Logan Soole became a local politician at just 19. Six years later, he outlines what inspired him to represent his community and what made him leave.
Not many people can say they retired from politics at the ripe old age of 25. I remember a few years into my term, standing in front of the mirror, spotting my first grey hair. “No need to panic, it’s just one.” I thought. Months later, a few more appeared, and I came to a realisation: local government has a knack for ageing you, both physically and mentally. I’m starting to think that all my colleagues are secretly still in their 30s.
My journey into this role began in the ground announcer box at Pukekohe Stadium. A sitting elected member saw something in a 19-year-old kid with a passion for people and the place we call home. Andy Baker took me under his wing and introduced me to the wonderful world of local government politics. That opportunity through mentorship changed my life.
The front page of the Franklin County News read: “Auckland’s Youngest Local Board Member Takes Path Less Travelled,” alongside a photo of me standing – rather unwisely – in the middle of State Highway 5.
Lesson one: never take photos in the middle of the road.
Our induction into Auckland Council was a crash course in endless acronyms, consultation documents thicker than the average novel and some processes that left me scratching my head, wondering, “Why?”
Lesson two: just because something’s been done forever doesn’t always mean it’s the best way to keep doing it. Question it, seek better ways to do it, and always put people first.
Less than six months into my term, Covid-19 hit. My learning curve went from steep to vertical. From skype meetings to lockdowns, the role of a local board member expanded to keeping our people connected and supported. It was a crash course in resilience, adaptability, and it showed the power of our unity.
It was about that time that I connected with a wahine called Piritania Minhinnick. The first time I met Piri was at a dawn blessing where she scolded me for not knowing the names of the three marae in Waiuku: Rereteewhioi, Taahuna and Whakarongo. She said “you fellas get elected to these roles and yet you don’t know what you should about them.”
Lesson three: know the place you are going to represent.
Piri laid down another challenge for me in a phone call some months later – she asked for two Council gazebos for a vaccination event at tahuna marae.
As a good local board member, I followed the process and put the request to our local staff manager, Carol, where it went up the chain of command. Over two weeks went by and after many follow ups from Carol, we’d heard nothing. Later that week, I received a phone call from the chief executive of Ngaati Tamaoho, Matekino, to ask me why a request for two Council gazebos had made its way through 12 different staff members, four different organisations and ended up with a senior staff member in the department of the prime minister and cabinet.
No one at any point thought it might be good to call the Auckland Council events team who had a warehouse full of gazebos in storage. The next day, I showed up at Tahuna Marae with two Auckland Council gazebos. This marked the start of my friendship with Ngaati Te Ata. Using connections as a local board member and with health through the marae and their incredible ability to mobilise resources, we vaccinated and tested thousands of Franklin people and through their advocacy, with support from councillor Baker, we successfully convinced the powers that be to move Pukekohe’s only major testing facility from a dangerous location to Pukekohe Park Raceway. That happened a few days before testing queues surged across Auckland creating chaos, but not here in Pukekohe.
In 2021, I was convinced to attend the Young Elected Members – or YEM – conference. In local government, the threshold for a YEM is 40 years of age and under.
In 2022, the YEM conference was cancelled due to Covid and merged with the Local Government NZ Conference – a massive professional development opportunity where 700 civic leaders from across Aotearoa connect, share challenges, and learn from one another. But the conference fees were steep, and I couldn’t afford to attend. I was disappointed, but it wasn’t the end of the world.
Later that week, I got a call from Sgt Wayne Paxton, telling me to show up to a meeting, no details provided. I arrived to find a room full of people – local business owners, the business association, Franklin RSA, and Kaumātua Rob. Without my knowledge, they’d rallied together, contributing personally to cover my conference fees. In their words, they wanted to invest in the young leaders of today and tomorrow.
At that conference, I was humbled to receive the Young Elected Member of the Year award – something that I saw as accepting on behalf of the people of Franklin.
That same aroha has defined my time in local government. From the businesses who backed me, to the community groups who volunteered their time, to the individuals who stopped me in the supermarket with ideas or encouragement, even the ones who swore at me about traffic lights.
I remember the Auckland floods of 2023 and cyclone Gabrielle, where Franklin’s spirit shone through again. Volunteers put their hand up and local board members and local leaders were looked at to provide leadership, in the absence of any.
I was especially proud of the efforts of our marae, kaumatua, council staff, Community Patrol, local emergency services, Cam Vernon and Alofa and the Glas whaanau.
There were wins along the way that were a team effort and I am really proud of.
Te Ara Ki Whangapouri Bridge in Belmont – a pedestrian connection between two large subdivisions, creating a safe place for kids to get to school – delivered under budget.
The pedestrian crossing back to school program in partnership with police, our local schools and Auckland Transport, making it clear that every kid should have the right to get to school safely.
The Pukekohe Redevelopment Program which began before my time and has continued throughout my two terms will future proof our town for the huge changes that are happening just up the road. Despite the challenges, it is something I am truly proud to have been a part of and I look forward to seeing our decisions become reality when I return.
I cannot help but feel some guilt for leaving at a time that is so crucial for our future. A time where things not just in our own backyard but internationally seem to be in decline.
One great leader recently described the world as a “dumpster fire” and said we can’t kid ourselves about the challenges we face. But they also said that we have been a model to the world – a place that sets the standard for what values, leadership, hope and empathy can achieve. Franklin has been that place for me. We’re not perfect, but we’re a community that cares, and that works together to get things done.
Lesson four: It is not just about you – it is about us.
Before I go, I want to leave my colleagues and future Franklin Local Board members with a wero, a challenge, should they have the privilege of returning here:
Do not forget our commitment to Māori – our partners, our whānau, our history and our future.
Do not forget our commitment to young people and the generations that will follow, long after we are gone. Make mokopuna decisions – choices that always prioritise the needs of our grandchildren, ensuring they inherit a place where they can survive and thrive. Think climate change, future focused infrastructure and mentoring the next generation.
As I step away from this role, I carry with me a massive sense of pride in serving this place, lessons learned, and a few more grey hairs than I started with.
On announcing my departure from this local board, page six of the Franklin County news sported the headline: “Soole leaving politics and choosing love”. That part is true, I’m finally looking forward to being with my beautiful partner Lauren after over two years of long distance.
I loved what I did in this role, I loved the challenges that I faced, I loved the experience that I was so privileged to have, I loved the friends I made from across the country and I loved the people who make this community so special. Thank you for trusting me, teaching me, and letting me be part of your story.
