Auckland Council diverse? Not really

Auckland is one of the world’s most ethnically diverse cities - but its council isn’t.

Whether they call themselves ‘New Zealand European, European, New Zealander, 5th generation New Zealander, or Pakeha’ there’s no getting away with the fact that the current 21 member Governing Body of Auckland council is largely made up of old, white men.

Just seven councillors are women. Just two are not Pakeha.

This is in Auckland, a city of 1.3 million that the 2013 Census said is home to more than 200 ethnic identities, including more than 300,000 people of Asian descent, 194,000 Pacific people and 140,000 Maori.

An international study rates Auckland as having the fourth largest foreign-born population in the world.

But so far, no Asian Aucklanders sit on the council’s ruling body and just one, Manukau councillor Alf Filipaina, identifies as of mixed Maori and Samoan heritage. Retiring Manukau councillor Arthur Anae identifies as Samoan.

Chinese New Settlers Services Trust executive director Genie Wang says more needs to be done to raise ethnic political participation.

‘‘We do need a certain proportion of representatives from the Asian community, our population makes up about 25 per cent of Auckland.’’

Theoretically, based on ethnicity at least five Auckland councillors and 37 local board members should be of Asian descent.

Wang theorises most new migrants here less than 20 years are still coming to grips with Auckland living let alone running for office but change will come.

‘‘It should, it will happen, [children of migrants] born here makes them part of mainstream society, as Kiwis they would feel more comfortable [running for office].’’

Yet local and central government shouldn’t abrogate their responsibilities to grow ethnic political participation, she says.

‘‘We need to be better engaged by council, by government, by local organisations.’’

Close behind under-represented ethnicities are women, just seven councillors are female.

However, the deputy mayor is a woman and nine of the council’s 18 committees are chaired by women, somewhat righting the council’s gender imbalance.

A quick glance at the 74 candidates standing for the 20 ward councillor positions or the 19 mayoral candidates doesn’t suggest the gender imbalance will disappear any time soon.

Three of the four leading mayoral candidates are men, 22 of 74 ward councillor candidates are women. But if you’re young, you’re really out of luck.

The average age of current councillors is 59.6 years old. Sitting Orakei councillor Cameron Brewer, 43, the council’s youngest, is standing down.

Outgoing Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chairman Joseph Bergin, 24, Auckland’s youngest local body politician, said ageism is ‘‘definitely a big part’’ of the problem.

Bergin says older voters need to learn to accept younger candidates.

He says ‘‘youth is no more a barrier than old age.’’

Auckland has 22 year-old Epsom resident Chloe Swarbrick running for mayor in 2016. Young people feel they’re not taken seriously despite having well-thought out ideas, Bergin says.

Not being given the respect older candidates and elected representatives automatically receive means youth feel stuck unable to wield influence, he said.

‘‘There’s a lack of intergenerational understanding on what important issues are.’’

‘‘To quote Einstein, ‘you can’t solve the problems of today with the same logic you used to create them’.’’

‘‘To quote Einstein, ‘you can’t solve the problems of today with the same logic you used to create them’.’’