Local Business Owner & Advisor, Dene Green, To Stand For Franklin Ward
Dene has over 30 years of experience in logistics, business ownership, and mentoring. He runs a service supporting small businesses and local development and holds an EMBA and a PostDoctorate in Global Business from the University of Oxford.
He has championed renewable energy projects such as offshore wind power, supported aquaculture ventures, and pushed for Free Trade Zones in New Zealand, including the proposed Marsden Point in Northland. He also advised the campaign to position Auckland as a strategic 'Southern Link' transport hub between China and South America.
Now Dene is focused on Franklin. As a proud Franklin local of Ngāti Hine descent, he understands what matters to families and businesses here.
For too long Franklin has been treated as Auckland's forgotten rural fringe. From Whitford and Beachlands to Pukekohe and Waiuku, fastgrowing communities have seen clogged roads, stalled infrastructure, and rising rates with little to show for it.
Auckland Council keeps adding climate levies and hiking business rates instead of delivering practical solutions. Franklin deserves better, investment that matches our growth, infrastructure that keeps up, and leadership that puts local priorities first.
'Franklin deserves better than being treated like a rural afterthought,' Dene says.
'Our communities need practical, people-first representation. I'll focus on fixing roads, improving local facilities, and making housing easier, not endless bureaucracy and red tape.
"Council should make life easier, not harder. Ratepayers deserve value for money and a council that works for them.' – Dene Green
Earlier this year, ACT New Zealand announced it would be standing Common Sense Candidates for local government for the first time — after hearing from New Zealanders across the country who are sick of rising rates, ballooning budgets, and councils that ignore the basics while chasing ideological vanity projects.
When you vote ACT Local, you know what you're getting:
Fixing the basics
Ending the war on cars
Cutting the waste
Stopping race-based politics
Restoring accountability
Lower rates
ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton says:
' ACT Local candidates are community-minded Kiwis who've had enough of wasteful councils treating ratepayers like ATMs. It's time to take control on behalf of ratepayers — to restore accountability and deliver real value for money. ACT Local is about getting the basics right: maintaining roads, keeping streets clean, and respecting the people who pay the bills. Our candidates won't divide people by race or get distracted by climate vanity projects. They're here to serve, not lecture." – Cameron Luxton
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Ikea cagey about opening date for first NZ store this year
By Amy Williams of RNZ Global furniture giant Ikea is due to open its first New Zealand store in Auckland some time this year, but has not yet told Auckland Council when. Ikea said it was still on track to open at Sylvia Park and had so far employed 85 of the 500 staff it needed. Within at least two months of opening, Ikea has to provide the council with an opening date and managment plan, but a council spokesperson confirmed it was still waiting to receive this information. The consent conditions for the big box retailer required it to submit an plan that detailed how it would manage the anticipated crowds expected to drive there. "No less than two months prior to the scheduled opening date of the Ikea store, the consent holder must prepare and submit a store opening management plan to Auckland Council for written certification," the consent decision stated. "The purpose of the plan is to set out the measures to be adopted to manage effects on the transportation network during the first three months following the opening of the store." Ikea has yet to announce its opening day, but indicated it would be in time for Christmas. The council indicated that, before an official store opening, it wanted Ikea to open online to manage anticipated demand and have a soft opening to test traffic management. It advised Ikea to avoid opening on public holidays, Fridays, weekends, Black Friday or Boxing Day. The council asked Ikea to provide details about "incentives to travel to the site by transport modes other than private vehicle, such as bus, train and active modes", as well as "comprehensive information provided to the public on travel routes to and from the store". Ikea must provide at least 54 bicycle parks and 543 carparks, and submit a travel plan to the council that shows how it would encourage employees and customers to use public transport, walk or cycle to the store. Construction began on the 34,000sq m store in 2023 and the iconic blue building is taking shape at Sylvia Park. The ground level will be a carpark, with the store spread across two floors, including its Swedish restaurant that will sell meatballs and hotdogs. The retailer is still recruiting for its anticipated. Ikea people and culture manager Lauren Clegg said 15,000 people had applied for advertised roles by the end of May. She said 85 people had been employed so far and more roles would be advertised this month, attracting thousands of applicants. "There does seem to be a lot of people that are between jobs at the moment or struggling to get into work," she said. "I think we're in a really tough time in New Zealand, with the market at the moment, and that's probably contributing to some of our numbers." Clegg said the Ikea opening had caused excitement. "We're definitely on track to open late 2025, but the exact opening date is very under wraps for now." Ikea would continue to release and advertise for roles until November.
