Retiring councillors from left: Sharon Stewart, Chris Darby, and Angela Dalton. Photo: Auckland Council / supplied
Retiring Auckland Councillors gave their valedictory speeches on Thursday at their last meeting before the local elections.
In her speech, Manurewa-Papakura Ward Councillor Angela Dalton called for councillors and the mayor to evaluate their approach to leadership.
"I want to leave you with the same words I used to close my very first speech here. If we are to have an Auckland that is truly inclusive, that starts right here with leadership that is inclusive.
"I believed then as I do now that inclusive leadership is not just an ideal but a necessity."
Dalton was retiring after 18 years in local government and five years as a councillor.
She said she aimed to be "curious, pragmatic, and occasionally disruptive but not destructive".
"I've worked hard to ask the right questions, especially when policies risked unintended consequences to our communities.
"I've always believed good governance starts with listening, really listening to the people we serve, local boards should be empowered as true partners in decision-making, our Māori communities deserve not just engagement but real influence, and our communities in the South are just as entitled to investment, dignity, and opportunity as any other part of our Auckland.
"Women, especially women with lived experience, must have a seat at the table, not to replace men but to stand shoulder to shoulder, bringing balance, insight, and a different kind of strength."
She thanked her council colleagues.
"Thanks for the shared efforts, the respectful debates, and the moments of laughter along the way. We might not always have agreed, but we showed up, did the work, and strived for something bigger than ourselves."
During what North Shore Councillor Chris Darby called his "last hurrah", he thanked those he had worked with in his 21 years in local government and 12 years as a councillor.
"I'm grateful for the relationships forged and to those who similarly saw themselves as leaders on a mission to get stuff done, add value every day, and nudge Auckland forward, you're absolute legends.
"One in particular I will mention in the incomparable, omnipresent Len Brown. Len showed me that vision and big ideas can be realised with strategy and calculated execution."
He also thanked his fellow North Shore councillor of nine years, Richard Hills.
"Richard, you're an absolute star. I'm absolutely proud to have stood alongside you and to have worked every day constructively with you. We never parted company and went all the way together."
The longest-serving retiring councillor, Sharon Stewart, gave the longest speech, speaking for more than 20 minutes. She had spent 30 years in local government roles.
She shared the story of how she first became interested in local politics while at her local park, Juliet Avenue Reserve in Howick, in 1989.
"Some kids had thrown fireworks that landed in my son's pushchair.
"These kids were hiding behind quite a dangerous structure. Homeless people and drug users had been hiding there, and they were leaving behind needles and used condoms.
"People had been trying to get rid of the structure for 20 years, and it took me five weeks to remove it.
"With a group of local mothers, we ended up fundraising and getting some new equipment for the park."
"I was watching a programme on television and one of the prizes was about $50,00 worth of park equipment. The people who won it didn't have anywhere to put it, so I thought, let's see if we can do a deal. We rang the television station, and I said we've raised $3000, can we buy it? And we did."
The mayor called Dalton "the legend from Howick". He said all three retiring councillors showed a remarkable commitment to the public.
Councillor Kerrin Leoni was not standing for re-election as a councillor, but running for Mayor against incumbent Wayne Brown.
Brown said either he or Leoni would be mayor.
"Some of us are going to be retiring, either you [Leoni] or I will be. But we don't know yet. We can't make any speeches about that."
He said he had enjoyed leading the group of councillors for the past three years.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
