Shannon Gillies is standing for Auckland mayor in the 2010 local body elections. She provided this statement:
I'm a 28-year-old AUT University communication honours student from Wellington. I've spent the last few years of my life working as a journalist around the central North Island, I've worked as a chef and dabbled in cable running at the rugby when I was a film student.
My interest in council politics started when I was given a council round to report on. I found it absolutely mind boggling that nobody from the public seemed to care what was going on and yet here were people, some appointed by the public, handling huge district changing decisions. I was so shocked at the public apathy.
My interests outside uni and the race for the mayor include travel, art, film, politics and I have an aim to learn to surf before I turn 30. Currently addicted to the radio station Tripple J. I also love hanging out with friends and annoying my parents.
I'm standing for mayor because I can and in the current democracy we enjoy it is every citizen's right to stand for public office. More people should do it. It should not just be the domain of old white men. No offence to my peers. Love to both Len and JB.
If people vote for me I will donate half my salary to either a charity of Auckland's choice or a street party will be held in a street of council officers' choice. That's for safety and logistic reasons. If I get the mayoralty then after that a second election will be held to establish which option Aucklanders want.
Originally I thought a paper ballot system could handle this but then someone pointed out the cost so I figure council could use social marketing sites such as Twitter or Facbook to establish a poll. And then after a certain time period the results can be tallied up. This is an election promise that can be delivered on. This is actually tangible. People can see what their vote can achieve. It's not empty words.
What would be great this local body election year is if voter turnout could get higher than 50 per cent. My understanding is it was about 40 per cent last time. So here's a bit of a challenge to those competitive Aucklanders out there. I figure all I need to do is collect 15 per cent of the vote. That means all I need is 15 per cent of people who have decided to not take part in voting system in the past. Len and JB can fight it out for the politically aware vote as much as they like. I want the people who have said no to politics. I want voters who feel all politicians are the same so what's the point? I want the voters who feel they know nothing about politics. Don't waste your vote beautiful people. Just give it to me.
There are more policies that can be found on the Facebook site.
