Coughlan stands for Mayor

Stuff reports:

The contest for Wellington’s mayoralty is heating up, with councillor Jo Coughlan announcing she will enter the race.

Improving the capital’s infrastructure will be her top priority if she manages to defeat incumbent mayor Celia Wade-Brown and fellow councillors Justin Lester and Nicola Young in October’s election.

Coughlan, who has been a councillor for nine years and in charge of economic development for the past six, said she believed Wellingtonians has been let down when it came to roading.

The biggest frustration was the failure to solve the Basin Reserve’s peak hour congestion and the “lost years” of progress that resulted from a proposed highway flyover not going ahead in 2014.

If Nick Leggett stands also, we’ll have standing two Mayors, a Deputy Mayor and two Councillors!

“We need to double-tunnel the Terrace and Mt Victoria tunnels and see four lanes along Ruahine St to the airport. Wellington’s mayor must lead on this, and that is my commitment.”

Great – four lanes from the airport to Levin is the answer.

WHO IS JO COUGHLAN?

* Married with six children aged 13 to 24.

* Has a degree in biochemistry from Otago University.

* Is director of Silvereye Communications, which provides PR and government relations advice.

* Was a press secretary for former foreign Minister Sir Don McKinnon.

* Recently stepped down, after six years, as deputy chairperson of the National Board of Life Education, which provides health education to more than 250,000 children.

Somewhat in awe of someone who has six children and manages a couple of jobs also!

Jo and I were in the same university hostel, so I’ve known here for around 30 years!