Middle age male and pakeha
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’, but 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.
Theoretically, based on ethnicity at least five Auckland councillors and 37 local board members should be of Asian descent.
Close behind under-represented ethnicities are women, just seven councillors are female.
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 said.older voters need to learn to accept younger candidates.
Youth is used as a justification not to vote for some candidates, but he says ’’youth is no more a barrier than old age.’’