Standing for Auckland

Kerrin Leoni - Tamaki Makaurau's first wāhine Māori Mayor?

If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So, stand in the place where you live

Songwriters: Bill Berry / Michael Mills / Michael Stipe / Peter Buck.

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Hot in the City

Yesterday, I woke to a freezing house. Auckland has been so muggy these last few days that Fi, who doesn’t like being hot, had left the air-con set to “Arctic Training” all night.

I quietly turned it off and took a morning scroll. The first post I saw was from Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni. It caught my attention because it accused Simon Wilson of writing “fake news,” and normally, he’s well-regarded as the last remaining voice worth listening to in the NZ Herald.

Auckland councillor Kerrin Leoni has expressed an interest in standing for mayor. Photo: NZ Herald.

At first glance, it looked like Kerrin had cause for complaint, with an unnamed person suggesting that the councillor’s motivation might have more to do with her central government ambitions than those for the super city. However, she’d hardly be the first politician to follow that route.

You can read Leoni’s full post here, but I noted that members of her Iwi, Ngāti Paoa, and others had asked her to stand, looking for fresh ideas for our largest city. Kerrin mentioned that in 160 years, there have only been two female mayors in Auckland, and none since the advent of the Super City.

It’s fair to say that if politics, in general, has been rather over-stuffed with stale pale males, then the pantheon of Auckland’s past mayors is like an exhibit in their honour.

Local politics

I thought about the year ahead. We can’t change the government this year unless Winston decides to go early, but there are local body elections, and many of the things we need are provided by our local, rather than central, government.

Perhaps I’d spend the day looking at that; it would give me a good excuse to ask my “nearly neighbour” over for coffee and a chat. She knows something about Auckland politics, given that she was the deputy mayor.

We chatted about renovations, tiny houses, and things that neighbours talk about until I asked if she minded talking about a bit of business. Fi wandered off, and Penny pulled up closer.

I began with a waffly preamble, if you can imagine that. I talked about why we can’t have nice things and the now-standard practice of opposing things we associate with the other side, which just doesn’t make sense.

Some of us prefer a more market economy, where businesses are free from restrictions, taxes are low, and the emphasis is more on the individual than the group. I get it; some folks are wired that way.

Others contemplate how we can cooperate and ensure no one is left behind. Yes, we may not amass wealth like we would under the other system, but there remains ample opportunity to get ahead. Besides, what is life for if we do not look out for our fellows?

Blah de blah de blah, until the other side rolls their eyes so far back, they can see the insides of their own heads.

So far, so different, so what?

But other things should concern us all. Things like listening to climate science or treating people respectfully - issues that get painted as “leftist” concerns to be opposed tribally, despite the fact that standards of decency or the survival of our species ought to be of interest to all of us.

I asked, “Is this us now? Deriding good things and mocking those who stand for things we used to find admirable?”

The mindset that sees the things that add life and joy to our communities, events, the arts, and other things as easy targets for the chopping board when someone’s elected to slash spending. But these things don’t actually cost much in the scheme of things, and they make our lives more enjoyable, more environmentally sustainable, and connect us with each other.

But people vote with their wallets, and when populists drum into them how much waste there is, they vote to stop it. And do you know what happens? Bugger all.

They still spend as much, debt increases, and the rates bill doesn’t decrease. We just don’t get the nice things, from prescription fees, council events, Interislander ferries, or building the infrastructure we need.

Penny spoke of a term familiar to South Africans and IT folks due to the name of an Operating System: Ubuntu. An ancient African word meaning ‘humanity to others’, acknowledging that ‘I am what I am because of who we all are’.

We talked about the mayor's role. That they don’t have more power than the rest of the council beyond approving the budget and selecting people for particular positions. Unfortunately, my nearly neighbour was not ready to put her retirement on hold and sort things out.

It was stinking hot; after Penny headed home, I had a swim, enjoying the cool water and thought about what to do next. I figured I’d message Kerrin Leoni to see if she wanted to chat. She replied that she was keen and to give her five minutes.

Introducing Kerrin

After introducing myself, I asked Kerrin for some background about herself and why she was running.

In short…

• A Masters in Economics and International Politics from King's College in London.

• Ten years in the UK running a consultancy

• A former deputy chair of the Waitemata Local Board

• Current Auckland Councillor for the Whau Ward

As per her post, Kerrin told me she had been encouraged to stand as a woman, as someone from Auckland, and as someone with fresh ideas.

Kerrin Leoni. Photo / Jason Oxenham.

We spoke of potential candidates, and she told me she’d asked other councillors if they were interested in running for mayor several months ago. They had indicated either that they wouldn’t be or that they weren’t sure.

