Although local government elections, scheduled to be held on October 12, are yet to gain momentum, a teenager has fired the first salvo with a promise to ‘change for the better and to make things happen.’
University of Auckland student Shail Kaushal, who is set to contest for the Puketapapa (Mt Roskill) Local Board as a City Vision candidate, says that he stands for the fair and effective representation of the community in the decision-making process affecting constituents of a growing ward.
AT 18, he would arguably be the youngest candidate for Puketapapa.
City Vision is a coalition of Labour, Green and Progressive Community Independents, commanding strong support of ethnic minorities.
The Puketapapa catchment area covers Mt Roskill, Three Kings, Hillsborough, Lynfield and Wesley.
Extensively diverse
Shail said that he would be honoured to represent Puketapapa, the most diverse ward in New Zealand, with the population born overseas exceeding those born in the country.
“However, there is no representation from the migrant community, which truly exceeds more than half the population of Mt Roskill. The community here has been neglected, due to the dominance of the Communities & Residents (C&R) Party.
“The monies raised through rates from our hardworking homeowners have not been properly allocated to Resources which Roskill truly needed,” he said.
Shail said that as an India-born and New Zealand raised and educated young man, he would bring the advantages of both countries with new ideas and energy to the Puketapapa Local Board.
He said that as a student of Politics and History, as a member of the Labour Party and as a former member of Youth Parliament (July 2010), he has the requisite knowledge and political acumen to accept challenges and serve people.
Safer society
“My vision is simple. I want to see our young people, our community’s future given a fair go. I want to see them happily employed, learning or in training. I want to see our community safe, with our mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters going out to work or shop without fear or anxiety,” he said.
Among his other objectives are further reduction in poker machines, more community-initiated projects and affordable housing to first homebuyers in his ward.
Shail said that he would shortly announce a clear outlook of what he and his team would do as elected representatives on the Auckland Council.
He can contacted by phone (021-0662555) or email (shailkaushal@msn.com)
