Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown is publicly thanking outgoing Howick ward councillor Sharon Stewart for her decades of service to the community following the news she is not standing at this year’s local elections.
The Times recently reported Stewart had decided to retire from local politics to spend more time with her family.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I’ve now got three beautiful grandchildren,” she said.
“I want to have some time with them, smell the roses, and get out into my garden and start doing some things for myself.”
Stewart’s career in local politics began in 1995 when she was elected to the Howick Community Board, followed by election to the Manukau City Council in 1998.
When the super-city Auckland Council was formed in 2010, she was elected as one of the Howick ward’s two councillors and has served on the council ever since.
With the recent news of Stewart’s retirement, Brown says he wants to pay tribute to her 30 years of service to the local community.
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Sharon Stewart for close to a decade now, as we together sought to represent our local community on the issues that matter most to them.
“Sharon has been a stalwart of local government for three decades, representing east Auckland with compassion, enthusiasm, and a strong sense of duty.
“She’s been a dedicated advocate for our community and has always done her absolute best for the people who elected her.”
Brown says from his first day as the MP for Pakuranga, Stewart has shown him “nothing but kindness and respect, and her guidance over our shared time as elected representatives has been invaluable”.
“I wish Sharon the very best as she moves onto the next phase of her life to spend more time with her family and I know that, even in retirement, I can still rely on her counsel and friendship.
“On behalf of our community, thank you for your many years of service Sharon.
“The people of east Auckland owe you a great debt of gratitude. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!”
