Like father, like son

POLITICAL PAIR: Father Ross Craig and son Colin are both running for seats on the Auckland supercity board.

FAMILY HISTORY: The Craig family spent much of their early years living in Cockle Bay, father Ross with son Colin, left, and brother Andrew.

Relevant offers

FAMILY politics may take on a whole new meaning if both Colin Craig and his father Ross get elected to the new Auckland supercity council.

Colin is running for mayor and Ross is an Albany ward candidate.

As the oldest child of five, Colin spent much of his childhood in Cockle Bay. Now both father and son live in Albany.

"I asked Colin if it bothered him if I ran for Albany ward," Ross says.

"It's the first time we talked of the possibility of working together and there was a fair amount of negotiation."

Colin says he has grown up with healthy family discussions on politics.

"We always had conversations around the table about what is right and best for the country, and since dad has been in the district council we got a council perspective as well," Colin says.

Ross says his son showed strong leadership in his early years.

"By the time Colin was four he was very much a leader. Other neighbouring boys of a similar age found they needed to do things Colin's way when they came to play."

Colin lived on the Hibiscus Coast for a number of years when he first married and spent many years of his holidays in Mahurangi West.

He has primarily worked in the property sector and has launched five successful businesses.

He now owns a property management business.

"I am different to other candidates running for mayor – but that's the whole point. If we want to have the same people running Auckland we will keep going in the same direction – debt and a growing distancing of the council with the people.

"I think we need to do things differently.

"I have a desire to see local government run more financially sensible. I dislike the current cycle of rates increases and debt.

"I'm big on democracy issues and want to see referendums brought in – like they already do in Wanganui. They can easily be sent out with rate bills to relieve costs."

Colin says good leaders have to acknowledge problems and deal with them.

"The leaky homes situation is one of the biggest financial crises ever. It is central to our future and so I am addressing that issue. I believe you should only make promises you can keep and keep the promises you make."

Ross first became interested in politics more than 40 years ago when he studied at university.

He has served on the Rodney District Council for the past three years.

"What I believe is that knowledge empowers people when effectively communicated. The more a community can be heard and their views communicated through the system, the better. That hasn't been done well in the past.

"In my current role at the Rodney council I represent around 5000 people in the Rodney central ward but as we change over to the supercity the Albany ward has 14,000 people. So I will be using the new system to communicate with the large group I would represent."

Full list of mayoral and Rodney district candidates P3

- © Fairfax NZ News