This is a speech I delivered on Friday to veterans and their families of the Malay conflict. It was a honour to talk with true New Zealand heros and remember those who gave their lives in the service of their country.

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Welcome to Manurewa. Welcome to Manukau. And, as the mayor of the city that is ‘the gateway to New Zealand’, welcome home.

I am humbled to be able to welcome you here today, yet proud that it is in Manukau that today’s ceremony – your first powhiri – is taking place.

You and your comrades who served in Malaya and Borneo contributed much more to our country’s social, political and military development than most of us realise – indeed, more than I realised until recently. We owe you a debt of thanks and I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to thank so many of you in person today.

Your operations in Malaya were a landmark moment in New Zealand’s history. But I could just as accurately employ a maritime or aeronautical metaphor, saying that they were a ‘watershed’, or a ‘jumping off’ point, since all three services contributed with such distinction.

I was fascinated to discover the extent to which our current NZDF was shaped by your operations in Malaya and Borneo. We take for granted the existence of a regular, professional force of soldiers, sailors and airmen, yet it was the Malayan Emergency and later Confrontation that were largely responsible for this important development.

The contribution of New Zealand forces to the Malayan Emergency in 1949 ushered in our country’s perception of itself as a Pacific and South – East Asian nation, rather than a far-flung offshoot of the British Empire. Indeed, New Zealand’s initial land involvement – and its first casualties – came through the provision of officers and NCOs to the Fijian Infantry Regiment. Operating and training closely with Pacific neighbours has been a hallmark of New Zealand’s operations ever since. It could be said that the Mutual Assistance Programme that plays such an important role in developing regional security had its origins in our operations with the Fijian regiment in Malaya.

We continue to speak with pride of our troops’ reputation for doing much with very little and the ‘force multiplier’ effect of certain Kiwi units. This reputation was born in the jungles of Malaya and Borneo.

We also see our forces as world leaders in their ability to ‘win hearts and minds’, a crucial aspect of our ongoing deployments to East Timor, the Solomon Islands and the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan province. You too were recognised for your ability to win hearts and minds when you embarked on New Zealand’s first regular peacetime operations.

It is appropriate that we meet today on our local marae, for those deployments also marked the admission of Maori to the permanent, peacetime military staff and Staff Corps. The diversity of New Zealand’s forces in Malaya was unparalleled amongst their allies. The Malayan operations thus shaped the culture of today’s NZDF with the important role each service’s marae play as well as Army’s identification as Ngati Tumatauenga.

The Emergency also marked the first deployment of New Zealand’s Special Air Service troops, under their founder Major Frank Rennie. These early operations set the standard for excellence that 1NZSAS Group continues to uphold to this day. If I may jump from Malaya to Afghanistan for a moment, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge our SAS troopers currently deployed from their home just down the road at Rennie Lines, as well as the significant sacrifice their partners and families are making at this moment. The families of our servicemen in Malaya made no less a sacrifice and it is humbling to see so many of you here today. We acknowledge the contribution that you too made.

This contribution – your contribution – to Malaya and

Borneo was certainly a tri-service affair as the Royal New Zealand Air Force and Royal New Zealand Navy each played an important role in the conflict. The NZDF today operates as a joint force, which has in part evolved from the tri-service commitment to the Malayan Confrontation. Indeed, our ongoing involvement in South – East Asia includes Five Power Defence Arrangement exercises, the existence of which is a direct result of the conflict in Malaya.

I am humbled to reflect on the effect that your actions in Malaya and Borneo have had on New Zealand’s social, political and military development. On behalf of Manukau, I thank you for your contribution, the significance of which I am only beginning to realise. On behalf of Manukau I say ‘thank you’ and ‘welcome home.’

Experts say the recession is on its way out. Good. But those same experts tell us that the job market will be the last to recover and that unemployment figures will not be dropping for quite a while. So what can we do about it in Auckland?

Firstly, looking at the current state of the world and local economy we see:

-          The decline in economic activity in the UK is coming to an end, though much of the rebound is from historic lows. (NZH 14 Oct)

-          The IMF predicts the Chinese economy will continue expanding rapidly in 2009 at an average rate of 8.5%. The expansion is predicted to accelerate in the following three years (2010-2012) with real GDP registering annual growth rates of 9%, 9.7% and 9.8%. (property-investing.org)

-          The global economy will take at least another year to get back on its feet and there are no guarantees its recovery will generate more jobs (KPMG, NZH 13 Oct)

In NZ:

-          The manufacturing sector expanded last month for the first time since April 2008 (Stuff 15 Oct)

-          The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research’s (NZIER) Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion showed business confidence reaching its highest level in a decade in the September quarter (interest.co.nz 6 Oct)

-          Retail sales figures bounced back strongly in August after taking a dip the month before, pointing to a general improving trend in the economic environment (Stuff 13 Oct)

Despite all these so-called green-shoots, Manukau city currently has an unemployment rate of about 10 per cent, including up to 5,000 young people. And that is simply a loss of talent and potential to our community.

