Tena Koe Jack

I am sorry i don\'t have time to give you very detailed responses but it might suffice to say that I sat on the Auckland Youth Council back in 1980 as the representative of the Auckland Youth Resource Centre in Wellesley Street (now AUT).

My son also sat on the council when he was in year 11 at High School.

My last community involvement was as Chairperson of our school board here in Avondale which is a truly cosmopolitan area.

Please check out my website for more information.

Kind regards and thank you for your questions and good wishes

Marlene Barr MA (Hons)

Hi Jack,

The city is made up of many groups, Young people, School kids, University students, married couples, families, single adults, elderly and sick people. All need to be able to express their ideas, suggestions and needs and all these voices need to be heard at the Local Board level. That is the role of the Local Boards. There might be central groupings of special interest, but the really powerful way to effect change in Auckland will be through the Local Boards. Young people need to work through these Boards. Why? Because they provide the political power by being the voice of a lot of Aucklanders. These Local Boards also have the clear opening to the Council and funding.

So to answer 1. I will be insisting Local Boards do consult residents and do little else the first year. We need to start the \'grass roots up\' approach from the beginning.

2. My two major policies are a. to fix congestion within the three year term and it is all detailed at www.chapmanformayor.co.nz and

b. to have the best of the new mode elevated and affordable passenger transport systems built from the CBD to the Airport within 4 years and then to have it extended across Auckland (see the web page) within ten years at half the cost of one Harbour tunnel. That will give you all the events transport you want, and

c. I am proposing to start fixing Manukau Harbour by dredging the polluted silt and containing it in a 1km square island to rival Paris, with an Auckland Square for concerts, a place for the Convention Centre, 12 football fields, an international rowing course and a \'Riviera\' of apartment,shops,hotels and marinas to fund it and revitalise Mangere and Otahuhu. These policies will provide transport and places for a wide range of activities.

3. The problem youth has is it doesn\'t seem to get heard. I believe the Local Boards can be the microphone for ideas from the youth. You need to elect people who will listen and not have preset party policies they need to follow, and you need to make sure you get the Local Board to listen. Some will get elected with \'top down\' experience and training and they will probably not listen much. You need to help make these Local Boards work. I will certainly do my best to achieve that too. I think you will find that there is a niche in the new super city in Local Boards and in organisations for youth to take up. Don\'t stay aloof. Mix it with the rest and I think you will find it works.

4. We will be listening. But you must make your presence felt. The families, the elderly all want the same... more elderly friendly etc. Lets make these Local Boards the center of the wards. It will have its problems but lets go at it and keep the goal clear, that we want everyone to get involved in making their area and its activities great for all the people in the area. Its really quite exciting. We can make Auckland to suit. I would like to see Auckland as a \'Can do. Will do. Lets go.\' place.

5. The new Council will need to involve all Aucklanders in its deliberations. Auckland has not been good at holding the kind of conversation that discusses a problem until a general consensus is reached. We need to have Aucklanders discussing policy options, dilemmas and problems. We have considered this a sign of lack of leadership. Rather it is leadership, taking Aucklanders along into the conversation. So I hope young people will find this interesting and get involved in these discussions.

6. I go back to the Local Boards. These are the means to having minority groups represented. There is nothing to stop such groups having their own group across Auckland of course. But the Local Boards will be the power house to have their ideas acted on within the city. We need to make these Local Boards work and work well. All Aucklanders need to insist on this. We will get representation if we do. Keep involved.

Regards

Hugh Chapman

for Mayor and Orakei Ward

Hi Jack,

Please see below for the answers to your questions- I have just kept it brief.

1- I feel very positive about including young people in the Super City and making sure their voices are heard. I support the idea of a youth council as well as setting up forums about different issues concerning youth and the like.

2- Again this is where forums could come in to play however in terms of transport i would say that we need to seriously upgrade our public transport system to something that is affordable, environmentally friendly as well as being reliable and efficient. This is where my idea of point to point shuttles or personal rapid transit comes in. With this system there are no obstructions so you can take comfort in the fact that you will get to your destination in time.

3- It is hard to say at this stage how the changes will affect youth- this of course depends on who is elected and how they run the council. Of Course I hope that it will be a positive change and continue to allow youth a voice in council.

