The third in our mayoral special series, we introduce four more candidates. This week, we spoke to John Palino, Mario Alupis and Aileen Austin and asked them about their vision for Auckland, their take on the Auckland Unitary Plan and what they hope to achieve in the first 60 days in office if elected.
John Palino
John Palino has been a businessman for more than 35 years. Having moved here 21 years ago, he brought with him a life of knowledge and international experience. As someone who thinks Auckland was the best place in the world to live, Palino wants Auckland to thrive. You can read about his stand on the issues in his book A Vision for Auckland.
Your plan for the first 60 days in office if elected
The first thing I will hit the ground running on is the budget. With that in mind, there are pressing issues such as homelessness.
I will address homelessness, safety, and security immediately. At the same time, I will continue with my existing growth plan and get the developers, the central government, transport and water around the table and make our plan come to life.
Your views on the Auckland Unitary plan
The Unitary Plan is only a zoning map. It doesn’t include people.
My plan for growth includes people, and I will make it come alive with all the amenities a growing population needs, including schools, jobs, transport, police and security.
My plan does this and you can read all about it in my book A Vision for Auckland that you can find at www.palinoformayor.co.nz
Your approach to the housing and public transport issues
In my plan, I show how we must build up the existing city centres such as Albany, Henderson and Manukau and create another satellite city where we can build affordable housing and where we can build everything we need with the growth.
If we build in this way we can create a Live, Work and Play community. This is how we can reduce congestion, create jobs and build homes.
Three initiatives you plan on undertaking as the mayor
Housing, Auckland’s finance, and transport. Of course, we can make Auckland run more efficiently, which is the job of the CEO.
Our mayor needs be across all fields but needs to first have a vision, the drive and the ability to see it through.
Allow me to cover finance. Auckland land bankers are becoming extremely rich, as they benefit from the council building, the infrastructure, and rezoning the land. We need to take a new look at how we grow Auckland and fund that infrastructure.
We need to work smart. I have a plan to open up the Metropolitan Urban Boundary, but before we do that council needs to acquire the land, create a model of the new city, rezone it and then add the infrastructure needed.
At that point, we sell the parcels off to the multiple developers to begin building our new city and bring the plan to life. We now recoup all our costs and keep land for schools, parks, playgrounds, sports fields and affordable housing. This is how a smart mayor with a vision can build a city with a growth in population and property price increases such as Auckland.
Your vision for the future of Auckland
My vision is for an Auckland of choice.
I want the Auckland of the future to be a place where you can choose where you live, where you work, what you do and how you get around.
A city where we protect the beauty, our communities, the culture, our children and all those things we love today.
A city that grows without the pains we are feeling today because we are smarter than that.
A city with a leader that has the people at heart and where they come first in all decisions.
Auckland has the opportunity to be a great city and you have the opportunity to choose which direction you would like it to go in. I just hope you all look back ten years from now and know that it was your choice and you made that right choice.
Mario Alupis
Mario Alupis is a 40-year-old professional wrestler. He says that was "nearly homeless at one point" in his life and therefore never takes anything for granted. Alupis adds that he is in touch with what matters to people: a roof over their family's head and transport.
Your plan for the first 60 days in office if elected
Hit the ground running, the foundations for Auckland is the council and that needs a major shakeup. For starters, no overseas trips unless absolutely necessary. I'd like to draft a plan where investors can only build a new home in selected areas and pay a lot more, as it is an investment ,then NZ citizens in the same circumstance.
Your views on the Auckland Unitary Plan
It still requires work. The people of Auckland come first and they should also have a strong say and options to choose from. We live in a democracy, not a dictatorship.
Your approach to the housing and public transport issues
For transport, use what we have already, have proper parking facilities where cars won't get vandalised or broken into, etc. and by reducing the costs to a point where it will be mad not to use public transport.
Housing, everyone deserves a roof over their head. I'll make it a lot harder for investors to purchase and make it a lot easier for citizens.
Three initiatives you plan on undertaking as the mayor
Sort the council out, housing issue, and transport—in that order. You must have a strong foundation to build upon
Your vision for the future of Auckland
My vision is simple. I want all Aucklanders to have a say. Everyone is equal. I'd love to showcase every nationality in Auckland to put on display, their heritage their history for all to see.
Aileen Austin
Aileen Austin is armed with a degree in architecture, has business experience, is a conservation educator, volunteer, and a fundraiser.
Austin says that Auckland has become "degraded, congested, and ugly". Her vision—fair rates, governance, and reducing debt. She says that she would lead with "integrity, honesty, accountability, care and a social conscience".
Your plan for the first 60 days in office if elected
Sort the priorities. Thank those who have supported me with their votes, meet all the successful candidates, council staff, and begin the hard work following through on council business to serve their ratepayers effectively, and on which they campaigned.
Your views on the Auckland Unitary Plan
There are some very obvious omissions. It principally addresses housing development without thought to other necessary social, community, infrastructure, or future open space, schools, emergency services, airport, congestion, etc. It adds unnecessary costs and future slums.
Your approach to the housing and public transport issues
Housing—lobby the government for housing in other towns; housing Kiwis first. I would also conduct rent reviews for pensioners in council flats.
Transport—Toll roads at the metropolitan urban limits. Cross-city buses and fewer cycle lanes.
Three initiatives you plan on undertaking as the mayor
Fair rates, governance and reducing debt—it's all about the rates; leading council staff, and controlling contracts with a friendly, effective, service.
Follow a simple and sensible policy—if the (native) tree/forest, reserve was there first, it stays. Building local public toilets with baby changing rooms and sealing metal roads.
Keeping assets, open spaces, Christmas, Easter, and weekends for families. I want an Auckland with tighter alcohol and gambling controls, without weapons and no violence.
Your vision for the future of Auckland
Our home, for future generations. Lend a hand to clean our land. Paimarie=peace, and achieving amazing things working together.
ISSUE
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