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Botany Update

by Whaleoil on December 15, 2010

Further to my post on Botany last night, as expected Jami-Lee Ross has announced his intention to seek selection in botany for National.

Auckland Councillor Jami-Lee Ross has announced he will be seeking selection for the National Party candidacy for the Botany by election.

Mr Ross says he is saddened that his local MP Pansy Wong has decided to resign from Parliament. “Pansy was a good electorate MP who cared deeply about her community and it was a pleasure working with her in my capacity as a city councillor. I respect her decision to retire, but I never expected to be seeking selection under these circumstances.”

First elected to the Manukau City Council in 2004, Mr Ross was returned to the Council in 2007 with an increased vote. He was successful in gaining election to the Auckland Council in last year’s local government elections and serves as Co-Leader of the Citizens & Ratepayers Team. Mr Ross currently represents the Howick ward which encompasses Botany, Howick and Pakuranga.

Mr Ross says he has strong links to the Botany electorate. “My wife, Lucy, and I have called this community our home for the past four years. I live in Botany, I work in Botany, and I represent Botany.

“As a local representative I have fought for funding for local sports clubs, developed and purchased land for new parks, and seen this growing community expand. Botany people know me as someone that asks the tough questions and speaks his mind on important local issues. Botany will be well served by my leadership.”

If successful in winning the National Party selection and the Botany by-election, Mr Ross will step down as a member of the Auckland Council. “It would not be possible to do justice to both jobs, especially with the expanded role for new Auckland councillors.

“The public expect politicians to do one job, and do that job properly. I will not try to juggle two full time positions. If I had have known my local electorate was going to need a new candidate so soon after the council elections I would not have stood for council.”

Good to hear he won’t be a double dipper. Jami-Lee would definitely be the front-runner and so far is the only local.

Also as predicted by this blog, Denise Krum has put her hame forward. She is an outsider, living in Ellerslie and also has the stigma of once being the president of United Future.

Within an hour of Ross announcing, Denise Krum, a former president of United Future also announced she is seeking the National Party nomination in Botany.

Krum stood for United Future in 2008 but switched to National after the election 2008 and is now the deputy electorate chair for National MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga and Deputy Regional Chair for the Northern (Auckland) region of the National Party.

Krum, 40, is the daughter of former National MP Graeme Lee and is co-founder and director of the Tableside Charitable Trust, which works with charities in Auckland communities.

Krum lives in central Auckland with her husband and their three children.

Krum said she is expecting, and welcomes, a vigorous selection process.

She also acknowledged the work Wong carried out in Botany.

Good to see she acknowledged Pansy’s role, like Jami-Lee Ross in her announcement, that is stark contrast to the me, me, me announcement of Aaron Bhatnagar. Unfortunately she has also played the gender card without realising that National doesn’t do quotas and selects the best candidate irrespective of their gender, race or sexual preference. If she wants to play that card she should join the Labour party.

With the membership definitely over the 200 members threshold there will be a contested selection, not a board selection. I look forward to blogging how the selection meetings go.

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  • http://www.cadlow.co.nz spanishbride

    You are wrong WO it wasn’t all ME ME me in Aarons blurb, to my extreme puzzlement he mentioned his FATHERS achievements in what is essentially Aaron’s C.V for the job.
    WHO talks about their Daddy in their C.V???

  • mattyman

    I’d hate to see Jami-Lee Ross leave the Auckland Council. Hes the only one that will realistically keep loopy len honest. I dont really think he would be great for National, he does seem somewhat arrogant and not terribly ‘inclusive’ like Darren Gedge or maybe even Denise Krum.
    I’d give Gedge a decent change considering his huge popularity at the schools hes taught in, he could make a pretty decent Minister for Education in the future. He’d also be very good in working by-partisanly to get the best for National voters and the general public. The thing is Jami-Lee would do well in the electoral seat but I dont see him attracting many outside to the party with his divide and rule style. I like the chap but we need him in Auckland. He’d make a good future mayor too!
    I’d give my vote to Darren.

    • kats1

      I agree, I would definitely give my vote to Darron Gedge (yes you guys have been spelling his name wrong). He is a local, has been for years, even grew up on this side of the track. Hugely popular, hes a fantastic teacher and a very hard worker. He is totally commited to seeing Botany move forward and would be a huge asset to our community as an MP. He wins my vote hands down. (or should I say hands up?). Jamie Lee Ross is an excellent contender, but I dont believe he would be the best person to replace Pansy. We need somebody in politics that has the communities best interest at heart and isn’t afraid to do the leg work. Wong worked very hard for Botany, and we need a hard worker to fill her shoes. Gedge is definitley the man.

      • http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz Whaleoil

        I don’t know how you can say that Jami-Lee Ross wouldn’t work hard…or that Darron Gedge would work harder…somehow I doubt that. JLR has proven his ability to work hard for the community. Darron has proven what exactly?

        • kats1

          I never said that Jamie-Lee wouldn’t work hard – I’m sure he would. And I agree with you that he has a great track record. I just personally believe that Darron would be an excellent choice to represent Botany, and I know that he would work incredibly hard. He’s a door knocker from way back, even in the early days with Pansy Wong. Yes Jamie Lee is a strong contender, I have already mentioned that. But I think we need to give Gedge a fair chance, and looking at the big picture, I agree with Mattyman – We need Jamie in council.

  • mediatart

    4 years in Botany and hes ‘local’ ? I suppose if Williamson had gone first as was expected, he would have claimed to be a local for Pakuranga too?. In politics there are no accidents about where you live.
    I suppose with the number of party members in Botany very low, it means another round of ring ins to select the most glorious local candidate- quick get the banners ready

    Where he grow up makes you a local.

    • http://whaleoil.gotcha.co.nz Whaleoil

      Lived in and brought up in Pakuranga, before getting married and setting up house in Botany, with in spitting distance of the Botany electorate which Tart, has only been in existence for two years.

      Botany itself was grass fields just 10 years ago so pretty hard to have grown up there.

      At least it will be members selecting the candidate, unlike Labour where Phil Goff and the EPMU rig proceedings and fly in candidates.

      • joes

        Ohhh WO got you with a full broadside that time mediatart.

  • jamegumb

    I agree with spanishbride – next thing he’ll be taking a bottle to work to piss in!

  • jmac

    If Ross stands for National, Red Len may for once be hoping for a blue victory.

    I’m in two minds as to what I think of this. Ross could make a great mayor IMO if Super city voters come to their senses over 3 years. He keeps Len accountable, though evidence may be pointing to Len being fully able to be his own worst enemy without Ross applying pressure.

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