City Vision (Auckland, New Zealand political ticket)
Encyclopedia
City Vision is a coalition of three left-wing political parties (New Zealand Labour Party
, Alliance
, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
) and independent political identities who contest Auckland Council
(and previously Auckland City
and Auckland Regional Council
) elections every triennium. They have usually caucused in affiliation with Labour Party councillors.
They were successful in gaining partial control with the appointment of their first leader Bruce Hucker as Deputy Mayor of Auckland City in the 1998-2001 Christine Fletcher
Mayoral administration, but received an electoral setback in 2001 with the election of a John Banks
/C&R led council.
City Vision and Labour were successful in forming a working majority in the 2004 elections (winning nine seats) plus the election of Dick Hubbard
to the Mayoralty, partnering with Action Hobson
anti-motorway councillors to form a bloc of twelve out of twenty. This council term was marked by public discontent over rates rises and water price rises, as well as public anger over accusations of wasteful spending like overseas travel. This term was also marked by infighting inside City Vision, with leader Bruce Hucker being deposed and replaced by Labour Councillor Richard Northey
(a former Labour MP).
City Vision lost the 2007 elections to a John Banks/Citizens and Ratepayers team, and were reduced to three councillors, in addition to two Labour councillors also re-elected.
Richard Northey continued as the leader of the City Vision and Labour bloc on Auckland City's council from the 2007 elections onwards.
In the 2010 elections, the first for the Auckland Council
, Cathy Casey
won a seat for City Vision. Winning candidates endorsed by City Vision were Mike Lee
for council and Len Brown
for mayor. Labour won another two council seats.
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
, Alliance
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
, Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...
) and independent political identities who contest Auckland Council
Auckland Council
The Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
(and previously Auckland City
Auckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
and Auckland Regional Council
Auckland Regional Council
The Auckland Regional Council was the regional council of the Auckland Region. Its predecessor the Auckland Regional Authority was formed in 1963 and became the ARC in 1989...
) elections every triennium. They have usually caucused in affiliation with Labour Party councillors.
History
They were formed in 1998 for the purposes of contesting and challenging the Citizens and Ratepayers Association who had dominated control of the Auckland City Council since the C&R's formation in the 1930s. City Vision have traditionally held representation in the centre-west and south of Auckland City.They were successful in gaining partial control with the appointment of their first leader Bruce Hucker as Deputy Mayor of Auckland City in the 1998-2001 Christine Fletcher
Christine Fletcher
Christine Fletcher, QSO is an Auckland Council councillor and also prominent for her former New Zealand politics positions, both in Parliament and as Mayor of Auckland City. She was the second woman to serve as mayor of Auckland...
Mayoral administration, but received an electoral setback in 2001 with the election of a John Banks
John Banks (New Zealand)
John Archibald Banks, CNZM QSO is a New Zealand politician. He served as Mayor of Auckland City for two terms, from 2001 to 2004, and from 2007 to 2010...
/C&R led council.
City Vision and Labour were successful in forming a working majority in the 2004 elections (winning nine seats) plus the election of Dick Hubbard
Dick Hubbard
Richard "Dick" John Hubbard ONZM, DSc is a New Zealand businessman and politician, founder and principal of Hubbards Foods in Auckland, and Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. His management of Hubbard Foods gained some prominence for its participation in and promotion of socially...
to the Mayoralty, partnering with Action Hobson
Action Hobson
Action Hobson were a centrist council ticket in the Hobson Ward of Auckland City, New Zealand. They were formed to combat the proposed Eastern Transport Corridor by then Mayor of Auckland City, John Banks , and his supporting Citizens and Ratepayers Now bloc.-History:In the October 2004 election,...
anti-motorway councillors to form a bloc of twelve out of twenty. This council term was marked by public discontent over rates rises and water price rises, as well as public anger over accusations of wasteful spending like overseas travel. This term was also marked by infighting inside City Vision, with leader Bruce Hucker being deposed and replaced by Labour Councillor Richard Northey
Richard Northey
Richard John Northey, ONZM is a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He currently serves on the Auckland Council, and is a member of the Labour Party.-Member of Parliament:...
(a former Labour MP).
City Vision lost the 2007 elections to a John Banks/Citizens and Ratepayers team, and were reduced to three councillors, in addition to two Labour councillors also re-elected.
Richard Northey continued as the leader of the City Vision and Labour bloc on Auckland City's council from the 2007 elections onwards.
In the 2010 elections, the first for the Auckland Council
Auckland Council
The Auckland Council is the council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It began operating on 1 November 2010, combining the functions of the existing regional council and the region's seven previous city and district councils into one "super council" or "super city" governed by a mayor, 20...
, Cathy Casey
Cathy Casey
-Early years:Casey moved to New Zealand from Scotland in 1987.She taught at Kuranui College and served on the board of trustees. Between 2001 and 2004 she worked at AUT University.Casey is the partner of Matt McCarten.-Political career:...
won a seat for City Vision. Winning candidates endorsed by City Vision were Mike Lee
Mike Lee (New Zealand politician)
Michael Lee is a councillor on the Auckland Council and the former chairman of the Auckland Regional Council, both in Auckland, New Zealand...
for council and Len Brown
Len Brown
Len Brown is the Mayor of Auckland in New Zealand and the head of the Auckland Council. He won the 2010 Auckland mayoral election on 9 October 2010 and was sworn in as Mayor of Auckland on 1 November 2010, being the first to hold that title for the amalgamated Auckland 'Super City'...
for mayor. Labour won another two council seats.