Press Release from Peoples Choice
25 October 2006

A hat-trick for Peoples Choice

Peoples Choice, the Manukau City centrist local body ticket, has won its third by-election in a row. Peoples Choice backed candidate Sylvia Taylor today won the Mangere ward council by-election, taking a seat off the Labour Party.

Peoples Choice Chairman Hamish Stevens said he was delighted with Sylvia’s win and said she will make a great Councillor for the people of Mangere. Sylvia ran under the combined banner of Mangere Residents and Ratepayers and Peoples Choice.

The seat was vacated when Labour Councillor James Papalii was convicted of fraud.

“There have been three by-elections in Manukau City since the last local body elections in 2004, and Peoples Choice backed candidates have won all of them. We won the Botany Community Board by-election in October 2005, the Papatoetoe Community Board by-election in May 2006, and the Mangere council by-election today. This brings ῴo 15, the number of Peoples Choice elected representatives on the Manukau City Council, Community Boards, and the District Health Board.

Mr Stevens said that this win shows that the people of Mangere clearly wanted a change. “Mangere has not been well served by its Labour Party elected representatives of late”.

Sylvia’s campaign focused on community issues such as crime, rubbish, youth facilities, and the control of liquor outlets. She was backed by a strong Peoples Choice campaign team.

Mr Stevens said that Peoples Choice is on track to contest most positions in the 2007 local body elections and its objective is to win a majority on the council.

“We are getting increased levels of support from right across the city. The people of Manukau want a change from the current policies of wasteful expenditure, high rates, and poor council services”

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