ABOUT
Although not a resident in the Te Papa Ward, I have previously lived in Hampton Terrace, Bongard Street, 22nd Avenue, Burrows Street, Grace Road, and Eighteenth Avenue. I currently reside a few hundred meters away in Pillans Point, but I know Te Papa.
Affiliation - Tauranga True – Transparent, Honest and Dedicated.
Growing up in Tauranga, I gained my formal education at Gate Pa School (then known as Tauranga South School), Tauranga Intermediate, Tauranga Boy’s College and Waikato University.
Early sporting endeavours included softball and rugby, before becoming serious about distance running, a sport I continued through into adulthood. I have been past president and am a life member of Athletics Tauranga, representing Athletics Waikato/BOP at a national level.
I’m married with two adult children making their own way in the world.
My professional life was in the construction industry. I was Company Director of the Taylor Roofing Group in the 1990’s and then NZWindows Group – a window and door supplier with six branches and over three hundred employees around the North Island. During my time in the window industry, I was a board member of the Window Association of New Zealand when we introduced a formalised training programme for window makers and installers.
In 2022 I retired from the business, with a view to running for election as your City Councillor. With the Commissioners remaining in charge and the election delayed my aspirations had to wait.
With a couple of years to occupy before the election, we decided to take ownership of two Tauranga CBD businesses – Luxe Cinemas (previously Rialto) and The Shoe Lounge (previously Step Inn Shoes). Operating these businesses in the rebuilding CBD of Tauranga has helped me understand the issues facing us as a city.
I have a genuine concern for value as we rebuild the CBD – Central Tauranga is not dead. It is experiencing enormous growth. The next four years will see the need for personal input by your Councillor – knowing what is going on daily and reacting accordingly will stop a repeat of issues, such as those which crippled Cameron Road businesses for two years.
The Ten-Year Plan formulated by the Commissioners provides way points to a revitalised Tauranga. This vision of public investment, along with the many private developments currently under way or planned is changing the face of the CBD for the better.
Our challenge, as the Commissioners depart, lies in maintaining the vision's vitality, keeping the Ten-Year Plan on course, and working within funding constraints. Capital expenditure is essential to elevate our current infrastructure - doing the work once and well is the key to securing best value. I am mindful that cost and value, whilst connected, mean different things. Often the lowest cost solution doesn’t deliver good long-term value.
In gaining the best value for the citizens of Tauranga we are required to spend. Traditionally this means rate payers foot the bill – funding for growth will require new ideas. Whilst I would never be naive enough to promise your rates won’t increase (because they will), I believe some spending can be funded through alternative channels. Working to identify where the money comes from will be the challenge.
In summary I am here to listen, discuss and act for the citizens of Tauranga.
