Life long Ward resident , married with 2
university student sons. Justice of the Peace. Part time teacher at Northcross
Intermediate, Community focused. Has served on a diverse range of community
groups from the East Coast Bays Community Project to the Murrays Bay Residents
Association and Torbay Historical Society.
Current councillor and Deputy Chair of the Contract
Management Committee. Former East Coast Bays Community Board Chairperson and
member of the Regional Land Transport Committee and the Electoral College of the
Auckland Museum and Motat.
Although I have lived in the Bays all my life,
I have had a strong involvement with Greenhithe issues.The last issue I was
particularly involved with was Transit's proposal to toll the new Upper Harbour
Highway. Fortunately common sense prevailed and it remains free to use, providing
all of us with an alternative route to access in particular Mangere and
Auckland Airport . Another ongoing issue has been the Hobsonville and
Whenuapai rezoning and I have been pleased to advocate for local residents, who
have expressed concern to me directly as a ward councillor about how they
might be affected.
As the daughter of an Air Traffic
Controller, who was pleased to see the commercial airport relocated from
Whenuapai to Mangere because of safety concerns, I have consistently
opposed Whenuapai becoming a commercial airport again. Rather than wasting money
duplicating services, we need to invest the money in improving
the road and public transport linkages to Mangere, where the airport has
the full consents in place now, to meet the future needs of the
Auckland region.
No ,I was not aware that there is a desperate
need for early childhood educational facilities in the Greenhithe area but
it does not surprise me. At Council we have been made aware of the extreme
shortage of such facilities in the fast growing Albany basin area by the
Meadowood Community House and Robyn Pringle ,our Albany Community Advisor.
Greenhithe has also grown extremely quickly and when I look at the 2001 census
data I see the average household in Greenhithe is 3.1 people compared to the
North Shore and New Zealand average of 2.7. What can we do to address it?
Well first we need to identify possible sites for a preschool. As a
Playcentre mum, then a person who helped set up the first community run
Montessori kindergarten on the North Shore, at Titoki in Torbay,
I know how important it is to ensure that we then look at how best
to provide a quality programme for our children. I know there is already a great
kindergarten at Greenhithe and parents need to have some imput about what they
would want to see provided. I am only to happy to help but parents need to
decide what they want to see provided first for their children.
Greenhithe is not unlike other areas of the
Shore that want to see their 'Village feel ' preserved. I believe that most
people recognise the importance of living in safe ,liveable communities.For a
start off you have to ensure that the green in Greenhithe is retained. It's not
just simply a matter for Council , which can ensure that planning rules and
zoning and reserves are in place that allow for it to happen , but
residents have to ensure this happens also. I will support any initiatives that
seek to do this.
My top 3 personal priorities are
[i] protect and purchase vital parkland
,particularly coastal land, for the future , before it's too
late
[ii] keep rates contained at a level that is
sustainable for all ratepayers with sensible, prudent spending that
is cost effective
[iii] good governance and the need to be open and
accountable in everything we do
Life long ward resident, current councillor and Justice of the Peace, Julia believes planned 9% rate increases are unsustainable. Smarter spending is required. We need to focus on the essentials: safe, liveable communities, good governance, sound stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, clean beaches, cost effective facilities and frequent and affordable public transport with an efficient transport system that reduces congestion. We need to plan now for another harbour tunnel and a wharf at Browns Bay, reduce bureaucracy and contain rates and charges, attract quality employment, stop inappropriate development including commercial flights into Whenuapai and protect and purchase vital coastal land for the future, particularly at Long Bay. Married, with 2 sons, Julia teaches part-time at Northcross Intermediate. Passionate about the Shore, Julia Parfitt has a successful track record of concentrating on the issues that concern you, and of delivering positive results that add value for all of our community.
Neighbourhood Support AGM 17th August