Meet Danielle ✨
I need your vote this year because what is at stake is the future of rangatahi.
Ko Danielle Marks tooku ingoa.
He mokopuna au o Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa, Fiji, Tonga hoki.
I am standing in Hamilton East Ward for Hamilton City Council.
I bring a law, governance and community development background, across te ao Maaori, local government and the charities sector.
In the past 3 years, I have advocated for workers’ rights, supporting rangatahi in the mental health sector, and working with te iwi Maaori to achieve their aspirations.
Voting opens in 14 days
Get your vote in before midday on Friday 10th October 2025!
This is a postal vote. Your voting pack will be delivered to you shortly after voting opens, from Tuesday 9 September.
If your voting pack goes missing, drop in to a Council facility (like a library) to fill out a ‘special vote’.
My Top 3 Priorities for Council
- Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and acknowledging our whole history, including our unique Maaori heritage. This includes funding He Pou Manawa Ora - Council’s Maaori strategy and stop putting it on the chopping block when cuts are made.
- Future-proofing our infrastructure - climate change is here and we need urgent action to ensure that we learn from the mistakes of other regions and our communities have security in times of crisis.
- Ensuring rangatahi have a city that reflects and values them - I want to see targeted engagement with young people and underrepresented communities on any citywide proposals.
Mitigating Climate Change
- Mitigating climate change comes down to lowering our emissions. Two thirds of Kirikiriroa’s emissions come from private car ownership - and also causes us the headache of congestion and traffic jams.
- Focusing on helping our tamariki walk, bike, scooter, or catch the bus to school is massive for reducing traffic, reducing emissions, and setting up our rangatahi with positive habits for the future - where they know they have other options to get around our city.
- We also need to continue being kaitiaki to our gullies and parks to help improve our biodiversity and keep our city cool.
Increased investment in older areas of the city
- Like Fairfield and Enderley, — all our communities should have nice things like new community houses, libraries, and footpaths — not just the newest suburbs.
- These suburbs are where our communities are connected and have chosen to invest in each other. They are home to intergenerational whaanau, contributing to our shared history and culture.
- Investing in our older areas helps us build inclusive, resilient and vibrant communities. Equity across our city is critical for our collective well-being.
Curiosity / Collaboration / Courage
- I bring a background in governance and community, across te ao Maaori, local government, and the charities sector - where I’ve collaborated with people from all walks of life to enable great outcomes for communities.
- With curiosity and courage, I challenge the status quo to ensure all people are respected and encouraged to thrive in our city. The more rangatahi who see themselves in our decisions, in our Council, the more engaged I hope they’ll be — allowing me to be a better decision-maker now, but also fostering more rangatahi Maaori to take up leadership within local government.
Support Danielle
I need your support to get the word out and make this campaign a success! Your donation will help me reach more voters and make a real difference in our community.
Authorised by Danielle Marks — vote@marks4kirikiriroa.com.