Chris Waterman – a New Face in Local Politics

Look out John Banks there is a new face in local politics, and this face is only 18 years old.

Rosmini College Head Boy Chris Waterman is standing for the Kaipatiki Local Board, for right-wing party ‘North Now’. No doubt some will claim he’s too young for politics, but Waterman begs to differ: “Because I’ve come through a totally different education system to 95% of other elected members, and have grown up in a world of globalization and instant media, I offer new energy and a different perspective,” he says.

Christine Rankin believes Waterman has huge potential. “Chris has an unusual ability to visualise a path to a better society and is humbly unaware of his astonishing gifts,” she says.

Waterman is accustomed to having a lot on his plate. On top of his school work he has been involved in voluntary community work for over 2 years, and served as a ‘Youth Representative’ for the Glenfield Community Board over the past 18 months. “Basically I am there as an expert on everything youth”, he laughs. He also holds down an after-school job as a Bakery Assistant. “I started out as a check out operator and learned a lot about how to talk to people,” he says.

If elected Waterman is clear on his purpose: “I want to see the current Northcote Town Centre plan and the one being scoped for Glenfield, put into action. I also hope to encourage people to take ownership of their community – you can live on the North Shore but not really live in it in terms of community involvement.

Decisions made in the local board are difficult to reverse, so unless peoples’ views are heard it’s difficult to make correct decisions. I want my community take its place in greater Auckland and not get swallowed up by the Super City.

NNext year Waterman plans to study not surprisingly, law and politics at university.

Further down the track he hopes to stand for Central Government.

Rankin: “This is a Prime Minister in the making. Watch this young man take his place in New Zealand’s future.”

ENDS

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