Given the size of the task of running a grassroots movement and the momentous effort needed to consider the top job seriously, Kerrin said she’d been advised to make a decision by the end of last year.

She is standing as an independent, which I think has some benefit in our polarised political system of not being too closely associated with one particular party as would be the case with an endorsement. Having said that, she was clear that if another left-wing candidate emerged or Labour endorsed someone, she would be open to standing aside.

Kerrin talked about the need for a more liveable, sustainable city and the important things to people, such as transport, the cost of living, and feeling safe in their community.

She said there has been a lot of focus on saving money, which is important, but that as we go into the future, we need to design the city so that people want to stay in Auckland and retain that talent. She was especially focused on the need for a long-term infrastructure plan for the city that avoids flooding and other issues.

I asked a question that I’m still not sure was the right thing to do. It’s certainly not something I would’ve dreamed of asking in a job interview or at a workplace. Given how young Māori women have been treated in our political system, I asked why on earth she would put her hand up for that.

It seemed like a timely question with what we’ve seen and continue to see, but I hated asking it.

Kerrin responded well. She talked about the differences in her background from that of Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau. She highlighted that the young Māori wahine mayor, Tania Tapsell, didn’t face that sort of attack in Rotorua.

Tania Tapsell is the first Māori woman elected as mayor of Rotorua. Photo: LDR / Felix Desmarais.

I was impressed by how well-considered and clearly spoken her comments were. You can tell when someone is just reading an internal script, but Leoni struck me as honest and open.

We discussed the job's demands, and I liked how she answered about including her eight-year-old twins in the Hikoi last year.

She also noted somewhat dryly that the incumbent, Mayor Brown, doesn’t seem to be having trouble clocking off at the end of the week and treating it like a Monday-to-Friday gig. However, in terms of being present at events and such, that was clearly not an example Leoni herself intended to follow.

As we discussed concerns that she might lack experience, Kerrin highlighted that Wayne Brown’s former constituency in the north had approximately the same population as the Whau ward she represents.

She talked of running a business for a decade, valuable experience that others who have been involved in local politics for much longer might lack.

That made me think of last year's election, in which Mahé Drysdale was elected mayor of Tauranga. Nobody seemed to make a big deal over the fact that his primary qualifications seemed to be rowing a boat and having some fairly fringe views on fluoridation. I don’t recall anyone questioning his financial acumen - mind you, he’s not wahine Māori.

That Herald Article

We moved to the article in the Herald, which is paywalled here: Simon Wilson: Desley Simpson for Auckland Mayor?

There’s an overview of the campaign and speculation over who might run. It particularly highlights the opportunity for a centre-left candidate to come through the middle if current mayor Wayne Brown and deputy Desley Simpson compete on the right for votes. Other high-profile potential candidates on the right, such as Paula Bennett or Simon Bridges, have also been rumoured in other reports.

Wayne Brown and Desley Simpson. Image found on Reddit.

Wilson says the following of Leoni’s candidacy:

“Kerrin who? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Leoni is a first-term councillor with a low profile, who has told several people she wants to become better known so she can get into Parliament, either through the list or perhaps as the candidate for Tāmaki Makaurau.”

Further on in the article, Simon mentions other possibilities, but without similar negativity. People like Dave Dobbyn, Stan Walker, or David Shearer, who are seemingly more realistic as candidates than Leoni.

I asked Kerrin about this, and she was realistic about the possibility of Labour endorsing a candidate, in which case she would step aside. As for the likelihood of a high ranking on the party list, while that might be a possibility in the future, she didn’t see it happening at the next election.

Others will share Simon’s concern about a low profile, but I see it this way.

When Chlöe Swarbrick stood for mayor, she was young and unknown but engaged people and did remarkably well. Similarly, Kerrin doesn’t strike me as being driven by personal advancement. I think she is genuine in putting her hand up because she thinks she can lead Tamaki Makaurau to a better future and doesn’t see anyone else volunteering.

Image: BeFunky.

Leoni spoke of the need to educate the public about what councils provide. Beyond health and education, many of the other services we use are provided by local government. As she described, you get up, go to the loo, clean your teeth, catch a train to work, or drive; these are all services provided by local government rather than the central one.

The councillors we elect and, to a degree, the mayor, are important if we want good services and things that enhance our lives. I would like to see my city led by someone who will engage with people and restore a feeling of pride in this place where we live, and I don’t see that from Wayne Brown.

Have a good day, all you lovely people, especially Kerrin. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, and I look forward to having that coffee sometime soon. 🙂

I remember when REM first came out, especially this song and Orange Crush. They were a breath of fresh air; so much music of the time was fake and manufactured, but they looked like they were having fun just being themselves. There’s a lot to be said for that, I reckon.