Race to be Mayor
by Michel Sam Mathew
Lisa Prager can ramble away for hours if the topic is about Auckland city.
The former gay activist turned community campaigner has been through the thick and thin of big city politics for almost six years now.
However, it’s been just three months since she threw her hat in the ring and decided to compete in the race to be Auckland’s next Mayor.
“I want to work in the public interest, and I am a person who is prepared to ask the tough questions, to share the answers, to take action and stop our city from being plundered,” she says.
Her tough talking has been matched by actions too in the past.
Ms Prager was the founding member of Wake Up Auckland in 2001 - which had sprang up in opposition to the election of ex-Mayor John Banks and the suggestions proposed in the Birch Report.
At that time she had also fought against the sale of pensioner housing and argued strongly that airport shares should not be sold off.
“Selling off public enterprises is not in the best interest of the community, but it’s just for private gain and for a select few,” she says.
Her campaign poster with the slogan “It’s time to clean up this town” and a “Wanted: Lisa Prager” headline has definitely caught the public’s attention.
Complete strangers now walk up to Ms Prager to shake hands with her and to tell her that they are all backing her in the Mayoral elections.
“It is really interesting to know that a lot of people support me and many stop me on the streets to shake hands and to say that they are all positive about me.
“Just recently a Bangladeshi man stopped me in a supermarket to assure me of his family’s support, and a lady at a traffic signal shouted ‘Go girl’ to me with a thumbs up while waiting at a traffic signal,” adds Ms Prager.
Her uncanny campaign and trademark cowboy hat have kicked up media interest too, but we will have to wait until October end to find out if “quick on the draw Prager” will be the next Mayor of Auckland.
To read more about Lisa Prager, log on to her website www.council-watch.com