Otago Daily Times
5 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Ikea cagey about opening date for first NZ store
By Amy Williams of RNZ Global furniture giant Ikea is due to open its first New Zealand store in Auckland some time this year, but has not yet told Auckland Council when. Ikea said it was still on track to open at Sylvia Park and had so far employed 85 of the 500 staff it needed. Within at least two months of opening, Ikea has to provide the council with an opening date and managment plan, but a council spokesperson confirmed it was still waiting to receive this information. The consent conditions for the big box retailer required it to submit an plan that detailed how it would manage the anticipated crowds expected to drive there. "No less than two months prior to the scheduled opening date of the Ikea store, the consent holder must prepare and submit a store opening management plan to Auckland Council for written certification," the consent decision stated. "The purpose of the plan is to set out the measures to be adopted to manage effects on the transportation network during the first three months following the opening of the store." Ikea has yet to announce its opening day, but indicated it would be in time for Christmas. The council indicated that, before an official store opening, it wanted Ikea to open online to manage anticipated demand and have a soft opening to test traffic management. It advised Ikea to avoid opening on public holidays, Fridays, weekends, Black Friday or Boxing Day. The council asked Ikea to provide details about "incentives to travel to the site by transport modes other than private vehicle, such as bus, train and active modes", as well as "comprehensive information provided to the public on travel routes to and from the store". Ikea must provide at least 54 bicycle parks and 543 carparks, and submit a travel plan to the council that shows how it would encourage employees and customers to use public transport, walk or cycle to the store. Construction began on the 34,000sq m store in 2023 and the iconic blue building is taking shape at Sylvia Park. The ground level will be a carpark, with the store spread across two floors, including its Swedish restaurant that will sell meatballs and hotdogs. The retailer is still recruiting for its anticipated. Ikea people and culture manager Lauren Clegg said 15,000 people had applied for advertised roles by the end of May. She said 85 people had been employed so far and more roles would be advertised this month, attracting thousands of applicants. "There does seem to be a lot of people that are between jobs at the moment or struggling to get into work," she said. "I think we're in a really tough time in New Zealand, with the market at the moment, and that's probably contributing to some of our numbers." Clegg said the Ikea opening had caused excitement. "We're definitely on track to open late 2025, but the exact opening date is very under wraps for now." Ikea would continue to release and advertise for roles until November.
RNZ News
5 hours ago
- RNZ News
IKEA cagey about opening date for first NZ store this year
IKEA's new store at Sylvia Park is taking shape. Photo: Supplied Global furniture giant IKEA is due to open its first New Zealand store in Auckland some time this year, but has not yet told Auckland Council when. IKEA said it was still on track to open at Sylvia Park and had so far employed 85 of the 500 staff it needed. Within at least two months of opening, IKEA has to provide the council with an opening date and managment plan, but a council spokesperson confirmed it was still waiting to receive this information. The consent conditions for the big box retailer required it to submit an plan that detailed how it would manage the anticipated crowds expected to drive there. "No less than two months prior to the scheduled opening date of the Ikea store, the consent holder must prepare and submit a store opening management plan to Auckland Council for written certification," the consent decision stated. "The purpose of the plan is to set out the measures to be adopted to manage effects on the transportation network during the first three months following the opening of the store." IKEA has yet to announce its opening day, but indicated it would be in time for Christmas . The council indicated that, before an official store opening, it wanted Ikea to open online to manage anticipated demand and have a soft opening to test traffic management. It advised IKEA to avoid opening on public holidays, Fridays, weekends, Black Friday or Boxing Day. The council asked Ikea to provide details about "incentives to travel to the site by transport modes other than private vehicle, such as bus, train and active modes", as well as "comprehensive information provided to the public on travel routes to and from the store". Ikea must provide at least 54 bicycle parks and 543 carparks, and submit a travel plan to the council that shows how it would encourage employees and customers to use public transport, walk or cycle to the store. Construction began on the 34,000 square metre store in 2023 and the iconic blue building is taking shape at Sylvia Park . The ground level will be a carpark, with the store spread across two floors, including its Swedish restaurant that will sell meatballs and hotdogs. The retailer is still recruiting for its anticipated. IKEA people and culture manager Lauren Clegg said 15,000 people had applied for advertised roles by the end of May. She said 85 people had been employed so far and more roles would be advertised this month, attracting thousands of applicants. "There does seem to be a lot of people that are between jobs at the moment or struggling to get into work," she said. "I think we're in a really tough time in New Zealand, with the market at the moment, and that's probably contributing to some of our numbers." Clegg said the IKEA opening had caused excitement. "We're definitely on track to open late 2025, but the exact opening date is very under wraps for now." IKEA would continue to release and advertise for roles until November. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
