Media release – For immediate release Monday 2 September, 2013

Rob Thomas to Contend as Council Representative for Waitemata & Gulf Ward

Rob Thomas today announced his candidacy for the Waitemata & Gulf Ward.

Thomas is currently a Local Board member for Waitemata, where he has contributed to numerous successful initiatives since he was elected in 2010. Thomas founded the Newmarket Community Association, established the Eden Terrace Business District, and had the popular Coxs Bay boardwalk rebuilt for walkers and cyclists. He was also instrumental in orchestrating the return of Movies in Parks to the Auckland region, after it was cancelled in 2012 by Auckland Council.

Thomas is a big supporter of local businesses as well as cultural events. He says, “It has been a great honour to represent our community over the last three years on the Waitemata Local Board. I am especially proud of my work with the Newmarket Community Association. They have been empowered to improve the quality of life in their area in a way that benefits not only the local businesses and residents but anyone visiting Newmarket. Using the power of collective voice is a powerful tool.”

“This year I am taking the next step to represent Aucklanders as your Councillor. My long term goal is to be Mayor of Auckland.”

Thomas has spent the last four months tirelessly door knocking communities in Parnell, Newmarket, Grafton, Arch Hill, Grey Lynn and Freeman’s Bay. With his slogan, ‘Let’s Talk’ he says, “listening to the views of my constituents is mandatory.” There are now five weeks until the end of the election and Thomas is confident that he will have visited over 7,000 homes by the final date for votes.

“Door knocking opens your eyes to the real issues people face everyday in our community. Residents have told me they want safe cycle ways through our community, they want resident only parking to push commuters out of our local streets, and they want our beaches to be clean from stormwater discharge.”

Thomas is an Aucklander who grew up between Newmarket and Waiheke Island. He now lives in St Mary’s Bay. Thomas has dedicated almost half his life to community improvement in local government having worked for Wellington City Council and the City of Westminster in London. At just 32 years old, Rob has dedicated almost half his life to community improvement in local government. With the average age of residents in the Waitemata & Gulf Ward at just 30 years, Thomas believes voters will find him easier to relate to. He is a better representative of the area. He is familiar with the issues they care about and thanks to his tireless door-knocking, he knows the key issues they care about.

Once elected as Councillor, Thomas is committed to rolling out resident-only parking across inner city communicates and controversially kicking out commuters parking on local roads. Other issues central to Thomas’s election campaign include building more affordable housing, protecting the integrity of the character of historic suburbs like Parnell and Grey Lynn, supporting the inner city rail corridor, safe routes for cyclists and school children, preventing stormwater discharges with sewage and chemicals into our waterways. Thomas recognises the unique issues facing our remote communities of Waiheke and Great Barrier Island and wants to empower these communities to have more say in local decisions.

Thomas says that his decision to run for Council comes from a huge ground swell of supporters that believe in what he’s doing and what he can achieve for Auckland. “After spending almost half my life representing my community it is natural that I decide to stand as Councillor for the Waitemata and Gulf Ward.”

ENDS

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