Earlier this week I talked about an inspiring group of young people and how we need to support Auckland’s future. I firmly believe in a proactive approach rather than in sitting idly and waiting for the economy to fully recover. And I have faith in creating new opportunities for our youngsters as the crucial way to tackle youth crime rate.

In my earlier post I mentioned the work Otorahanga District Council is doing. As this Herald article notes, last Wednesday I visited their mayor Dale Williams and was impressed by the 11 jobs and training programmes his Taskforce for Jobs is involved in. They’ve virtually got rid of youth unemployment and significantly lowered youth crime rate (Otorohanga has seen a 75 per cent reduction in the number of youths arrested by police since 2005). In fact, Otorohanga has had zero registered unemployment (under 25 years old) since November 2006.

One project, The Wintec Otorohanga Trade Training Centre, which started in 2004 out of an acute need for skilled workers, is a partnership between local businesses and the Waikato Institute of technology. It offers pre-trade courses to prepare school leavers for apprenticeships with the district’s local employers. Another one is ‘MPowa’ – a school leavers’ connection programme.

I believe that by working alongside business, central government, schools and tertiary education institutions we can apply such models successfully in our city to help at-risk school leavers.

Unfortunately, despite the huge success in Otorehanga, government has scraped the Enterprising Communities grant, and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide’ has talked about stripping local council spending back to ‘core services’, which could harm these initiatives. You can see a Sunday programme about what’s happening here.

With so many young people not connected in to educational or employment opportunities and falling through the cracks, I believe that councils have a responsibility to work with the community to support youth in our city for the good of the economy.

Here’s something great for this coming Labour Weekend:

Manukau’s Labour Weekend of wheels.

From the press release:

Classic cars will be racing through Manukau city centre streets as part of the Full Throttle event this Labour Weekend.

Full Throttle has confirmed that the Flying 50 Street Race, which stars British and European classic cars, will be on Saturday 24 October in central Manukau. Full Throttle, an event started by Manukau City Council last year, has millions of dollars worth of cars on show and in action over the three days of Labour Weekend.

The Flying 50 Street Race, part of the Drive NZ Rally, will run in the format of Olympic cycling pursuits. The city street circuit will have two start/finish lines adjacent to each other. This allows two cars to race each other and the clock for four laps. It will be a challenging, twisting circuit that winds back on itself between the buildings of central Manukau.

As well as the Flying 50, a huge range of classic, performance, show, old school, hot rod and drift cars will be at TelstraClear Pacific events centre over three days.

There will be drifting demonstrations, soundoffs and motokhana where drivers put their skills to the test on grass and tarmac. Entertainment on one of the days will be provided by the Southside gig, part of the Manukau Festival of Arts (MFA) – starring Nesian Mystik.

Manukau City Council Thriving Economy Portfolio Leader Arthur Anae says the Flying 50 will add to the huge range of vehicles to check out at Full Throttle.

“Seeing classic cars in action on Manukau’s streets is going to be a great spectacle. This is another way of showing it’s possible to have fun in cars in a controlled environment, one of the aims of Full Throttle.

“Full Throttle will appeal to everyone in the family, not just keen motor fanatics. The events over the three days of Labour Weekend or all free or really cheap, which is another great reason to come.

“This is the opportunity for people all around the Auckland region to check out tens of millions worth of vehicles for free or very cheaply. We’ll be encouraging people to watch someone else do the driving and have a holiday at home this Labour Weekend”, says Cr Anae.

Flying 50 organiser Roger Philips says he expects up to 10,000 spectators will come to check out the classic cars racing through Manukau city centre.

“This is Auckland ’s opportunity to enjoy a street race with a difference. Classic cars will be racing on the streets of Manukau city centre, capturing the sights and sounds of last century in an event that pits drivers and rarely seen cars against each other.

“This will be a day of up-close and personal racing, as it was done in Mum and Dad’s day. There’ll be great spectator involvement in the pits, with great viewing and picnicking from the grounds of Hayman Park .

“The street display of British classics with owners in period dress will take you back to the good old post World War Two days, with fond memories of a more relaxed time with cars full of character displaying the best of period engineering and design. A great day out for all the generations,” Mr Philips says.

