Waiheke\'s waste is an asset, especially its green waste. The green waste being shipped off island now is the equivalent of exporting our topsoil. We cannot do without it. Island soils are easily degraded and compost is essential for the long term health of the island ecosystem. I strongly support returning control of the island\'s waste to the community.
Waiheke already proved that it could profitably manage its own waste and was in the middle of great innovations when it was interrupted by corporate protectionism as the C&R dominated Committee pushed through the multinational waste contractor the city was using already. One could ask why, as any isthmus-based waste management solution is more costly, which was one of the reasons that Clean Stream won its bid initially.
Waiheke is the only place where TPI meets with the community to ensure that it is living up to its promises of meeting the performance the island was accustomed to under the community waste management programme.
Thank you for your question,
Millie Watkins
check out other candidate's answersHi Jan,
I don't believe we can afford to lose a single species, and not just species themselves but viable populations. It is of little value to have species teetering on the edge of extinction, so healthy strong populations of the greatest diversity of native flora and fauna is crucial.
Thank you for your question,
Millie Watkins
check out other candidate's answers
- 2010
- 2013
Auckland Council - Waiheke Local Board
Results - Final
- Denise Roche
- 2239
- Faye Storer
- 1845
- Jo Holmes
- 1646
- Don McKenzie
- 1378
- Jim Hannan
- 1361
- Andy Spence
- 1356
- Herb Romaniuk
- 1232
- Paul Waldon
- 1147
- Marijke Ransom
- 1117
- Dorte Wray
- 965
- Colin Beardon
- 785
- Ewen Sutherland
- 476
- Allen Davies
- 418
- Graham Hooper
- 335
- Charissa Snijders
- 324
- Millie Watkins
- 313
- Victor Martick
- 167
Colin Beardon
Allen Davies
Jim Hannan
Jo Holmes
Graham Hooper
Victor Martick
Don McKenzie
Marijke Ransom
Denise Roche
Herb Romaniuk
Charissa Snijders
Andy Spence
Faye Storer
Ewen Sutherland
Paul Waldon
Millie Watkins
Dorte Wray
