Kapai owner wants to be City Councillor

Justin Lester announced today that he is running for Wellington City Council in the Northern Ward.

Mr Lester is a Director at property agency Jones Lang Lasalle, co-owns the Kapai stores in Wellington and has been active in a variety of organisations including Capital Football (Wellington Football’s governing body), Wellington Young Professionals and the Property Council.

When asked what he would add to the council, Mr Lester stated he offered “a younger voice with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, which would help balance the existing council members. I have broad business and governance experience, having worked in the private, small business and public sectors and can reach out to a wide audience. I’m not a career politician, I’m doing this because I want to see Wellington become the best little city in the world.”

If he’s selected, his aims are to help Wellington’s long-term economy and the number of jobs in the region, continue investment in local transport and infrastructure and improve security in the CBD. Another focus is to see a world class concert venue on the Wellington waterfront. “Auckland and Christchurch have the Vector and Westpac Arenas which attract international acts and events, but Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena is often overlooked due to poor design and less than ideal acoustics.” He added he’d like to see a venue that attracts the best local and international acts.

When the discussion turns to his Northern ward, Mr Lester notes that the northern suburbs have been largely forgotten in terms of recent investment. “The Northern suburbs offer safe, family-friendly communities with a unique range of international representation, but they need additional infrastructure and amenities to provide them with a real heart. I want to be an active voice for the area and work in particular toward improved shopping and community facilities.”

The Wellington City Council elections will be held by postal vote in September and October.

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