Yan delighted at Wellington Airport backing down on 'Wellywood'

Mayoral candidate gives credit to vox populi

Wellington, March 31 (JY&A Media) Mayoral candidate Jack Yan says he is delighted at the news that Wellington Airport has backed down from erecting a 'Wellywood' sign on the Miramar cutting.

'This shows the power of the people. The majority of Wellingtonians are against the sign. It's a victory to those who took their time to voice their opinions at Facebook and elsewhere that Wellington Airport realizes the strength of public opinion,' he says.

Mr Yan says that the original proposal lacked transparency, and that Wellingtonians should have been properly consulted.

He questioned the original proposal and the speedy granting of the resource consent.
Mr Yan went on the attack early, saying that as the Wellington City Council owned 34 per cent of Wellington Airport, ratepayers would foot part of the bill for something they did not want.

'The majority of Wellingtonians agree that there are more original ways of celebrating our film industry,' he adds.

On the day of the proposal's announcement, Mr Yan contacted the non-profit Hollywood Sign Trust to find a way to stop the 'Wellywood' sign's construction.

He says that rather than just add his voice to the opposition, he wanted to act before resources were wasted.

Mr Yan, who announced his candidacy in September, is running on a campaign based around transparency, job creation and free wifi for central Wellington.

'I trust that the current Council will level with the people of Wellington on what it is doing, given that the Mayor has a seat on the Airport board,' he says.

Mr Yan says the Airport is right in finally asking the public for ideas.

ENDS

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