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Sir John declares his hand - TUESDAY JULY 6, 2010

COMMITTED: Mayoral candidate Sir John Goulter _ promising an end to division.

Prominent businessman Sir John Goulter ended weeks of speculation yesterday, declaring his intention to contest the Far North mayoralty later in October.
His only opposition so far comes from long-serving councillor Laurie Byers (Kaikohe), who announced his intention to stand in July last year. Incumbent Wayne Brown has yet to announce whether he will seek a second term.
Sir John, who has lived in Paihia since the early 2000s, may be best known for heading Auckland Airport for 15 years, first as chief executive then as managing director. He currently chairs the Ngapuhi Asset Holding Company, the New Zealand Business and Parliament Trust and Paraparaumu Airport, and is on the TVNZ board.
The 68-year-old said he had been persuaded to run by "a group of influential individuals" and his own street-level canvassing.
"People have been getting at me and saying, `You've got to do it'," he said.
"I'm a positive person with a whole host of values I think would be good for the North. There's been a lot of divisiveness in relation to the Northland Regional Council, and the way meetings are conducted."
He would campaign on fiscal responsibility, good governance, transparency and inclusiveness, as well as the role of local government as a catalyst for social and economic development.
He declined to be more specific, saying he had a three-month campaign ahead of him, but more would be revealed in coming weeks.
One thing he would not do was tell the Far North what it needed.
"My intention is to keep a close ear to the ground throughout the campaign, and hopefully beyond," he said.
"Having said that, I believe it is possible to steer a course between the practical necessities of infrastructure and core services and the discretionary projects championed by councillors and community boards, while at the same time building critical relationships and providing inspiration."
He was not running as part of a formal team but had support from "like-minded individuals" who were planning to contest council and community board seats.
Sir John expected his lack of experience in local politics to be queried, but, having spent years dealing with Auckland airport's 29 local body owners, he did not feel in the least disadvantaged.
His links to Northland include great-grandparents who settled at Kaeo in 1868, and 15 years living in Whangarei.
In the 1960s he managed the Ceramco brickworks in Kamo, and attended Onerahi Primary School for a year.
He said yesterday that he had already scaled back his directorships, and would further reduce his commitments if he won the mayoralty so he could devote himself full-time to the position.
Nominations officially open on July 23, and close on August 20.
Election day is October 9. Sir John said he had announced his candidacy early, to leave no doubt regarding his commitment to those people who had expressed a strong appetite for change.