National is keenly looking for someone to stand in the next Super City elections as the Mayoral candidate for the right.
Someone who is well known, a household name. Someone who occupies a senior position in the party. Someone can relate to Auckland’s ethnic and religious diversity. Someone who can campaign in the South and West of Auckland where every successful Mayoral campaign has been won so far.
Ladies and Gentlemen National has found this candidate. It is …
… drumroll …
Simon O’Connor!
Simon O’Connor??
From Bernard Orsman at the Herald:
The National MP for Tāmaki, Simon O’Connor, is considering running for the Auckland mayoralty next year.
O’Connor said he had been approached by people involved in local and national politics about putting his hat in the ring and is considering challenging Phil Goff for Auckland’s top job at next year’s local body elections.
Goff, the former Labour MP for Mt Roskill who led the Labour Party between 2008 and 2011, is expected to announce early next year he will seek a second term.
Waipareira Trust chief executive John Tamihere and two-time mayoral candidate John Palino are also considering standing for the mayoralty.
O’Connor said a lot of his constituent work related to local issues and concerns, like rates, the regional petrol tax, the upgrade of Tamaki Drive and cycleways.
He said the “council needs to be kicked into shape”, become more accountable and show stronger leadership.
O’Connor started off with an attack on Goff over a cost blowout in moving Speedway from Western Springs.
The problem is that either his maths or his comprehension is not very good. He said:
Moving the Western Springs Speedway is going to cost $30m more than originally thought! How has the figure tripled in six months? This is disgraceful. The Mayor needs to do much more than just ask “hard questions”, he has to show some leadership.
Simon will have to improve his maths if he wants to become Mayor. The cost has gone from $13 million to $30 million an increase of $17 million. The $30 million is the total cost, not the increase.
He says he will decide before Christmas whether to ramp things up and make a formal decision in the new year. No doubt National’s pollsters will be busy.
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