Forged by hardship: Tāmaki Makaurau's new councillors bring their lived experience

From an autistic advocate calling for inclusion to a former teen mum breaking Pacific ground, Auckland Council’s newest members are bringing “energy, realism and insight” to the table.

Five new councillors, Sarah Paterson-Hamlin, Victoria Short, Bo Burns, John Gillon and Matt Winiata, delivered their maiden speeches at Auckland Town Hall this week.

The new members form a quarter of the 20-member governing body, replacing several long-serving councillors.

Mayor Wayne Brown described their speeches as “enriching” and said the new members brought “energy, realism and insight”.

Paterson-Hamlin drew on her academic background, disability advocacy and experience as an autistic woman to outline a vision for a more inclusive city.

“When you speak with optimism of a Whau pool one day in the future, you receive pitying looks that speak loudly of dreams deferred,” she told the chamber.

The governing body met today, where five new councillors delivered their maiden speeches. Photo/file

“When a community is undervalued or ignored for so long, their aspirations can dwindle to a trickle.

"We owe Whau better than that and we owe tangata whaikaha better than that.”

Being autistic shaped how she worked and the perspective she brings to policy, she said.

“I may make less eye contact, miss some social cues, need a little more structure and take things literally – but there will be strengths I bring to this table as a result of this neurodiversity too,” she said.

“I won’t ever knowingly lie. I become fascinated with the topics I am tasked with and research them in exhaustive detail.”

Paterson-Hamlin urged council to design with accessibility in mind, with pavements wide enough for wheelchairs and prams, and lighting that works for people with epilepsy or autism.

She pledged to keep Avondale Racecourse public and deliver the long-promised Whau pool.

“Our young people shouldn’t have to wait decades for the facilities other parts of Auckland take for granted.”

Short became the first person of Kiribati descent elected to Auckland Council’s governing body, a milestone she delivered with humility and humour.

“At 17, I chased the weekend like it was the only thing that mattered,” she told councillors.

Victoria Short, Albany councillor, reflects on her journey from teen mum to the first Kiribati representative on Auckland Council’s governing body. Photo/file.

“I showed up for lunch, my friends and sport. Nothing else registered.”

“If you were to tell me when I was 18, pregnant, with no job and no money, that I would become a fricken councillor for the Albany Ward, an accountant, and the first person of Kiribati descent to be elected into a government position in New Zealand history, I never would have believed you,” she said.

Short described surviving a violent relationship, raising her daughter alone, and later working for former MP Murray McCully, an experience that introduced her to politics.

"The obstacles and hardships I faced along the way are what forged my resilience."

She also showed her sense of humour, saying: “When our Mayor Brownie called me clever, smart and tough, I laughed.

Mayor Wayne Brown called the maiden speeches of his five new councillors “enriching”. Photo/file.

"If you’d seen me before my first candidates’ meeting in 2019, sobbing and begging my husband to take me home, you might have added ‘emotionally volatile’ to the list.”

Short said her life experience would shape how she approaches council budgets and community investment.

“As someone who comes from financial struggles, I value every single dollar,” she said.

"The struggles you endure do not define you; they forge you."

Burns of Howick called for stronger community engagement and practical decision-making.

Bo Burns, Howick Councillor, calls for stronger community engagement in her maiden speech. Photo/PMN News/Mary Afemata

“When voter turnout in Auckland is as low as 15 to 28 per cent, democracy is broken,” she said. “It’s not just about budgets and bylaws, it’s about rebuilding Aucklanders’ trust with us.”

Gillon of North Shore said he would bring his local board experience to strengthen transparency and accountability at council.

He called for fairer local board funding, better stormwater investment, and completion of long-deferred projects such as Lake Road.

He criticised Auckland Transport’s chip-seal road policy and urged a city-wide sun-smart standard for playgrounds to ensure safer, more community-focused infrastructure.

Winiata of Manurewa-Papakura criticised council red tape and said the focus should be on community wellbeing.

Matt Winiata, Manurewa-Papakura councillor delivers his maiden speech and highlights community well-being. Photo/PMN News/Mary Afemata

“We’re measuring once, cutting twice and letting process trump logic.

“We aren’t in the money business – we’re in the smiles business. Our job is to make communities happy, safe and thriving."

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.