City Vision begins pitch for council

Shail Kaushal said he was concerned that youth did not have a proper say. Photo / Kellie Blizard

City Vision has launched its campaign for October's Auckland local body elections with a "family" of 34 candidates, including an Indian-born Mt Roskill teenager who is aiming to lift low rates of youth voting from 50 per cent to 90 per cent.

Shail Kaushal, a tertiary student who turns 20 next month, said he was concerned that youth did not have a proper say and was standing on the Roskill Community Voice ticket for the Puketapapa Local Board.

The ticket has been adopted by City Vision as part of its centre-left group's co-operative approach to the election.

Mr Kaushal was singled out of the crowd at the launch yesterday by guest speaker Mt Roskill Labour MP Phil Goff, who said he was a "great recipe" for representing a diverse community.

City Vision chairman Robert Gallagher welcomed the strong presence of Labour Party members at the launch, including Mayor Len Brown and Labour leader David Shearer.

Although Labour has its own candidates standing for places in Auckland Council and local boards, Mr Gallagher said City Vision was taking a collaborative approach - working with Labour and the Greens and independents to advance polices such as better choice of public transport and retaining community-owned assets.

"When we compete with each other, the Tories run through the middle and win," he said.