Saturday 24 October

Flying 50 Street Race – 9am to 5pm, Davies Ave next to Hayman Park , $12 adults, under 12s free

Classic British and European cars racing on a twisting street circuit between the buildings of central Manukau. Starring cars from the Drive NZ Classic and Targa Narva. Street display of British classics with owners in period dress. Parking in the council carpark off Wiri Station Road .

4 & Rotary Supershow – noon to late, TelstraClear Pacific events centre, free

Celebrating the diversity of interest in contemporary performance cars. Motokhana, drifting demonstrations and sound offs. Show and shine of performance, show, drag, old school and drift cars with trophies and prizes up for grabs. Southside gig, featuring graf art, Nesian Mystik and other entertainment.

Sunday 25 October – Dunlop Targa Rally preview, 9am to 6pm, TelstraClear Pacific events centre, free

Featuring the Targa Rally – known as the ‘ultimate road race’. See $25 million plus of Targa cars in action and up close before the rally start on Labour Day. Action-packed motorkana – where drivers put their skills to the test, and show and shine of some fantastic looking cars. Entertainment for the entire family.

Monday 26 October – Yester-Year Classic & Vintage, 10am to 3pm, TelstraClear Pacific events centre, free

Featuring the start of the Targa Rally, which is celebrating its 15^th anniversary. The day for vintage and classic vehicle enthusiasts to see a range of machines on show. Hot rods, muscle cars, restored and collectors vehicles including military vehicles. Plus entertainment.

Last week I was honoured to meet a group of truly impressive teenagers, who are a shining example of what Auckland’s young people are capable of.

In August this year Daniel Ah Hong, Sione Mesui, Viliami Huapango, Christopher Tu’uta and Selwyn Fale stepped in to help a bus driver who was being attacked by a passenger. And they say they’d do it again in an instant.

These boys displayed a depth of character and courage that will make their communities better places, and help them to overcome life’s obstacles to reach their full potential. It’s important that all of Auckland’s young people get every possible opportunity to develop that same potential.

In just a few weeks, many of them will be focusing on their academic futures as they begin their NCEA exams and I wish them (and their parents) well at what can be a stressful time.

But local authorities can do more than just wish young people well – they can actively help and support young people to achieve and grow. For example, Manukau City backs several programmes that make a real difference in the lives and aspirations of its young citizens.

We help to fund John Walker’s Field of Dreams foundation, which sets out to keep Manukau’s young people active and healthy, and since 1999 COMET (the City of Manukau Education Trust) has been achieving great results in helping young people and their families develop a love of learning.

Also, by funding our free pools programme we encourage all our young people to become water-wise, be active and get out and enjoy their community.

Of course, Manukau is not the only council that has effective programmes that help young people grow into contributing members of their communities. I have been particularly impressed by the initiatives Otorohanga has put in place to help its young people find jobs, and would like to investigate similar programmes to help Auckland’s young people.

It is the core business of any council to support its community and encourage its people to contribute. Our young people are our future, and if I am elected mayor of the new super city, I will ensure we take seriously our responsibility to help them achieve all they are capable of. All of Auckland will be better for it.

I see there is a story in today’s Herald on Sunday about my campaign having spent between $150,000-$200,000 on advertising.

All I can say is “I wish”.

The source for the story is my opponent John Banks – so take the figures with a pinch, or a pile, of salt. As I say in the story – he is at least $100,000 out at the lower end of his guestimate.

I’ve been open on this blog about having put billboards up, printing some bus-backs and sending out a newspaper advertisement in the local papers.

The point of doing so is that whilst I am very well known in Manukau – I’m not as well known around the rest of Auckland.

I’ve done a bit of advertising to let people know who I am, reassure them that I’ll be the mayor for ALL of Auckland and direct people to this website.

I guess my opponents are just a little miffed at the strength of this campaign. We’re getting lots of donations from people like you who want to see an united Auckland, who want to end the divisive local body politics of the past, who believe in proper public transport solutions, protecting the environment, keeping rates low and building our economy for everyone.

If you want to help support this campaign please click here to donate.

The story also touches on the more important aspect of my campaign – that is the local body political machine we are building. We need thousands of Aucklanders involved in the campaign, talking about the kind of Auckland they want and helping to get the vote out next year.

If you want to get involved in that campaign please click here.

Every school holidays, Aucklanders rediscover what it’s like to live in a city with roads that aren’t continuously clogged with traffic. With just a portion of people away for a family holiday, rush-hour trips that normally take 40 minutes or longer are over in 20 minutes or less.

But once the holidays are over it’s back to congestion as usual, and time that we could spend with our families, or working, we instead spend sitting in slow-moving traffic, going nowhere fast. That is a waste of time and people.