4- I hope to see some younger, fresh faces on the council- it was greatly refreshing to see young people running for positions on local boards and council. I also like the idea of using modern techonology to reach people young and old- through both online and mobile technologies. People should be able to do a lot of their council related business online.

5- I would like to communication with youth through communicatio channels described above in addition to standard media outlets and the like.

6- I would like local boards to have a direct interface with the community they represent as they will be the ones making local decisions with the advice and support of those in the community. I would also use forums as a way to ensure that everyone feels as though they are heard and represented. I also believe in the use of referenda.

Colin

JACK THE BEST THING I CAN DO TO ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS IS TO LISTEN FIRST FIND OUT WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHEN IT IS NEEDED,BASICALLLY LISTEN TO EVERY ONE REGARDLESS OF ETHNICITY , AGE , GENDER, AND COMMUNITY. ALSO POSITIVE TWO COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE COUNCIL .

I LL KEEP IT SIMPLE , OPEN DOOR POLICY TO ALL

Dear Jack

Of the 12 portfo;lios I propose for the new Council, I dedicate one to Youh Affairs:

Youth Affairs

From my days at Auckland Theatre Company and Auckland Festival, I have long been committed to nurturing the next generation. On so many issues, from the carnage on our roads, to youth suicide, to substance abuse (alcohol and drugs), right down to the basic need of having something to do in Auckland, I believe the City could and should do more for its young people.

• Develop, support and host an annual Youth Forum, providing a platform for young people to discuss and debate the issues they confront in today’s society
• Develop and support new facilities and organisations that provide exciting, safe and supported recreational opportunities for the region’s young people
• Enhance and encourage close and constructive ties with the region’s primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions
• Develop and support apprentice opportunities for young people, particularly in the arts, creative and innovation sectors
• Initiate and develop and support a $10m Auckland Field Scholarship Fund, providing our young people with a ‘gap-year’ opportunity to experience and work in places of deprivation and poverty around the world.

I also have policies for Art & Culture and Sport & Recreation which have positive benefits for the region\'s young people. For more check out the Manifesto section of my website simonprast.com

Thanks for your question.

Best wishes

Simon

1. Young people are at the forefront of those being affected by the world economic crisis, growing unemployment, attacks on social services like education, police brutality and fighting the spreading wars in the world. Young people repelled by a world of exploitation and war can fight for a different course.

The Communist League campaign champions the interests of working people and points to the need for working people to organize and act in our own interests, ultimately this means taking power out of the hands of the capitalist class and we as working people organizing society in the interests of humanity not big business.

2.- 5. The Communist League campaign explains that the supercity will mean cuts to council services and facilities and we will join with young people in fighting these cuts. Already 1200 jobs have been cut, many of them are young workers either working directly for the council or council contracted service - we will join with them in fighting to defend their jobs, wages and conditions.

Communist League campaign supporters joined with teachers who marched down Queen St as part of their fight to win a union contract that provides not only a decent wage but reasonable job conditions– an example of the kind of action needed to defend our social entitlements. 

The idea that we as Aucklanders share a common interest and goal is one of the myraid ways the capitalist rulers disguise the most fundamental division in society. The vast majority of us are working people we sell our labour to survive, and we produce the wealth in this city, as opposed to the tiny handful of capitalists who exploit our labour, and control local and national government.

The Communist League present a series of demands that we organize to fight around today to address the needs of working people in face of this crisis.

Invite youth in Auckland to join with thousands of youth and students will gather for nine days to discuss and debate questions as diverse as the expanding wars in the world today to the fight to defend public education at the 17th World Festival of Youth and Students which will be held from December 13-21 in Johannesburg, South Africa. See http://www.wfdy.org/17wfys/

6. To build the kind of movement that can bring about fundamental change we put forward a programme that seeks to build unity among working people and overcome the many racist, sexist and chauvinist obstacles fostered by the bosses. The Communist League campaign fights for equal rights for immigrants, and demands the government stop the arrest and deportation of \"overstayers\". We call for immediate permanent residency for all undocumented immigrants who want to live and work here.

The Communist League campaign points to the need for working people to build solidarity with workers struggles worldwide, and recognize that victories for toilers elsewhere strengthens our hand as we march along the road towards workers taking power. That is why we demand New Zealand withdraw all armed forces and cops from Afghanistan and the Pacific now, that these countries be allowed to determine their future without the jack boot of imperialist intervention and call for an end to sanctions against Fiji.