Gary Brown and Victoria Short are considering teaming up to challenge long-time sitting incumbents for the two Albany Ward councillor seats.

“We have been inundated by members of our beloved community encouraging and requesting us to put our hands up and run for councillor. We feel this may be because many people are unhappy and dissatisfied with the current situation and that they are not being heard or listened to.”

Mr Brown, the former Chair of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board says, “Having lived here for decades and served within Auckland Council for the last 6 years, I’ve witnessed both the opportunities that have been missed and the challenges facing North Auckland. I strongly believe it’s time to advocate for a fairer share of resources for our community.”

Ms Short, who also has 6 years of experience on the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board believes that “We in the Albany Ward aren’t getting our fair share and our elected representation at the Governing Body has been sorely lacking, and unfortunately this has meant that the Albany Ward always appears to come last.”

Mr Brown and Ms Short say they are sick and tired of the ‘populist politics’ and want Auckland council to “knuckle down, make the hard decisions and get back to basics”. Ms Short says, “Albany Ward deserves so much better and believes that there is a strong feeling in the community that they are being treated as second-class citizens within Auckland Council. This change must happen, it is apparent our community is getting left behind while subsiding the rest of Auckland”.

Mr Brown and Ms Short are confident in their ability to work together to deliver for ratepayers. “We have worked together for 6 years, and in that time, we have achieved a great deal. However, to make a more meaningful impact for our community we might need to fight at the higher level.” They intend to take stock over the next month and flesh out a local prioritisation plan before deciding whether to run for the councillor positions next month.

Victoria Short

Victoria is a member of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. She is a 34 year old mother with two children, she is an elected independent member of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, and is the first person of Kiribati descent to hold an elected political position in New Zealand.

Gary Brown

Gary is the current Deputy Chair of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board and was a 2023 Auckland Mayoral candidate. He is a long-time resident of the Hibiscus Coast with an extensive background in business and the entertainment industry.

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