Joseph Bergin is a familiar face around our community, the Rosmini old boy has been on the Devonport Takapuna Local Board for the past two terms, the youngest person to be elected at the age of 18 years old and also the youngest Deputy Chair and Chairman (a role he shared in his second term). Throughout his time on the board he worked on many different projects to benefit the community while also studying at university to become a lawyer. Channel Magazine asked Joe a few questions about his time working in local politics, his plans for the future and what he loves about the local community.
COURTNEY BENNETT: What are you most proud about your time on the local board?
JOSEPH BERGIN: The emphasis we put on getting work done rather than missing opportunities. I look at the major capital investments the Board has made in my six years in office as well as our investment in community and social well-being and I am so glad to have been able to play a part in driving and delivering each of these projects. From the Devonport Library to the Milford Reserve Footbridge, the Takapuna Centre Plan to the Local Economic Development Action Plan, and most recently the Youth Innovation Centre and Takapuna Beach Playground, I am so pleased to have been able to help drive progress for our communities.
CB: You were a crucial part of the playground coming to life, what do you think about it now that it’s done?
JB: I was a very small part of the incredible vision that the Takapuna Beach Playground Trust had for this most amazing community initiative. I have been blown away with it’s continuing popularity and for me it has exceeded every expectation. I can’t wait for the Takapuna Youth Centre to do the same thing.
CB: Why do you think its important to have young people represented in local and central government?
JB: The decisions made by the governments of today will set the course for our country and community for at least the next three decades. Those of us who will live with the consequences of these decisions the longest need to be around the table or we run the risk of losing control of our future.
CB: What’s next for you career wise?
JB: I’m going to continue down the track of advocacy for the community and planning for the future. For now, that means focusing on being an environmental lawyer in private practice. Importantly, I want to make sure that I can continue to maintain my close connection with the local community, and so I will still be actively engaged in a number of local community groups and charities.
CB: What values are most important to you?
JB: Honesty, integrity, fairness and dedication. These have always been my guiding principles and I strive to live them out in both my professional and personal life.
CB: What did a typical day look like for you when you were the local board chair?
JB: No two days were ever the same, but they always started early and finished late. On any given day there would be a number of Council-wide briefings, workshops, committee meetings and formal meetings I would need to attend which would often drag me all over the city. In addition to this, I would meet with the local board services staff and board liaisons with the various departments to discuss work programme statuses and upcoming schedules. Then there were the emails and calls that needed attending to (this is one of the areas that I found most difficult to try and keep up with and which I continue to try and do better). And most importantly there would be a number of community events and meetings to go along to and help facilitate to make sure that the Board and wider council were continuing to move forward.
CB: You’re a lawyer, were there any skills you learned in the profession that makes your community work easier?
JB: Absolutely. The council family has a number of legal and regulatory roles which derive from law and which affect people every day. Having an understanding of what we can do and what we must do is essential to ensure that the political oversight of council is robust.
CB: What will you miss about your local board role?
JB: The people. I met and worked with some truly amazing and inspiring people through my role on the Board and I will miss being able to work to closely with all these passionate community leaders, volunteers and public servants. It was the highlight of every day and definitely what I will miss the most.
CB: Why is the Shore a great place to grow up and live in?
JB: The Shore combines an unmatched choice of lifestyle with friendly neighbours who look out for one another and help each other out. I cannot think of any other place with such a generous and caring community who strive to help each other succeed as much as we do on the Shore. It takes a village to raise a child and I certainly couldn’t have asked for a better bunch to have helped me become the person I am today.
CB: What do you in your spare time?
JB: Away from my Board work I was studying at university in most of my spare time for four of the past six years, and otherwise I was reading and preparing reports and agendas for the various council meetings set down for the following week. Truth be told, I am looking forward to having some spare time back now that my term on the Board has ended.
CB: What do you think our community could do better?
JB: Get better involved and be more engaged. We already have so many phenomenal people who are very active in the community and who speak up for what they passionately believe the city’s focus should be on. Yet with another poor voter turnout this past election and the difficulty that many of our community groups have trying to find active contributors, there is plenty more room for us to improve our engagement and participation in how our communities change.
