David Hay supports Phil Goff for mayor

MEDIA RELEASE 25 September 2016

Speaking at a mayoral panel debate for the African Community, in Mount Roskill on Saturday afternoon, mayoral candidate David Hay threw his support behind Phil Goff to be the Mayor of Auckland.

"Auckland's voting system forces voters into a two-person race for the mayoralty. That's wrong.

"But voters now have to be realistic and decide which one of the two leading candidates should be mayor of Auckland." said Mr Hay.

"Goff supporters mustn't be complacent and assume that Phil Goff will win, just because of one or two poll results. They must get out and vote, to make sure Phil gets elected."

"I would be happy to be a councillor for the Howick Ward, and to support Phil Goff in his role as Mayor of Auckland." said Mr Hay.

AUDIO OF SPEECH
MP3 on Google Drive (courtesy Chloe Swarbrick)
FULL TRANSCRIPT OF SPEECH
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"E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi; tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa.

"My name is David Hay. I'm standing to be Mayor of Auckland on a platform of 'Cool Auckland - carbon zero by 2060 or sooner'.

"Auckland is part of the C40 group of mayors, around the world, who are taking action on climate change while national governments fail to do so.

"Action on climate change is part of our core business. We have to think about what's going to happen as sea levels rise. Will the Mangere Sewage Ponds still be able to function? Will Tamaki Drive be flooded at high tide? What about the Airport? What about Orewa, and all the low-lying land around the estuary there?

"We have to start making decisions now, for the future. It's about our infrastructure, our investment, and making wise decisions for our children and grandchildren. We can't wait to do that. We have to start doing that now. We have to have that long-term foresight about how Auckland is going to grow.

"And so it falls at the moment to mayors, and to city councils around the world, to pick up that challenge and to drive it forward. To say 'we can do this, we can make a difference, we have to make a difference, for our home towns.'

"One of the other policies I'm standing on is Single Transferable Vote, and we've talked a bit about voting here today.

"So when you open your voting paper you'll see, y'know; the mayor, the council, the local boards (and) you tick the number of people that you want to go on. But for the District Health Board you get to rank your candidates in order of preference.

"And I think this mayoral election, in particular, would have been much better served had we had Single Transferable Vote. Because then you could say - well I could say - vote for David Hay first, vote for Phil Goff second, vote for Chloe, Mark...

MARK THOMAS: "Is that the order"? (laughter)

DAVID HAY: "If that were me, that's how it would go. Absolutely. And I wouldn't vote for Vic Crone at all (more laughter). Seriously.

"But we don't have Single Transferable Vote. And so have to make a decision, really, not just who you like, but who do you think will be the best leader for Auckland, and who is the person most likely to be effective and most likely to take us forward.

"And today, I want to announce my support for Phil Goff in that role.

"Vote for Phil Goff. I would like you to vote for me, but he's the man for this job.

"I'm standing for the Howick Ward, as well as for mayor. And I hope to get in on the Howick Ward. And if I do I will be a supporter for Phil on Council.

"On certain issues, I will be more supportive than he asks me to be. (laughter) And I see that as partly being the role.

"I would like to take immediate and effective action to get the homeless off the streets and into temporary portable accommodation.

"I would like us to push for electric rapid rail everywhere, and to take the Auckland Transport Alliance Plan... sorry, the (Auckland Transport) Alignment Project planning recommendations back to the government and say to the government 'not good enough; climate change is not among the top priorities that you have here. It has to be.' We have to go back and do it again, and keep doing it until we get it right.

"I would like to see the government move on a restructure of the Auckland Council, so that we devolve more power; from the Governing Body too the local boards, so that communities get to reflect their issues and their views in their local areas.

"We have the grand plans in place: the Auckland Plan, the Unitary Plan, we need to move forward on transport. But going forward over the next 10, 15, 20 years what we really need to do is to ask the communities 'how do you want to design your corner of the city?' within the framework that's set by those big plans.

"Because it's all down to detail now. It's about where that bus stop is, and how kids get from home to school, and the access to the shopping centre, and whether the elderly can get to the library. And that now has to be done by local communities, with their local boards.

"The Governing Body really needs to now focus its attention on some of that very high-level strategic stuff: the governance of the CCOs, getting efficiency out of the council organisation, (audience cell phone starts to play music) dealing with the big picture... That's all right, I love talking to a sound track (laughter). Dealing to the big picture... (David dancing, more laughter)...

"... and really engaging with central government in meaningful discussions about how New Zealand and Auckland are going to work together, to make Auckland succeed for New Zealand.

"Because we've started some of those conversations; with the Housing Accord, with the Auckland Transport Alignment Project... but we need to deepen and strengthen those conversations, and have Auckland's voice heard in the corridors of power.

"And I think that's the critical changing point, turning point, that we need... in the next period of, of this council's life.

"And... And again, I think Phil here is the man to do that. With his many years of experience in central government, his knowledge of the people and the parties and the dynamics of that... milieu.

"And that's why I'm throwing my weight behind Phil, and saying 'Don't vote for me, this year... for the mayoralty. Vote for Phil. He's the man we need to lead Auckland forward'.

"Thank you very much."

David Hay

ends

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