Helensville is a great community, and one I am proud to call home. I was born and raised in and around Helensville, attending Kaukapakapa School and Kaipara College. I am a graduate of Victoria University (MSc (hons) in Statistical Geography), where I served as student president. I am a published author, and have worked in tertiary education for most of my working life, currently in management at the Manukau Institute of Technology.

While Helensville is a great place to live and raise a family, it is an area which suffers from sub-standard infrastructure.

I believe there are three areas which we need to work on:

Improved roading and public transport.

Many roads in and around Helensville have been constructed in hurry, and are badly designed, while a significant proportion are still gravel-based. We also need to improve public transport links to and from Auckland, Waitakere and the North Shore. Suburbs like West Harbour and Hobsonville would benefit greatly from the construction of a North Shore-style busway.

Improved information and communication technology infrastructure.

Many Helensville residents and businesses have sub-standard internet connections, some still working on dial-up connections. Towns like Waimauku, Helensville and Kaukapakapa would benefit greatly from inclusion in the government’s ultra-fast broadband package.

Encouraging local jobs for local people.

Too many Helensville residents make the daily commute to Auckland. I’d like to see local businesses and employers encouraged to employ more local people, and see enhanced internet access as being key to this.

We also need to make sure that our local environment is looked after (particularly the Kaipara Harbour and surrounding rivers), our local schools are well resourced and supported, and our area well represented on the local, regional, and national political arenas.

Top 5 Issues

1. Improved roading and public transport.
   
   Many roads in and around Helensville have been constructed in hurry, and are badly designed, while a significant proportion are still gravel-based. We also need to improve public transport links to and from Auckland, Waitakere and the North Shore. Suburbs like West Harbour and Hobsonville would benefit greatly from the construction of a North Shore-style busway.
2. Improved information and communication technology infrastructure.
   
   Many Helensville residents and businesses have sub-standard internet connections, some still working on dial-up connections. Towns like Waimauku, Helensville and Kaukapakapa would benefit greatly from inclusion in the government’s ultra-fast broadband package.
3. Encouraging local jobs for local people.
   
   Too many Helensville residents make the daily commute to Auckland. I’d like to see local businesses and employers encouraged to employ more local people, and see enhanced internet access as being key to this.
4. Skills and employment for Young People.
   
   Labour will take 9000 young people off the dole and use their dole payments to subsidise wages. Young New Zealanders should be earning or learning. This policy will help many of Helensville's young people.
5. No Asset Sales
   
   Labour will not sell any of our state assets. These have been built up by generations of hard-working New Zealanders, and must not be sold for a quick cash injection. Once they're gone, they're gone.

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