Personal

I was born and grew up in Birkenhead, and later Northcote, and my wife Dinah (nee Fairburn) grew up in Devonport. We have lived on the Shore for most of our lives. We have two adult sons.

I attended Birkenhead Primary, Northcote College (Head Prefect), and Auckland University where I gained a BA and a Diploma in Local Government & Administration.

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Skills for Running a city

Being involved in running a city is big business and requires business knowhow. My years as Chief Executive of the NZ Kiwifruit Authority in the early 1980s, when kiwifruit exports and total earnings increased exponentially, equipped me to deal with high-level financial matters, long-term strategic planning, marketing and public relations at national and international level. In that capacity and as Secretary of the International Kiwifruit Organisation, I visited many countries overseas and was chief presenter on kiwifruit standards to the OECD Standards Committee in Paris. I have gained further experience as CEO of the RNZSPCA and Chairman of Watercare.

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City image

As Marketing Consultant to the highly-acclaimed NZ Pavilion at the World Trade EXPO ’88 in Brisbane, I gained valuable experience in an event that was very much in the world’s eye.

I am very aware of the need for North Shore City to develop a profile in which its citizens can feel pride – this is an area in which I feel the City has not performed to its potential and I would like to see that it does.

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Essential Services

As Chairman of Watercare Services Ltd, the organization that looks after Auckland’s bulk water supply, (and later Council representative on the Shareholders Representative Group, Watercare) I gained vital knowledge of the delivery of essential services to residents. Water is too important to be treated solely as a business.

I am passionate in opposing any moves (local or government) to privatise water. This is likely to become a critical matter in the years ahead. I am also against moves by some Auckland councils to allow Watercare to charge higher prices for bulk water so as to provide a profit or rates which will then be spent on stormwater infrastructure. I am currently lobbying all parliamentary parties to make legislative changes to ensure water cannot be privatized or used for profit-making.

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Community Activities

My years working for the community have equipped me to understand the wide range of ‘people’ issues involved in running a city – traffic and transport, stormwater and sewerage, pollution, parks, community services and facilities.

I got to know the needs of residents at grass roots level when I chaired the Northcote Residents’ Association and established the Little Shoal Bay Action Committee.

My awareness of the needs of families – both children and parents – has been strengthened by time spent as a teacher and later as a member of the Northcote Primary School Committee and Deputy Chair, Northcote College Board of Governors.

As Executive Director of the NZ 1990 Commission (commemorating NZ’s 150th anniversary) I had the responsibility for managing the activities of hundreds of community committees and thousands of local projects – an ideal training ground for supporting the many community projects and activities on the North Shore.

I have strongly supported the establishment of the North Shore Youth Council, and the work of the Disabilities Action Group, the CAB, North Art, community houses, schools and many sports groups.

Tony supports the upgrade of our local centres, which are the heart of our local communities - and it's good for the Shore economy.

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Awards

In 2001, I was awarded the Queen’s Service Order (QSO) for Public Service to NZ. I was earlier awarded the NZ 1990 Commemoration Medal for services to NZ.

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Local body experience

I have exceptionally wide local body experience:

Councillor, Northcote Borough, 1973-79

Member, Birkenhead/Northcote Community Board (1995-present) and Chair of Board’s Community Services Committee for 11 years.

Councillor, North Shore City (1995-present). In that role I have been: