A local lawyer and businessman, I am a proud 5^th generation Aucklander, married 25 years with 4 children. I have lived or run businesses in the ward 30 years, and founded the longest established Ponsonby commercial law firm.

 

I have senior governance experience as director of NZ Post (Kiwibank), Vector and MetService and was twice elected to Auckland Energy Consumer Trust. I have served 15 years on local school boards, including Auckland Girls’ and Mt Albert Grammar and am trustee, Mt Albert Aquatic Centre.

 

“Our inner city suburbs from Parnell to Herne Bay are special places to live in and work and their heritage character, café culture, and commercial centres must be supported. My business and elected experience will help deliver from the SuperCity for our families at fair rates the best community-owned local parks, facilities and council services.”

 

For Your Community Voice vote me and the CITY VISION team.

Top 5 Issues

Personal Profile

Hello, I am seeking your support for election to your new Local Board for the SuperCity this month. A local lawyer, businessman and company director, I am a proud fifth generation Aucklander, married for 25 years with 4 growing children. I have lived or run businesses in the ward for 30 years, and founded the longest established Ponsonby commercial law firm, where we have been located for 15 years.

I have senior governance experience as a current director of New Zealand Post, also proud owner of Kiwibank and recently as deputy chair of MetService and director of NZX-listed Vector and was twice privileged to be elected by Aucklanders to represent you on the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust. I have also been an elected parent representative with 15 years service on local school boards, including Auckland Girls’ and currently Mt Albert Grammar Schools and am trustee of Mt Albert Aquatic Centre.

I am standing to offer my business and elected experiences to ensure the SuperCity delivers for us and our families the best community-owned local parks, facilities and council services at fair rates. The challenge of the new SuperCity will be to ensure Council and the new Council Controlled Organisations listen and respond to the needs of local communities. It is therefore important that you select for the Local Board people both community focused and committed to keeping the local in local government but importantly those who can go beyond good intentions and actually deliver from the new structure to their communities. This is my commitment to you.

Our inner city suburbs from Herne Bay, Westmere, Ponsonby and Grey Lynn to the Viaduct and Grafton and Parnell are special places to live in and work. I am committed to protecting our unique heritage and encouraging quality urban development, support for our café culture, entertainment and arts scene, and for our important commercial centres; for tourism, jobs and economic growth. I support accelerated public transport and CBD loop investment, and the opening of our waterfront as premier public space. I am a prudent sender of other people’s money, and have long supported keeping costs and rates under control.

We all live or work in this wonderful vibrant inner city series of neighbourhoods because of their sense of community, which we all want to cherish and retain.  With your support I will give my best as part of a wider team to serve your interests on your Local Board.

A City Vision Waitemata Local Board will:

• Stand with you and your community for a prosperous, secure, fair, and sustainable future
• Advocate for residents and be the strong community voice working with the Auckland Council and the Council Controlled Organisations to ensure local decisions are made locally
• Develop and enhance our open spaces, parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities for enjoyment by all
• Treasure our heritage buildings and encourage quality urban development
• Celebrate the unique character and culture of our diverse communities 
• Improve pedestrian safety, with slower traffic on residential streets, better footpaths and pedestrian-oriented street design
• Get our community moving with better cycling and walking infrastructure, effective public transport including support for fast tracking the CBD rail loop
• Make the most of our beautiful coast by developing a quality waterfront, improving access to the water, opening up a public harbour walkway and ending the problem of effluent overflow into our waterways
• Get behind our creative entrepreneurs, the Learning Quarter, and commercial centres to create jobs and thriving local businesses

My CV at a glance:

Managing director of Ponsonby commercial law firm, ChambersCraigJarvis, principal for 24 years Current director, State enterprise, New Zealand Post, also proud owner of Kiwibank Twice-elected trustee for 6 years and former deputy chair of the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust Former deputy chair, State enterprise, MetService and director of publicly-owned and NZX-list Vector Member, Ponsonby Business Association Trustee, Mt Albert Aquatic Centre Elected BOT trustee, currently Mt Albert Grammar School, formerly Auckland Girls’ Grammar School USA Harvard Business School, Executive Education Governance Programme, 2007