Auckland Council by election hypocrisy alert

Written By: - Date published: 11:03 am, January 22nd, 2018 - 13 comments
Categories: accountability, auckland supercity, by-election, C&R, elections, greens, labour, local government, Politics, supercity, the praiseworthy and the pitiful, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , ,

Auckland Council has three, yes three, by elections occurring right now with voting papers to be delivered soon. Two are because Denise Lee and Simeon Brown have been elected as National electorate MPs. The third is because Mark Davey, just elected as an Auckland Future candidate, decided to throw the towel in.  Auckland Future is along with Citizens and Ratepayers an alter ego of National and also an organisation that rather stupidly chose as a candidate someone who had previously stolen the identity of a dead baby.

These are not the only by elections from this term.  In 2016 Botany MP Jami Lee-Ross’s wife Lucy Schwaner attended the first meeting of the Howick Local Board, was sworn in, then threw her toys out of the cot and resigned after not being elected chairperson.

It appears therefore without any doubt that the four Auckland Council by elections this term are the consequence of two people aligned with the National Party being elected to Parliament, one deciding they did not like the job, and one resigning in a fit of pique because they were not made Chair of their local board on their first go.

So what does the new National Party candidate for the Maungakiekie-Tamaki ward of Council do?  Complains that if Josephine Bartley, the Labour candidate, is elected it will trigger a by election and cost the ratepayer.

There are other aspects of his letter to voters that are, how do I say this, at variance with reality.  He claims that Labour has control of Auckland Council.  Sure the Mayor, Phil Goff, is Labour aligned and three councillors, Ross Clow, Efeso Collins and Alf Filipaina were elected on Labour tickets.  But nine of the elected Councillors are (or in the case of Lee’s case were) aligned with National or ACT.

And Beddell is clearly National Party.  He is the joint Auckland Future C&R candidate.  A simple google of his name shows he has been involved in local National Party campaigns for some time.

He is also practising how to talk out of both sides of his mouth at the same time.  He is for good Council services, safe neighbourhoods and beautiful parks but against an increase in Council spending despite the city’s population increasing.  He wants to improve public transport but is against the demonisation of car owners.  If he could point out where this occurs that would help as I can’t see it happening.  Anywhere.  And he wants to balance heritage concerns while defending private property rights.  He is really trying to have a bob each way.

The by elections also present Aucklanders a unique opportunity to have three progressive women elected to public office.

If you or your family live in the Maungakiekie-Tamaki ward please urge them to vote for Josephine Bartley.  She is a lawyer, experienced local board member and current chair and is a really compassionate dedicated representative.  She would be a welcome addition to Council and will start to address the left right imbalance.

With regards to the other two by elections in the Manurewa Local Board area lawyer Brooke Loader is carrying the Labour mantle in an area that should be a stronghold but unfortunately is not.  She would be great on the Local Board as well as a potential Council candidate at the next election.

And in Waitemata former Green MP and City Vision candidate Denise Roche is seeking to fill the position left by the Auckland Future candidate resignation.  Denise was previously an Auckland City Councillor before entering Parliament and her strong experience and community involvement would be a welcome addition to the Waitemata Local Board.

So if you live in Maungakiekie-Tamaki, Waitemata or Manurewa or have friends or whanau live there remind them to vote.  Papers should be delived this weekend.  We have the prospect of replacing three conservative politicians with three progressive women.

13 comments on “Auckland Council by election hypocrisy alert ”

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  1. JessNZ 1
    22 January 2018 at 11:36 am

    Just like the Republicans in the US, I am often stumped at what outrage it would actually take to sway a National voter away from blind loyalty to the party. Documented broken promises, profligate spending, racism and the whole darned ‘ism’ family; plus proven crimes and blatant lies seem to have no impact on their voters.

    All National has to do is threaten that Labour might take control, and National voters ‘know’ that means the country will be ruined. And National knows that’s a winning strategy. Is there any way to reproduce that power for the good of the people?

    • Draco T Bastard 1.1
      22 January 2018 at 12:36 pm

      I am often stumped at what outrage it would actually take to sway a National voter away from blind loyalty to the party. Documented broken promises, profligate spending, racism and the whole darned ‘ism’ family; plus proven crimes and blatant lies seem to have no impact on their voters.

      Authoritarians will always defend their leaders no matter what the crime. It is how psychopaths rise to power.

    • JanM 1.2
      22 January 2018 at 2:06 pm

      Back in the day my partner was a parliamentary reporter so I regularly went to parliamentary social events. I remember Brian Talboys telling a group of us how nervous he was when selected as a candidate and had to give his first speech. His branch president told him not to worry – as a Nat in that electorate (Wallace, I see, looking it up) they would vote for him if he was a dead horse! So that gives you an idea – I doubt much has changed in the ensuing 40 years!

  2. adam 2
    22 January 2018 at 12:29 pm

    Can I just point out Denise Lee is proving to lazy and ineffective MP. She is using the former MP’s office as her electoral office, no wait, it’s now a massage parlor.

    Sheesh come on Denise, do the job the we are paying you for, or, go back to being ineffectual at local body politics where your not at the trough so much.

    Edit: Question to folks out there – what other MP’s have not set up an constituents office in your area?

    • tc 2.1
      22 January 2018 at 2:05 pm

      Another trougher who can parrot spin lines probably learning at the feet of Brewer (who seems to have upset the boys club) JLR and Taxpayers union hypocrites.

  3. Unicus 3
    22 January 2018 at 4:19 pm

    Anybody who has been close to local government politicians and political structures will know that National aligned members of Councils and DHBs are inevitably either in it for the dosh or the status .

    Usually without interest in the business of Council and intellectually unable to grasp the basics of even the simplest issues National people are regarded by staff and political collegues as useless passengers . Often incapable of coherent public discussion or speech making they predictably default to the inevitable mantra of Tory incompetence ” yes but what about the cost” as their sole contribution to debate .

    The heft of valuable political work of most Councils is conducted by enthusiastic principled left of centre people who are both intellectually and socially capable of making strong contributions – they are almost inevitably in a minority.

    Let’s be clear – It is incompetent Tory aligned Councillors who have given local government a bad name in New Zealand – through the cynical endeavours of the National Party to fill Council seats at any cost – even with utter morons .

  4. Tanz 4
    22 January 2018 at 9:49 pm

    Labour want to have their cake and eat it too, again.

  5. Muttonbird 5
    22 January 2018 at 10:24 pm

    I see Denise Lee is opening an office right in the middle of the Ellerslie shopping strip. She’s taking prime shop front retail space away from business people which doesn’t tally at all well with National party thought.

    This is the woman who had major billboards all over the electorate saying Denise Lee: Maungakiekie months and months before GE 2016.

    Very ambitious and appalling at protocol. Good times ahead.

  6. Tanz 6
    23 January 2018 at 1:07 pm

    So, hard left people are better, are they? All men were created equal, were they not.

  7. R.P. Mcmurphy 7
    27 January 2018 at 10:34 pm

    the thing that easily distinguishes the national party is their non-stop unending whining and whingeing and ad hominem attacks. people are getting sick of them already.