8 June 2009
A question of trust:

Mayor Questions Neutrality As PM Endorses “Super” Banks

The National Government is not delivering on its promises to the people of Auckland and local MP Judith Collins is “ignoring” her electorate as the Supercity proposal is rushed through Parliament.

This week, the Prime Minister publicly endorsed John Banks as preferred Mayoral candidate, referring to him as the “super-Mayor of Auckland” in a speech at the National party conference.

“It’s completely and utterly inappropriate for the Prime Minister to come out with something like this at a time when the legislation forming the new Council has not even passed through the House. The PM has just stated who he thinks should be the new Mayor, and never mind about silly things like democracy. Unbelievable!”

Mr Penrose said the Supercity proposal and this endorsement by the Prime Minister called into question the impartiality and trustworthiness of the Government.

“How could anyone think the Government is neutral on this when the Prime Minister has endorsed John Banks as candidate of choice for the Supercity mayoralty? When the select committee is chaired by Associate Local Government Minister John Carter, a cheerleader for what the Government wants to do to us? When the timeframe for submissions has been cut short and people who do make the effort to write a submission are now being told they won’t have an opportunity to speak in support of their concerns?”

A round of ad-hoc meetings in the region have been organised at short notice by National. Mr Penrose believes these will be used to show the Government has a commitment to consultation.

“What rubbish! National is paying lip service to consultation, organising fake meetings in communities as part of a charm offensive to sell the idea to people who do not support what is being done to them. It is a shameful, anti-democratic attempt to derail critics of the Supercity. Not good enough,” he said.

What is worse, Mr Penrose says, the people of Papakura don’t even rate a meeting.

“What message is National – and in particular Judith Collins – sending the electorate? Judith has turned her back on the people who put her in Parliament, and is using diversionary tactics to distract the media from her behaviour. So exactly how far can we trust this Government, and what credibility does our local MP have?”

Mr Penrose says instead of representing her electorate and listening to their concerns about the Supercity proposal, Judith Collins is making a “huge fuss” about the numbers of new Police positions being delivered in South Auckland.

“But those were in process long before she became Minister of Police. In the mean time she is part of a reform that will seriously harm the people who voted her into Parliament.”

ENDS

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