Tony Savage, who stood for Labour in the Whangārei electorate in the 2017 general election, has now set his sights on the Whangārei mayoralty.
Tony Savage, who stood for Labour in the Whangārei electorate in the 2017 general election, has now set his sights on the Whangārei mayoralty.
Tony Savage is the first candidate out of the gates in the long race to the Whangārei mayoralty.
New Zealand's local authorities' election is held every three years, with polls closing on October 12 this year.
Savage said he is happy to fly his colours early but the colour is not red — despite the colour of the mayoral robes.
''I have nothing bad to say about the incumbent, who is doing her best. I'm not about to bag anyone. I'll be running a positive campaign.''
Savage ran for Labour in the Whangārei electorate in the 2017 general election ''to articulate a set of values''. He has no official ties with the Labour Party now, he said.
''You have to work with whoever is in power, as a centrist I can. I want to see stronger leadership and maximised access to Wellington while we've got a Government wanting to invest in the Northland.''
Being a director in Northland's largest law firm (Webb Ross McNab Kilpatrick, or WRMK) had provided experience and extensive relationships with civic, private and national businesses, and his skills include being able to drive economic development.
He said intractable red tape stymies projects which might otherwise benefit the district in a faster time.
''Business people are telling me they can't get an answer out of the council when they need one quickly. I'm looking at the CBD revitalisation. It's not fit for purpose and the plan the council has for it goes back 10 years,'' he said.
''We really need to spend serious dough, get a developer in there who knows how to make it happen.''
Savage would rather the Whangārei civic centre plan, where the council will spend up to $38 million expanding its buildings onto the former RSA site in Rust Ave, be pared down to free up $10m for fixing roads.
The council needs to listen more to neighbourhoods, he said, citing plan changes at Whangārei Heads and Housing NZ's plans for high density social housing in Maunu.
''We need to be ahead of the curve. We need to think now about the district's future growth, water sources, and the impact on arterials of the Marsden Pt growth. I think we do need the go ahead for the rail line and port expansion, and we need to know if and how our councils support that.''
Savage is the chairman of the Great Northern Railway Charitable Trust which brought a steam train to Whangārei in March last year.
His community involvement includes having been director of Rotary World Community Service, president Whangārei Flying Club, president Whangārei Music Society, president Rotary Whangārei South, chairman Northland Chamber of Commerce Inc, trustee Northland Community Foundation, trustee Whangārei Boys' High and Whangārei Intermediate. He is in his second year learning te reo Māori.
''This place has been good to me, I like it, and I want to give back.''
