Auckland Future in Bed with "Terrible Ten"

15 AUGUST 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is staggered that National Party-aligned Council ticket Auckland Future has endorsed three of the "Terrible Ten" Councillors who supported Len Brown's 9.9% rates hikes last year. Reacting to comments by Auckland Future officials at last night's Auckland Future campaign launch, Jo Holmes, a spokesperson for the Ratepayers' Alliance, says:

"Auckland Future are trying to convince Aucklanders that they stand for fiscal responsibility. Yet they are cosying up to Penny Webster, Bill Cashmore and Linda Cooper - three current councillors who have consistently voted for Len Brown's fiscal irresponsibility.”

“We are dumbfounded that not only did Auckland Future decide not to stand a new candidate in Rodney but have gone so far as to actually endorse Penny Webster. Cr Webster is the very councillor who cheered Len Brown's Finance and Performance Committee steering Auckland onto the high debt high rates pathway.”

“Auckland Future are now the only group of centre-right candidates which to date have not signed up to the Ratepayers' Alliance's 2% Ratepayer Protection Pledge.”

“If Auckland Future stood for fiscal responsibility, they would have no trouble in signing the Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The fact their candidates haven’t, and are now getting in bed with three of the Terrible Ten, suggests that they do not really mean what they say when it comes to fiscal responsibility.”

“Here at the Ratepayers' Alliance, we stand for policy, not politicians. That's why we have welcomed politicians from the left and the right signing up to the Ratepayer Protection Pledge. As an example, both leading candidates in the Waitemata and Golf Ward, Bill Ralston and Mike Lee, have signed up. Their voters know they stand for fiscal responsibility and are prepared to be held accountable. If only we had the same guarantee from Auckland Future’s candidates.”

ENDS

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