George Wood (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
George Sydney Wood, CNZM
, (born 5 August 1946 in Birkenhead, New Zealand
) is a former Mayor of North Shore City, New Zealand’s fourth largest city. He was the first North Shore Mayor to be elected for a third term since the city was formed in 1989. Andrew Williams
replaced him as Mayor in the 2007 New Zealand local body elections.
Wood was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
(CNZM) for services to local body affairs in the New Year Honours 2008. He was elected to the new Auckland (SuperCity) council in the October 2010 election as a North Shore ward councillor.
George is a member of the Citizens and Ratepayers team on the Auckland Council. He has been appointed to a number of committees and is chairman of the Community Safety Forum and deputy chairman of the Accountability and Performance and Emergency Management committees.
. Wood has been married to Myra Wood for 38 years.} He has three adult children and five grandchildren. Wood lives in Forrest Hill
, on the Shore, is a keen supporter of North Harbour sports teams, enjoys spending time with his family and helping community groups. He is also a full-time member of the Takapuna
Rotary
club. In the 2009/10 Rotary year he is the club's president. His father Oliver Wood operated a trucking business. Wood senior was also a councillor on the Birkenhead Borough Council between 1959 and 1968, serving as the deputy mayor.
, primarily as a crime investigations manager. As a Police investigator, he worked on many inquiries and served at various times in Auckland, Rotorua and Palmerston North. In his final years of service (1995–98), he was the manager of Police services within North Shore City.
A graduate of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Command and Staff College and the Australian Institute of Police Management Sydney from where he gained a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management.
He is the recipient of a New Zealand Police long service and good conduct medal awarded in 1980.
During his term as mayor Wood was most successful in melding the council together and pushed through major reforms in relation to: Sewerage (waste water) infrastructure improvements, revamping the strategic plan and long term funding programme for North Shore City and developing and building the Northern Busway Project.
Wood stood as an independent mayoralty candidate in the 2007 North Shore City elections but was defeated by Andrew Williams
.
In the period since the October 2007 election Wood has worked behind the scenes on a number of projects mainly relating to transport. He is particularly vocal over the need to upgrade or replace the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Wood has also strongly urged the improvement of public transport across the Auckland region whilst at the same time warning about the huge escalation in operational costs. He has also commented widely on the matter of whether the new Auckland mayor will be able to control the proposed Auckland Transport Agency under the new proposed model.
In his inaugural speech to the Auckland Council George Wood made particular reference to the need to address the recommendations of the Royal Commission report. He made a strong plea to the new council to become actively involved in pursuing improved social conditions and try to ensure that less young people end up in prison.
spiritual system.
Wood was planning to attend the show with his wife, but after a phone call from the Chinese Consular General's office he backed out, and was quoted as saying:
A journalist who did attend a Falun Gong show in Auckland reported being harried and felt he was "used." He left the performance at the interval.
The New Zealand Government were most desirous of achieving better governance for the Auckland region.
to reform the Auckland region's local government in September 2006. Subsequently the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
was formed to enquire into the future of local government cross the Auckland region.
Wood submitted to the Commission with Wyn Hoadley. Their submission was well received by the three commissioners and received a positive report in the NZ Herald.
Wood and Hoadley called for one Auckland council across the region with a mayor elected at large, 13 elected and 5 appointed specialist councillors and 13 boroughs to replace the existing councils and community boards. They also recommended that an Environmental Protection Agency be appointed.
The high level of debt that the seven territorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council will bring to the new council, along with the negativity by existing councils, is a major concern to Wood. The figure of $3 billion debt that the new Auckland council will need to deal with has been quoted in the media.
Wood is concerned as to how the report of the Royal Commissioners on Auckland Governance will be implemented. He believes it should be a report delivered on a broad front and not implemented in a piecemeal manner.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
, (born 5 August 1946 in Birkenhead, New Zealand
Birkenhead, New Zealand
Birkenhead is a suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the north shore of the Waitemata Harbour, four kilometres northwest of the Auckland city centre....
) is a former Mayor of North Shore City, New Zealand’s fourth largest city. He was the first North Shore Mayor to be elected for a third term since the city was formed in 1989. Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams (New Zealand)
Andrew Williams is a New Zealand politician. In 2007 he was elected as Mayor of North Shore City, New Zealand's fourth largest city. Williams served on a community board during 2004-07, and was a councillor in the term before that in 2001-04. North Shore City Council was abolished in October...
replaced him as Mayor in the 2007 New Zealand local body elections.
Wood was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(CNZM) for services to local body affairs in the New Year Honours 2008. He was elected to the new Auckland (SuperCity) council in the October 2010 election as a North Shore ward councillor.
George is a member of the Citizens and Ratepayers team on the Auckland Council. He has been appointed to a number of committees and is chairman of the Community Safety Forum and deputy chairman of the Accountability and Performance and Emergency Management committees.
Personal life
Wood was born in Birkenhead of the North Shore, in Auckland. He was educated at Birkdale Primary, Northcote Intermediate and Northcote CollegeNorthcote College
Northcote College is a New Zealand secondary school for boys and girls located in Northcote, Auckland. The school caters for Form 3 to Form 7...
. Wood has been married to Myra Wood for 38 years.} He has three adult children and five grandchildren. Wood lives in Forrest Hill
Forrest Hill, New Zealand
Forrest Hill is a suburb of Auckland .Forrest Hill is under the local governance of the North Shore City Council. The population was 5,283 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 372 from 2001.-Association football:...
, on the Shore, is a keen supporter of North Harbour sports teams, enjoys spending time with his family and helping community groups. He is also a full-time member of the Takapuna
Takapuna
Takapuna is a central, coastal suburb of North Shore City, located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, at the beginning of a south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitemata Harbour...