That is why ensuring Auckland’s rail system gives as many people as possible an alternative option for travelling around the city has to be a major focus for the mayor of the new Auckland super city.

With that in mind, it was interesting to see my fellow super-city mayoral contender John Banks proclaiming his enthusiasm for rail and an inner city loop connecting Britomart up with Mt Eden.  He’s dead right.  And I hope he’s sincere (given his recent comment that “if I wear my policy on my sleeve, I won’t get elected..”)

If so, we might see a genuine Auckland-wide consensus for major public investment into rail.  Ensuring Auckland’s rail system gives as many people as possible an alternative option for travelling around the city has to be a major focus for the mayor of the new Auckland super city.

Transport Minister Stephen Joyce says he doesn’t want the new mayor to get carried away with plans for an inner-city rail loop and rail connection to Auckland International Airport. But it’s the mayor’s job to advocate and plan for what is important to Aucklanders – for what supports business by making employees more productive, and supports the community by improving everyone’s quality of life. It’s also the mayor’s job to make that happen.

Last year the Auckland Regional Transport Authority predicted that an inner rail loop, between Britomart and Mt Eden, would make downtown Auckland accessible to 370,000 people by train trips of 30 minutes or less. That’s 370,000 people, from across Auckland, who don’t have to sit for ages in slow-moving traffic just to get to work.

When combined with real travel choices and options, including bus and ferry, the difference that will make to our roads, lives and businesses is something worth working for.

During this campaign, I will advocate for all Auckland to ensure that an integrated, efficient transport system that provides real choice, and enhances all our lives, becomes a top priority in this city and with government.

And if I am elected mayor, I will ensure that we do what is necessary to get Auckland moving.

P.S On a related note – you can hear me talk about the current industrial dispute concerning NZ Bus here.

This is an advertisement I had in the local newspapers recently.

It’s an open letter to Aucklanders about what I believe will be important for our new city:

The Len Brown for Mayor campaign is generously funded by people like you who believe in communities, who share a positive and inclusive vision for our city and want to help.

If you support the things I talk about in this advertisement – please visit our donations page and make a contribution to the campaign. Thank you.

I am pleased to see the government’s initiatives to cut down on the availability of ingredients used to manufacture P.

P is a horrible drug that is doing real damage to our communities. For a long time now I have been calling for a ban on over-the-counter sales of pseudoephedrine, a base ingredient for making the drug, to try and combat the P  labs in our communities.

It’s good to see the government taking a lead on tackling this scourge and I’m also happy with the support for P treatment and detox. We need to help people who are caught up by this horrible addiction.

My council is working with the police, businesses and community groups to get rid of this drug. We recently put together a mayoral taskforce on P to tackle methamphetamine use on our streets. We’ve now got to focus on tackling the drug runners and I am working closely with the police on a campaign to shut down the P-labs and dak houses in our city.

I am committed to making our communities as drug free as possible.

Check this out:

After the tragic events in Samoa last week, a group of top New Zealand entertainers have rallied together for a massive benefit concert on Monday 19th October 2009 at the Vector Arena in Auckland.

When the Tsunami hit Samoa last week, it personally affected Scribe and Savage who lost their family villages and family members in the disaster. Along with Dawn Raid, Oscar Kightley and Ole Maiava, they rapidly organized a dream line up of top NZ musicians who had no hesitation in donating their performances to this worthy cause.

All businesses, personnel and artists have given their services for free, therefore 100% of the proceeds will be donated to Samoa.

We urge all New Zealanders to support this event to aid our fellow citizens of Samoa.

Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin dates and line ups to be announced shortly.

Hosted By: Oscar Kightley

Venue: Vector Arena, Mahuhu Crescent, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand

Date: Monday October 19th, 2009

Tickets: only $25.00 from www.ticketmaster.co.nz

On Sale: midday Friday 9th October 2009

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It’s great to see the community get in behind initiatives to support those people in the pacific affected by the tsunami. I’m looking to get along to the gig – and I hope you do too!

Last week I took part in a community safety walk to bring the community and police closer together.

A number of police officers, Maori wardens, politicians and members of the public marched through Manukau’s CBD to show a united front against crime.

Unfortunately it was a rainy day and we all got pretty wet – but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the people who came along.

In my council we’ve been focused on working with the community and police to make our communities safer. We’ve got a number of anti-P and anti-graffiti programmes running, along with strong community pride initiatives. We need to grow our economy in order to provide better jobs and keep people in work. And we need to work with the police to keep our streets safe.

If I am elected mayor next year I’ll be working closely with the police, businesses and community organisations to make Auckland a safe place to live, work and play.