Hon Jim Anderton

Progressive Party leader
Member of Parliament for Wigram
Opposition spokesperson for Agriculture

15 December 2009
Media release

Mayor gets unfair drubbing by Key’s cheer squad

Mayor Andrew Williams is being given an unfair drubbing by the John Key’s media cheer squad, Jim Anderton said today.

“The media are showing their bias and are not listening to what Mayor Williams is saying. They are mindlessly repeating the lines given to them by John Key on timing of text messages and that Mayor Williams has been ‘aggressive’ in his communications to North Shore MPs, including John Key, MP for Helensville. For example, they are ignoring William’s criticisms of the National-ACT legislation for Auckland’s new Super City,” Jim Anderton said.

“Where are the hard questions to the North Shore MPs, including John Key, on the issues that Andrew Williams wants answers to, and is entitled to receive, as Mayor of the North Shore. Unfortunately, that seems all too hard for the National friendly media.

“Andrew Williams has produced his phone records but it makes no difference. John Key is not being asked for his to prove his allegations about Williams. No wonder the PM is so relaxed knowing he can say what he likes to discredit his opposition – and get away with it.

“Andrew Williams is an outspoken mayor – but then all good mayors are outspoken. That’s their job!

“He is a thorn in the side of those who driving the implementation of Auckland as a ‘Super City’ with barely a pause for breath. It is too reminiscent of Roger Douglas’ strategy in the 1980s for my liking. Douglas’ plan was to get unacceptable and unpopular legislation through the House before people understood their real implications.

“It is sad to see the very good relations that the Labour-Progressive government had with local government during the past nine years degenerate so quickly – but it is happening in so many areas so fast, that I guess it is par for the course and I predict we will unfortunately be experiencing a lot more of it in 2010,” Jim Anderton said today.

ENDS

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