Bill is standing as an independent, but acknowledges his centre-right political stance, and is strongly supported by National Party stalwarts Nikki Kaye and Michelle Boag, both of whom were at his recent launch at Ponsonby Central.
However, with City Vision clearly identified with the centre left, the political affiliations of most candidates are easy to ascertain.
Ralston’s launch speech included this crystal clear statement: “Regardless of who is mayor, there needs to be a solid majority of the RIGHT people on council, making the RIGHT decisions and steering the city in the RIGHT direction.”
A recent report on Auckland Council Governance said, “a governing faction facing off an opposition faction would not lead to better decision-making or outcomes
for Aucklanders.”
When Ponsonby News asked Bill Ralston about that statement he agreed that many local issues, including speed limits on local roads, local cycle ways, four or six-storey apartments, or none at all for Ponsonby precincts, were not left or right issues.
However, Ralston is concerned about ever increasing rates, infrastructure funding, and he would consider partial asset sales, and public private partnerships to fund development. These issues he does identify as left or right. He does not want to see Auckland go further into debt borrowing money for these initiatives, which he insists the left would do.
Asset sales, including Ports of Auckland, will be major issues for the November election.
Ralston hesitated when asked about his plank, listed on his recent brochure, that rates should be frozen. His point was that while the increase this year was ‘only’ 2.6%, “remember it is election year”, he perhaps cynically suggested, “and we have had consistent 10% increases in recent years.”
A cap on staff numbers is another of Ralston’s election pledges. We asked him how that would be applied. “A sinking lid,” he suggested. Bill Ralston is calling for “better, stronger leaders.”
We asked him how councillors can be more effective when so many decisions are made by unelected CCO members (eg, Auckland Transport), and unelected so-called independent commissioners. He was unfazed by those suggestions and pointed out excellent consultation by Auckland Transport over cycle lanes in his own street, Franklin Road.
I too, have had better examples of bottom-up consultation with AT over safety near schools, and where proposed cycle ways should be sited. Perhaps AT has seen the light, and is responding to much anger at top down imposition by their staff.
This is a first foray into local politics for Bill Ralston since he was a member of the Northcote Borough Council at the tender age of 21. Bill was born and brought up on the North Shore, and attended Northcote Primary and Northcote College. He has a degree in political studies, and has spent many years as a political journalist and editor. For many years he covered parliament for TVNZ and then TV3. He and his wife, Janet Wilson, run a communications advice company.
Bill Ralston is a highly personable guy, comfortable in his own skin, without anger or rancour about the city’s woes, but with firm ideas about how our city could be better.
His main aim as councillor would be to see greater accountability, tighter control of how ratepayers money is spent, and clear thinking about how we turn the problem of the city’s extraordinary growth into a real asset.
I’m sure incumbent Mike Lee would assure Bill Ralston that it is harder than it looks to tame the monolithic monstrosity that is Auckland Council, but Bill Ralston is keen to give it a shot. He is positive and optimistic - good qualities - and will give Lee a run for his money.
Let’s hope there are some combined candidates public meetings so ratepayers can actively engage with Ralston and Lee about the issues that matter to them.
(JOHN ELLIOTT)