MEDIA RELEASE 27 July 2007

Statement from David Thornton as nominations for council elections open

Opportunity for Concerned Ratepayers

Reports on Rates and Governance Will Be Key Factors in Local Elections Less Than 3 Months Away.

With today’s opening of nominations for the October local lections ratepayers and residents have the opportunity to get involved in the fight to change the present council rating system.

Those who have the time should seriously consider standing for election to their local council or community board.

For those who don’t have the time to stand at least give as much support as you can to those candidates who support the NoMoreRates campaign for change.

Next week two major reports will be issued by central government –one is the report on the Rates Inquiry which will affect the whole country, and the second is Government’s views on changes to the way the Auckland region is governed.

I urge every ratepayer and resident to take note of these reports. The actions that will follow these reports will dictate the shape of your community – and what you will pay for council service – for the next few years.

But those actions will largely be determined by those you elect at Octobers elections.

The next three years will be decisive in finding better ways to pay for council services – and to redefine what council’s actually do, should do, or should not do.

Change will only be brought about if there is a willingness among the elected councils to make change.

In the Auckland region there is the additonal challenge to the democratic process as business lobby groups seek to put control of rates and other key decisions into the hands of a single Greater Auckland Council – presenting a huge threat to smaller communities and their ratepayers and residents who would feel powerless in the face of such a potentially huge combined bureaucracy.

If you have had enough of bad local government this is the time to step forward and get involved in whatever way you can.

ENDS

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