This election, our beautiful little electorate gets to welcome back the neighbourhoods of Grey Lynn and Westmere into Auckland Central. As the boundaries are redrawn and we reflect on the past few years, we have an incredible opportunity as communities to find the things that we share in common and ensure those aspirations are reflected in our politics.
Because here’s the thing: politics doesn’t have to suck.
Over the past six years that I’ve had the honour and privilege of serving as your local MP, I’ve consistently found that Aucklanders have far more that unites us than could divide us. Even on seemingly controversial issues like what types of transport infrastructure to invest in, if we just spend a moment truly talking about what we want for our neighbourhoods, the ultimate, shared aim becomes clear faster than you might think. We all want safe, convenient, affordable transport systems. We all want clean air, less noise pollution and kids to be able to safely and easily get to school.
Therein lies a pretty useful insight that I think could help us get through what feels like a very polarised time in politics. Instead of starting at the pointy end of the specific projects or policies we support, we can define what success looks like, and work backwards from there. When we think not just about ourselves, but how these decisions would impact all of us, the things that make sense reveal themselves pretty quickly.
That’s why this election, as always, our grassroots Green campaign is talking directly to everyone we can in Auckland Central, even and especially those who might think they disagree. I can only ever get better at my job representing you if I know how you feel about things and how decisions might impact you and your family.
It’s through this process of community and accountability building over my time serving you that I’ve also been able to grow the strength of advocacy and platform to achieve things for all of us, like supporting our small businesses through the global pandemic and latest wave of liquidations, helping our local schools get their desperately needed buildings funded and built and restoring the St James Theatre.
Democracy doesn’t mean we all have to agree on everything but being a New Zealander should mean there’s some basic things we all agree on that we’re willing to fight for not only for ourselves, not only for those we know and love, but those we don’t know and even those we don’t like. That’s the beauty of the social contract and a functional country. Collectively, we have the resources to ensure we protect and restore our natural environment, support everyone’s right to education, a decent income, affordable healthcare and food and a roof over their head.
When we get swept up in a dog-eat-dog mindset, we lose sight of the bigger picture of the things that we can only achieve when we choose to work together. My hope this election is that we all get the time to talk to our family, friends, co-workers and neighbours about the things that we stand for, not just the things we stand against.
Auckland Central, and Aotearoa New Zealand, is abundant in talent, hard work and creativity. I hope I get the opportunity to discuss with you this election our plans to unlock that potential, to create an economy that works for all of us.
www.greens.org.nz/chloe_swarbrick
Chlöe out doorknocking with volunteers in Grey Lynn
