Auckland Council Panel: Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, Josephine Bartley & Julie Fairey

I had the fun job last night of moderating a panel with Auckland’s Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and Councillors Josephine Bartley and Julie Fairey for the Onehunga Business Association. It was a wide-ranging conversation covering the budget, flooding, transport, rates, congestion, bus cancellations… But a couple of things stood out to me:

1. These three Councillors, while covering the full political spectrum, have each other’s backs and want to support each other – this was evident right throughout the panel discussion.
2. The recent weather events had a significant impact on them. They knew the people who lost their lives and were open about how these deaths affected them.
3. My final question to the panel was to ask for something positive for the year ahead. It’s nice to remind ourselves that not everything is bleak all the time!
4. Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson does a fantastic ghost impersonation (hear it between 1.01 -1:23) 👻 👻

Listen via Onehunga FM’s ‘Too Much Talk’ podcast in the link below

 

Onehunga FM video interview: Mayoral candidate Craig Lord

Onehunga FM podcast: Candidate for Mayor: Craig Lord wants to get Auckland Council refocused on its core services

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 11:

Craig Lord is standing for Auckland’s Mayor as an independent.

After 16 years in engineering, Craig moved into freelance media. He also works as an MC and Marriage Celebrant.

Craig and his wife have been married for 26 years and have two grown children.

Onehunga FM video interview: Mayoral candidate Efeso Collins

Onehunga FM podcast: Candidate for Mayor: Efeso Collins wants to deliver more than just fares-free public transport

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 10:

Fa’anānā Efeso Collins has been Councillor of the Manukau ward for the last two terms.

Standing for Auckland’s Mayor as an independent, he has the backing of both the Labour Party and the Green Party.

Efeso and his wife Fia have two daughters.

 

Onehunga FM podcast: Candidates for Local Board – Don Allan and Debbie Burrows are C&R candidates along with Tony Woodcock

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 9:

Incumbent Local Board members Don Allan, Debbie Burrows and Tony Woodcock are standing for re-election on the C&R ticket in the Maungakiekie subdivision.

Don and Debbie joined Tim McCready to talk about what they’ve accomplished, and what they’ve still got on their agendas.

 

Onehunga FM podcast: Candidate for Local Board: Stuart Lithgow is running as an independent

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 8: Frustrated by the local Auckland council decisions during the COVID-19 lockdowns, Stuart Lithgow resolved to run for the Maungakiekie-Tāmakie Local Board as an independent.

Stuart is a father of four and grandfather of five.

 

Onehunga FM podcast: Candidates for Local Board – Dianna Fuka, Chhaya Rana and Danika Revell are the City Vision candidates

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 7: Looking to replace our incumbent Local Board members in this election are three women who make up the City Vision ticket; Dianna Fuka, Chhaya Rana and Danika Revell.

Dianna Fuka is a Tongan grandmother who is a church and union leader.

Chhaya Rana works as a registered nurse, and is a mother of three grown children.

Danika Revell is a mother to two young ones and is CEO and founder of The Period Place.

 

Onehunga FM podcast: Panel discussing Councillor candidates

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 6: Jessica Gregory has a degree in political science, and Rachel Sturges is the editor of the Onehunga Community News.

The two joined Tim McCready to discuss our series of interviews with candidates standing for Councillor in the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki ward.

 

Onehunga FM podcast: John Peebles – Councillor candidate

In this local body election, what if we could do a little more than a tick and a prayer?

Tim McCready chats with candidates and commentators throughout the local body elections to tease out people’s visions for Onehunga and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Episode 5: Standing for ward Councillor as an independent, Dr John Peebles is passionate about Auckland being more fiscally prudent.

John has worked in various governance and consulting roles over several decades.

His decision to run for ward Councillor as an independent sprung from a dissatisfaction with what parties have promised and delivered.