EFESO COLLINS - THE CANDIDATE TO BEAT?
Our fourth mayoral candidate presentation last Tuesday – as President Dave said in his welcome to Efeso Collins - “the candidate to beat”.Accompanied by his campaign manager, Dr Max Harris, Efeso told us something about his Samoan family background and the work ethic he had inherited from his parents. The first in his family to attend university and graduate, Efeso and his wife Fia have two daughters, aged 2 and 9. He has been a representative of the Manukau Ward on the Auckland Council for the last 6 years.
He emphasised three planks from his policies:
- Working towards a sustainable society - for example an early initiative will be the calling of a mayoral forum on climate change
- Transport – fares free public transport, and extending the transport network
- Housing – making contact with the 30-40,000 “missing” owners of vacant houses and apartments in the city to establish a mutually advantageous process to help meet our housing shortfall
Giving us examples of his working style, Efeso stressed the value of
- Care
- Collaboration
- Courage
Questions flowed freely – the Mill Road extension, better use of ferries, Park and Ride costs, housing Intensification, covering free transport costs, and vacant housing.
Although Leo Molloy retired early, the programme organisers are to be congratulated on getting the four leading mayoral candidates to address us over recent weeks – very different and contrasting styles. Whatever the outcome, we have been most fortunate to have an early encounter with our next mayor-in-waiting at a club meeting!