Rotary
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
club. In the 2009/10 Rotary year he is the club's president. His father Oliver Wood operated a trucking business. Wood senior was also a councillor on the Birkenhead Borough Council between 1959 and 1968, serving as the deputy mayor.
Police career
Wood originally worked for the New Zealand PoliceNew Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
, primarily as a crime investigations manager. As a Police investigator, he worked on many inquiries and served at various times in Auckland, Rotorua and Palmerston North. In his final years of service (1995–98), he was the manager of Police services within North Shore City.
A graduate of the Royal New Zealand Air Force Command and Staff College and the Australian Institute of Police Management Sydney from where he gained a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management.
He is the recipient of a New Zealand Police long service and good conduct medal awarded in 1980.
Mayor of North Shore City
In October 1998 Wood was elected mayor of North Shore City following a fiercely contested election. Wood was able to bring together a new style of council administration with only three standing committees and all councillors members of these committees.During his term as mayor Wood was most successful in melding the council together and pushed through major reforms in relation to: Sewerage (waste water) infrastructure improvements, revamping the strategic plan and long term funding programme for North Shore City and developing and building the Northern Busway Project.
Wood stood as an independent mayoralty candidate in the 2007 North Shore City elections but was defeated by Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams (New Zealand)
Andrew Williams is a New Zealand politician. In 2007 he was elected as Mayor of North Shore City, New Zealand's fourth largest city. Williams served on a community board during 2004-07, and was a councillor in the term before that in 2001-04. North Shore City Council was abolished in October...
.
In the period since the October 2007 election Wood has worked behind the scenes on a number of projects mainly relating to transport. He is particularly vocal over the need to upgrade or replace the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Wood has also strongly urged the improvement of public transport across the Auckland region whilst at the same time warning about the huge escalation in operational costs. He has also commented widely on the matter of whether the new Auckland mayor will be able to control the proposed Auckland Transport Agency under the new proposed model.
Election to 1st Auckland Council
George joined the Citizens and Ratepayers Association (C&R) and was elected to the new Auckland Council to represent the North Shore ward. He topped the poll for this ward election in a tight field of established candidates. Since the election he has been involved in speaking out to ensure that rates for property owners are kept under control. He voiced disappointment in not getting a lead position, especially in the transport area.In his inaugural speech to the Auckland Council George Wood made particular reference to the need to address the recommendations of the Royal Commission report. He made a strong plea to the new council to become actively involved in pursuing improved social conditions and try to ensure that less young people end up in prison.
Controversy
In April 2007, Wood acceded to pressure from Chinese officials not to attend an international cultural show by Divine Performing Arts, which contained scenes depicting the oppression of people who practice the Falun GongFalun Gong
Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline first introduced in China in 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi, through public lectures. It combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with the moral philosophy...
spiritual system.
Wood was planning to attend the show with his wife, but after a phone call from the Chinese Consular General's office he backed out, and was quoted as saying:
I don't want to get involved in internal People's Republic of China politics but I also want to maintain a reasonable relationship with the People's Republic of China. They said that [the show] was involved in Falun Gong, they indicated Falun Gong, and I don't know what the true impact of that is, but it obviously has some concerns for them.
I had indicated that I probably would go to the show, but I'm not going to cause an international kerfuffle by going to something that I don't know anything about. I don't know anything about the Falun Gong or whatever it means. I am a mayor of a city not an international diplomat and I haven't really got the time to analyse the thing out.
A journalist who did attend a Falun Gong show in Auckland reported being harried and felt he was "used." He left the performance at the interval.
Chairman of the Auckland Mayoral Forum
Following the 2001 local government elections Wood was elected to the position of chairman of the Auckland Mayoral Forum. In this role Wood pushed through a major joint programme between the Government and Auckland councils for transport funding. This culminated in the Government passing the Local Government Auckland Amendment Act 2004 and the provision of an additional $1.6 billion of transport funding over the following ten years. This extra funding has resulted in huge improvements to the Auckland roading and public transport networks.The New Zealand Government were most desirous of achieving better governance for the Auckland region.
Auckland local government reform
Wood was one of four mayors who asked Prime Minister Helen ClarkHelen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
to reform the Auckland region's local government in September 2006. Subsequently the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
Royal Commission on Auckland Governance
The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance was established by the New Zealand Government to investigate the local government arrangements of Auckland....
was formed to enquire into the future of local government cross the Auckland region.
Wood submitted to the Commission with Wyn Hoadley. Their submission was well received by the three commissioners and received a positive report in the NZ Herald.
Wood and Hoadley called for one Auckland council across the region with a mayor elected at large, 13 elected and 5 appointed specialist councillors and 13 boroughs to replace the existing councils and community boards. They also recommended that an Environmental Protection Agency be appointed.
The high level of debt that the seven territorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council will bring to the new council, along with the negativity by existing councils, is a major concern to Wood. The figure of $3 billion debt that the new Auckland council will need to deal with has been quoted in the media.
Wood is concerned as to how the report of the Royal Commissioners on Auckland Governance will be implemented. He believes it should be a report delivered on a broad front and not implemented in a piecemeal manner.
External links
- North Shore City's Your Mayor Information Pages
- Personal Profile of George Wood
- Scoop Independent News
- TV New Zealand
- "N Shore Mayor succumbs to China Consulate pressure", Scoop Independent News, 2007-4-3. Retrieved on 14 April 2007.
- "Chinese Consulate Interferes With Cultural Show", The Epoch Times, 2007-4-3. Retrieved on 14 April 2007.
- "Wood pulls out of Chinese event", TVNZ, 2007-4-3. Retrieved on 14 April 2007.
- "Auckland Facilities Funding – Brian Rudman: August 2007",
- "http://twitter.com/GeorgeWood2010",