19 September

Roskill Community Voice Media Release

Time to vote says young candidate

“With critical decisions about Auckland’s future to be made over the next few years, it is essential that Aucklanders of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds come out to vote in the Auckland Council elections”, says Shail Kaushal, Roskill Community Voice candidate for the Puketapapa Local Board, one day ahead of voting papers being mailed out on Friday 20 September.

“We live in a democracy which is a great privilege – but it is also a responsibility. We only get the best decisions and the best representatives when the whole community participates. In Auckland we are at a critical juncture with major decisions about transport, growth, and the shape of our communities being made. People need to be involved”.

“As one of New Zealand’s youngest candidates for election I make a special plea to our young people to participate. This is the city that we will inherit. The decisions being made now will affect the lives we build in the future. Let’s speak up to get the Auckland we deserve!”

"I am also pleased today to release Roskill Community Voice's Youth policy ahead of the election. We are committed to providing our young people with opportunity so that their full potential can be realised. Our policy includes measures such as advocating for a tertiary education provider in Roskill, support for Council cadetships, and investigating subsidised sports club memberships for young people". The full policy document is attached and can be viewed at www.roskillcv.org.nz.

“Here in Puketapapa/Mt Roskill I have loved every minute of the campaign. Our Roskill Community Voice campaign has focussed on meeting people one to one to talk about the importance of our community having a strong voice. We will be working hard until election day to encourage people to exercise their democratic voice”, says Mr Kaushal.

Roskill Community Voice
Local Policy: Youth

Our young people need to be seen as a strength in our community, not a problem to be ‘solved’. We need to provide support and resourcing to ensure that local young people have the opportunities they need to grow, develop, and contribute back to the community.
Specific local policy includes:

• The ongoing development and support of a comprehensive Youth Action Plan that provides a framework for supporting youth leadership and aspirations.

• Working to deliver an empowered Puketapapa youth caucus, including joint meetings with the Local Board so that ideas and aspirations are shared.

• A strong focus on linking our local young people to training, skill development, and apprenticeships. We must provide the means for our youth to move into productive, high wage jobs.

• We will take advocate for a credible tertiary education provider to establish a presence in Roskill.

• Investigate the barriers to local young people participating in organised sport, and investigate a subsidised sports club membership scheme.

• Support a Living Wage so that local young people and their families can live in dignity and plan for the future.

• Actively support an expansion of the Council cadetship scheme that provides young people with opportunities to develop skills and careers in the Council organisation.

Make it happen! Vote City Vision for Ward Council positions and Roskill Community Voice for Puketapapa Local Board.

Authorised by R.Gallagher, 15 Torrance St, Auckland

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