CRAIG Little hopes the winds of change will help carry him to Manukau’s top political job.

Craig Little is chasing Manukau's mayoral chains. Photo supplied.

The long time Auckland Regional councillor and Bucklands Beach man says he’s standing for the city’s mayoralty, after remaining tight-lipped a month ago (Times, June 25).

The former television presenter says he’s been interested in the role for some time, having been approached by supporters over the past three terms.

For the upcoming local body elections in September-October, Mr Little says he’s conceded to that support. He’s decided to not to seek re-election for another term on the ARC.

Mr Little’s had 20 years experience in regional government. That includes four years on the former Auckland Regional Authority, chairmanship of both the Regional Services Trust and Infrastructure Auckland and membership of the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust.

“While that gives you a huge experience, I felt I needed a change,” says Mr Little.

It’s also a sentiment he holds for Manukau City and he hopes the winds of change will blow favourably in his direction.

“Barry Curtis has been mayor for 24 years. That’s an awful lot of service to give to a city and it’s an awful lot of time to have the same person running the city,” says Mr Little, of his fellow Bucklands Beach resident.

“I’d need to learn more about what the city does and how it does it before I could make individual positive suggestions. But I think it’s time for a change of leadership.”

Mr Little says there’ll also be change in the structure of the region’s local government in the next three to five years and Manukau needs to fill its sails.

“I think it requires a fresh look for a city like Manukau, which is growing and developing rapidly. It needs to make sure that it’s at the forefront of what happens.”

Mr Little ran on the Advancing Auckland ticket for a Manukau constituency seat in the ARC election of 2004, polling the highest of 19 candidates with 19149 votes.

He says that result gives him good cause for “cautious optimism” for a mayoralty bid.

He’ll stand for the mayoralty as an independent candidate, running against declared contenders Dick Quax (Peoples Choice), Len Brown (Independent) and Arthur Anae (Independent). Incumbent Sir Barry Curtis is yet to announce if he’s seeking re-election.

“It’s an interesting mix and it could well be that there’s some vote splitting,” Mr Little says.

Having only just decided to enter the race in recent days, Mr Little admits he doesn’t have an in-depth knowledge of Manukau governance.

“But I’ve had 20 years experience of regional government. It won’t take very long for me to identify issues,” says Mr Little.

“I’ll be consulting people in all sorts of parts of the community to find out what actually bothers people.”

He’s already had discussions with city council staff and councillors and his knowledge is growing daily.

“It’d be crazy for me to say, ‘I think we should change this, do this, build that’. You need to talk to the people in the community, who pay for what you think you’re going to do, and find out what the people on the ground want. So I’ll be doing that.”

Mr Little says a big success during his 20 years in Auckland’s local bodies was his involvement in the Regional Services Trust and Infrastructure Auckland’s development of the Viaduct Basin for the America’s Cup.

As for the present hot topic, the city’s Auckland International Airport Ltd shares, Mr Little says he’ll reserve a view until he sees the deal’s specifics. But he wouldn’t want the asset overseas owned.

“In principle I’m not averse to the sale of those sorts of shares, but what I would not be happy with is them going to an offshore place,” says Mr Little.

“I don’t mind so much those shares being sold back into the community, but from my point of view they would need to be New Zealand held.”

Nominations for local body election candidates are now open and close on August 24.