A vibrant Whau where everyone feels included
Homes families can actually afford
Families across Whau are drowning in housing costs, with many handing over 50-60% of their paychecks just to keep a roof overhead. Auckland house prices are 7.4 times household income1 - that's nearly triple what economists consider affordable. With 6,624 families on the public housing register2 and 423 households in Whau Ward still waiting,3 working families are being pushed out of their own communities.
I will fight to expand public housing investment, building on Wellington's Te Kāinga success that delivered 1,500 affordable homes at no cost to ratepayers4. I'll support the Waikato Community Land Trust model5 that keeps housing permanently affordable and advocate for build-to-rent sector incentives to increase rental supply.
Climate action through nature-based solutions
Our natural spaces are under pressure, leaving us vulnerable to floods and environmental damage. Whau's tree canopy sits at just 18% when we need 30%6 for proper climate resilience. But our community is already stepping up - 2,130 volunteers contributed 8,747 hours to environmental restoration in 2023-24.7
I'll push for full restoration of the Whau River watershed and ramp up native tree planting, expanding what worked in Auckland's Million Trees Programme success8, and support nature-based flood management, including green roofs, and wetland restoration.
A council that represents our community
Too many of Whau's diverse communities don't have a real say in decisions that shape their neighborhoods. With 47.2% of residents born overseas and 34.5% speaking languages other than English at home9, we need a democracy that works for everyone, not just those with connections and English fluency.
I'll make sure every day residents actually get heard by pushing Auckland Council to adopt Wellington's successful 2023 Citizens' Assembly model10, to champion accessible council processes and support transparent governance that ends privileged access for developers. I'll work to establish community forums in multiple languages across different suburbs and create youth councils and disability advisory groups for inclusive representation.
Protecting our shared spaces
Our public spaces and community assets face privatisation pressure. Plans to sell the racecourse land11 for intensive housing development have largely been made behind closed doors. Meanwhile, Avondale has just 1.5 hectares of green space per 1,000 people, making it one of Auckland's most underserviced areas.12
I won't let our community assets (including markets, sports facilities, and public land) be sold off or privatised. I'll support public ownership of essential community infrastructure, working with groups like Whau Pasifika, I Love Avondale, Eco Matters and the Avondale Business Association. These public spaces belong to all of us. I'll put their management directly in the hands of the locals who actually use them.