I have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Always lived in West, half in Ranges

   *   Karanga Camp Grounds - helped build, managed   26yrs

   *   Cofounder Camp Quality NZ  10yrs

   *   Bethells TV Transmitter - built and managed  10yrs

   *   Waitakere Kindergarten - establishment, fundraising committee  2yrs

   *   Waitakere Ratepayers Association Committee  12yrs

   *   Waitakere Ranges Protection Society  10yrs

   *   Waitakere City Council Committees  10yrs

   *   Waitakere Ranges Heritage Trust P/C  3yrs

   *   Te Henga Quarry Management Committee  16yrs

   *   District Court Community Works Co-ordinator  10yrs

   *   Waitakere and Rodney Rural Fire Officer  16yrs

   *   Bethells Fire Station founder and OIC  21yrs

   *   Regional District Fire Committee  16yrs

   *   Search and Rescue Co-ordinator  16yrs

   *   Civil Defence Co-ordinator  16yrs

JP.R, Queens Medal, 21yr Fire Medal, WCC Mayoral Award, NZ Police Award

Carpenter, Locksmith, Driver, Professional Firefighter, businessman

Issues - Keeping rates down, public transport, environment, property-owners  concerns,liaison on crime management

Top 5 Issues

1. Keeping rates down
   I plan to be vigilant and constantly looking for ways to keep rates from rising.One example is the idea of having 3 separate offices and staff for the 3 boards.We have a perfectly placed building with all the information in one place in Henderson.Save money and use it.
2. Public Transport
   I want it to be efficient, affordable and reachable for all in the areas we have it, without causing rate increases.
3. Environment
   The Waitakere Ranges Local Board covers a diverse area and types of usage. We have large pockets of urban area,rural,The Ranges/Parks and the beaches/coastline. Each area has its own specific environmental issues but as a board we need to work hard to keep them all in harmony and balance. Affordable rubbish disposal would go a long way to stop dumping in the ranges.
4. Property owners concerns.
   If changes are needed in an area, or a zone change is going to adversely effect land owners, then they need to be made aware and asked for input to get the best outcome. For example when land is needed for a road a land owner is compensated at market value. So if a piece of land is needed to add to Centennial Park or a zone change to help the park for example, then the same should apply.
5. Liaison on crime management
   Crime is a concern for all of us in our daily lives.
   I have had a lot of experience in the emergency service operations and worked extensively with the Police.
   I will continue to do this to make sure we have the best crime management we can for our area.

Personal Profile

My Community Involvement

 

 

Karanga Camp Grounds

 

Building started on the grounds around 1970 with just minimal camping facilities for families. (The grounds are owned by the Community of Christ Church.)

When they discovered there was a shortage of grounds available to the general public, they decided to do something about it.

I have been involved since that time and organised or built many of the facilities there.

I was on the board of management and appointed works manager for the time of my involvement.

The grounds are a non profit organisation so my work was unpaid.

The camp is on Te Henga Rd Bethells Beach and is available for any organisation to hire.I was involved for 26yrs.

 

 

Camp Quality N.Z.

 

Camp Quality is a world wide organisation that runs camps for children with cancer up to the age of 13yrs.

Mr Boyle and I organized the first N.Z. Camp in the 1980s and it has now spread through out NZ with the help of Lions N.Z

I was involved in their running for 10yrs.

 

 

Bethells Beach Television Transmitter

 

The Te Henga Bethells Beach area had very little reception and in some parts none at all.

In the early 1980s I organised the design, fundraising, building and management of the transmitter.I maintained it for 10yrs until TVNZ took it over.

 

 

Waitakere Kindergarten

 

I was part of the establishment committee responsible for raising funds to build the kindy. I worked on that for two years until the goal was achieved.

 

 

Waitakere Ratepayers Association

 

I was on the committee for 12yrs and was involved in getting many projects achieved in the area, including the resiting of the Domain hall.

I was also the representitive on council committees for the community.

 

 

Waitakere Ranges Protection Society

 

As a member for 10yrs I had an input on a number of issues involving the ranges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WCC Committees

 

I was appointed by the ratepayers association to be the community's representitive on the WCC Te Henga Quarry management committee.I did this for 10yrs and it involved changing the structure of managing the quarry along with planning a replanting program for each area of finished quarry.

This also was in a voluntary capacity.

 

 

Waitakere Ranges Heritage Trust

 

As a leader in the local community and a member of the ratepayers association I was invited to sit on a committee of people who were starting to draft early input into the planning of the trust.

I was involved for 3yrs.

 

 

District Court community works organiser

 

With lots of community jobs to be done. I approached the court to set me up in our area to supervise

people on community service.

I used them to do jobs on the surf club fire stn camp grounds school and many other areas.

I did this for 10yrs in a voluntary role.

 

 

WCC and Rodney Volunteer Rural Fire Officer

 

This role was for 16yrs and involved issuing fire permits and property inspections for same.

 

 

 

Bethells Fire Station Founder and Officer in Charge

 

As a professional firefighter at the time, I saw many houses at Bethells and Waitakere burn down due to time delay or lack of water resources. 

I decided in 1980 to set up a local response unit with a few neighbours.

Two of us put money up and I bought a towable pump. As I looked into it further I found legislation

that allowed council the powers to create rural fire force units.

I started working with council and other interested people in creating a workable constitution

that could be used by us and others.While this was happering I was still procuring the equipment and land for a fire station.What started at my place was soon in a station

 that we fundraised for and built. As a volunteer I fundraised, managed and ran the Station for 21yrs.

 

 

WCC Regional Fire Committee

 

Because of my role with the Fire Stn I was asked to sit on the committee along with representatives

from the N.Z.Fire Service and ARC.

Our job was to manage and plan fire protection for the Ranges.

I was involved in this for 16yrs in a voluntary capacity.

 

 

 

 

 

Search and Rescue

 

I worked closely with Police,Fire and Ambulance in running the local search and rescue needs and responses.This was a voluntary role I did for 16yrs also.

 

 

Civil Defence Coordinator

 

In this role I was responsible for creating and implementing rescue and evacuation plans for floods fire or a dam burst. I was also responsible for designing an early warning system for dam burst.

Bethells valley only had one road in and out and therefore created a number of challenges in these situations.

 

 

 

Recognitions

 

In 1990 I received a Queens Medal for my services to N.Z.

This was partly for my work with children and the rural fire implementation work.

 

The WCC Mayoral award was for my years of community service to the City.

 

The N.Z.Police award was for the years of voluntary service and assistance I had given on operations in the area.

 

The 21yr Rural Fire Medal was for long service as a volunteer.