Ella Kumar - Candidate for Puketāpapa Local Board

I am a New Zealand born Indian, I am a Kiwi Indian, I do hold my cultural upbringing close to my heart.

I am the first Indian female in Auckland elected onto local body election. My husband and three children have supported me to take the positions I have to help the community to thrive.

I am a Current Local Board member, I bring a wealth of local government experience, I have taken an active role to ensure all Puketāpapa groups thrive, build community foundations.

During 9 years on Local Board, I have held portfolios, Events, Arts & Culture, Library, Sport & Recreation, Economic Development. I strongly believe in action-focused, fair outcomes, deliver for all residents. I love working for our hard working communities who need to have local boards that keep community at the heart of all desicions leaving politics out, this is my priority.

I stand for:

• fairness and transparency,

• openness on decision making,

• keep your rates low,

• better footpath, parks saving our green open space,

• vibrant towns centre and safer neighbourhoods,

• working with Aukland transport for better consultation processes so your voices and ideas can be heard.

I have 20 years experience on school boards of trustees, on the Roskill Together Board, Justice of Peace, marriage celebrant. I work, studied in health science profession to keep our communities healthy. My family support my community work where I grew up, live, worked in.

I grew up in the years when we were not inclusive country, I strongly believe we are a very inclusive community before the the mosque attack but even more so there after. This is in the community level. I still believe there is a lot of room to see this behaviour change to come through at many corporate levels of positions in many organisations.

Local body elections has made me stronger as a women to stand up, step up and do the best for communities without any political agendas.