Meet Cathy Casey
If you live in Auckland, you have probably heard of Dr Cathy Casey, the firebrand City Councillor who regularly and publicly criticises John Banks and his new council on everything from ignoring child poverty to slashing the council's budget for affordable housing. If it's not the strange burr of her Scottish accent you remember, it might be her passion for social justice.
It is the fight for social justice that motivates Cathy and why she has agreed to assist the NDU this election as our election co-ordinator.
She took time out to answer a few questions from The Express:
What brought you to New Zealand?
I came to New Zealand in 1987 to get away from too many years of Thatcherism in Britain! The Falkands War had cemented the Iron Woman into 10 Downing Street. I just couldn't stand it. My parents were living on a small pension after my father's lifetime of work as a postman and trying to keep out the chill of the Scottish winter without any help from the Government. It was like the Tories had forgotten about poor people altogether. It was so depressing. I needed to get right away to the other side of the world and was happy to accept a job in Criminology at Victoria University of Wellington.
Why did you become a councillor?
I first stood as a councillor in 1990 in South Wairarapa. I was living in Featherston and was horrified when I learned that my local council was intending to contract out all its services. It became an election issue. I was elected and the jobs were saved! I served on the South Wairarapa District Council for nine years after that.
We understand you've also been involved in politics at a national level?
I stood for Parliament twice for the Alliance Party. In 1996, I moved to Wellington to become a Parliamentary researcher for Jim Anderton MP. By 1998 I was Director of the Alliance Party's Research Unit. It was there I met Laila Harre when she was a Minister. In 2001 when Jim broke from the Alliance, I resigned from my Parliamentary job in Wellington and came to Auckland.
So why did you stand for Auckland City Council?
I came to Auckland with nine years experience as a councillor under my belt and six years at Parliament. When I saw the asset stripping by the John Banks' council I was horrified. I thought "where do they get off on selling off the airport shares and the pensioner housing despite massive public opposition!" I put my hand up simply because I thought I could do a better job of running the city of Auckland! I was proud to be elected as part of that first centre-left council in Auckland for 58 years. I was re-elected again last year, topping the poll in the Eden Albert ward.
We hear you are also a published author?
I have written several books including Georgina Beyer's 1999 biography A Change for the Better and Matt McCarten's 2002 biography Rebel in the Ranks (both Random House, Auckland).
So what are your aims as our election co-ordinator?
My aim is to ensure that NDU members get enrolled, get informed, and get out and vote!
