Council seat better platform for social advocate Carol Peters

Okara ward candidate Carol Peters after collecting her nomination papers from the Whangārei District Council offices. Photo/Tania Whyte

Carol Peters' advocacy for social issues will go up another gear if she gets elected as a Whangārei District Councillor as well as a member of the Northland District Health Board.

The social advocate is contesting the Okara Ward and her list of priorities post election wouldn't come as a surprise to those who have got to know her over the years.

Peters is also vying for a place on board of Northland DHB.

"I care about what's happening in Whangārei. It's always been a comfortable place to live in but over the past 20 years, issues such as homelessness and poverty have widened the gap between the rich and poor," she said.

"While Whangārei has become a vibrant place in which to live and work, it has also been a place for suffering, so I want to work together with agencies to facilitate better outcomes."

Peter said housing for young and the old, including pensioner housing, was important to alleviate other social problems such as homelessness.

"There's the will and an opportunity to address those issues but we haven't put the basketball through the hoop, so to speak. The council has the ability to draw organisations together."

Peters is also interested in climate change and believes initiatives such as food recycling should be actively pursued through rubbish collection and disposal.

On the district health board front, she said access for rural folks to acceptable health care has to be a priority given Northland's geographical spread.

Poverty, homelessness and health care were all interconnected, she said, hence her decision to stand in both the local government election and the Northland DHB.

"The health stats of Northlanders is reflected in the level of depravity and an ageing population that's putting a lot of strain on health resources. The Northland DHB needs to argue for more resources," she said.

It will the second time Peters is contesting a seat in Whangārei.

Her first was about 20 years ago when she stood as a candidate in the Maunu Ward.

She's been instrumental in setting up Open Arms in central Whangārei, a centre that provides breakfast and day accommodation for the homeless.

• If you are standing in the elections or putting on a meet-the-candidates event in Northland, email details to elections@northernadvocate.co.nz