Party
Green Party
Standing for
Wellington Central
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Conflicts of Interest
Nil disclosed

Date and place of birth: 6th May 1973, Wellington

Ethnicity: Pakeha

Current residence & electorate: Aro Valley, Wellington Central

Educational and vocational qualifications: MSc Responsibility in Business Practice, University of Bath School of Management (2005).

Current occupation: Business strategist, facilitator, coach and trainer, working through my UK-based company, Future Considerations Ltd.

Previous occupations: Inspired Leaders Network Ltd. (London 2003-2004), World Technology Network Ltd. (London 2002-2003), PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (London 1998-2001), Electricity Corporation of New Zealand Ltd. (Wellington 1995-1996).

Other work experience (including voluntary/unpaid): I served in various leadership roles with AIESEC (Wellington 1994-1996 and Brussels 1997) and was Education Campaign Coordinator for the Victoria University of Wellington Students Association Inc., 1992-93.

Community connections: I serve on the Boards of Earth Partners Foundation (London), AIESEC New Zealand (Wellington) and the VUWSA Trust (Wellington). Was coordinator for Company of Friends network (London 1998-2002), business manager for the VUW Drama Club (1991-93) and a co-founder of The Republican Movement of Aotearoa New Zealand (1994).

Policy Interests/Expertise: If elected I would direct my energies towards climate change, energy and sustainable economics. I believe we can be amongst the first to have every home generate more energy than it uses from the windmill on the roof - and make fuel poverty history in our most vulnerable communities. We can be amongst the first to have every vehicle on the road emit nothing more noxious than water vapour - as well as trains and buses that end congestion and allow our poorest families to spend their hard-earned savings on a house deposit rather than the depreciating asset of a car. And we can be amongst the first to boast industry which restores and replenishes more than it takes - and generates wealth for everyone who participates, not just a few at the top.

Website: www.jamesshaw.net.nz

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Authorised by Jon Field of Level 2, 17 Garrett Street, Wellington

Questions answered by James Shaw

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James Shaw's Reply

MP's aplenty but what about us?

Hi Sarah,

There is a reasonably good chance that I will be elected as a MP for the Greens (at number 15 on our list, we need just under 12% of the Party Vote for me to be elected).

I have to be realistic about my chances of winning the Consituency Vote - in 2008, 28% of Wellington Central voters gave the Greens one or both their votes, but only 6% gave us both votes. In other words, Wellingtonians like to share their votes round, giving their Party Vote to the Greens and their Constituency Vote to someone else.

Nevertheless, if I am elected as a List MP, I will seek to represent my home town as best I can. I was born and grew up in Wellington Central. Even when I lived in Europe, I always thought of it as 'home' and after 15 years of working and travelling overseas I chose to return here because I honestly think it has the best quality of life of any city I've been to. I am passionately committed to Wellington and to our shared vision of a smart, green city as outlined in the Council's 2040 Vision.

I would like to work with other local MPs to form a cross-party 'Wellington Caucus' and try to build a consensus around local issues, such as transport.On the campaign trail I have come to know Grant Robertson, the incumbent MP, and Paul Foster-Bell, the National candidate, well, and I believe that we have a constructive working relationship upon which such a caucus could be built.

I would also aim to operate a local office, similar to a constituency office (depending on resources available). I know our Mayor, Celia Wade-Brown, and I would seek to meet with her regularly to see what central government can do to support the Council to do it's work in looking after our city.I would like to follow her example in meeting regularly with local community groups and residents associations across the electorate to get a sense of their concerns - and I would like to put together a 'stakeholder panel' to meet with on a regular basis about local issues and what we can do together to move forward on them.

All the best,

James

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Foreshore & Seabed - what do you think Wai Tapu means for public access?

 

Hi Josie,

The Greens' position on the Marine and Coastal act is that it is discriminatory and repeats the injustices of the original act. It creates one set of rules for Maori title, and another for the 12,500 existing private titles in the foreshore and seabed,

This Act is essentially the same as Labour’s Act. It undermines the Treaty relationship, and sets down a unreasonably high threshold for proving Maori customary rights. It doesn’t really restore access to the courts because it overrules the common law and replaces it with restrictive tests.

It is only fair that Maori common law rights to go to court should be restored, and the public should be guaranteed the right to access all the foreshore not just the parts associated with Maori.

For more information, take a look at http://www.greens.org.nz/speeches/marine-and-coastal-area-takutai-moana-bill

All the best,

James



Revised legislation on the foreshore and seabed is discriminatory and repeats the injustices of the original act

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Wednesday, 15 Sep 2010 | One plus three

  1. The proposed legislation is discriminatory because it creates one set of rules for Maori title, and another for the 12,500 existing private titles in the foreshore and seabed,
  2. This Act is essentially the same as Labour’s Act. It undermines the Treaty relationship, and sets down a unreasonably high threshold for proving Maori customary rights. It doesn’t really restore access to the courts because it overrules the common law and replaces it with restrictive tests
  3. It is only fair that Maori common law rights to go to court should be restored, and the public should be guaranteed the right to access all the foreshore not just the parts associated with Maori
check out other candidate's answers