Craig Lord
www.craiglord.nz
I ‘m annoyed. Genuinely annoyed. Annoyed enough to do something crazy and run in a campaign to be the next Mayor of Auckland. I know, it’s crazy, but I have been so dejected and basically pissed off about the way we were being treated that a mate said “well you run for Mayor then” – that was June 2018 and now look what’s happened.
Like you, I was constantly shaking my head at the amount of money being thrown at projects around the city and the lack of things being done in my street. Unkempt gutters, blocked drains, broken footpaths, potholed roads, just to name a few. But then something else happened, I started digging and got even more upset. That’s when I found that we, the ratepayers, had spent $550,000 on a “walking boy” statue for Potters Park in Mt Eden. Half a million dollars for a statue while my streets were falling apart.
We’d already paid $180,000 to some consultants and contractors to hang a mirror over O’Connell Street and more recently, I found Auckland Transport were happy to sign over $780,000 for contractors to place three pedestrian crossings in the Papakura township.
I could also point out the $2.6 million going to someone in return for them supplying 800 metres of concrete pathway in a park to link Devonport and Takapuna. That’s $3,250.00 per metre in case you were interested. PER METRE!
So yes, I put my hand up to see if I could make some noise about this and get the public behind me. I also decided to not do this purely as an awareness campaign, but an actual genuine bonafide attempt at being voted in. Things sure have escalated!
I’ve got a lot of goals and solutions but without the votes, they are simply wasted ideas.
The thing is, a lot of the issues can be fixed. They can be fixed with proper leadership and a change in the culture of Council – both in the meeting rooms and the individual departments.
However, without the votes for change, we’ll end up with the status quo.
This is where you can actually make a difference. The votes are your voice and you should make yourself heard. Our communities are being bullied by bureaucrats and our money is being spent with reckless abandon – and this needs to stop. Now.
Predictions are not good for this election turnout. The political commentators are suggesting only 30% will bother to vote and that’s a disaster for democracy.
Take this on board: We are conditioned to think that politicians can solve our problems, but maybe one day we’ll wake up and realise that politicians created our problems.
It’s a logical way of thinking about it and true in my mind. In regards to how that works with myself: Well, I’m ok with being labelled as a politician now, but I just refuse to have the attitude and mindset of one. That notion will keep me in check.
So again. Do vote. Really. Seriously. It’s important. You must vote.
You must make the effort to have your say and if you want to make a change this is the start.
If you are as annoyed as I am and you want to see things done differently, you can actually make it happen.
Oh and by the way, I’d prefer it if you voted for me.
Vote Craig Lord for Mayor.