Political Briefs

Waitakere

National MP Paula Bennett says the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Act is safe under a National government, despite the party’s previous plans to abolish the act if elected.

The act, established on April 9 this year, represents a 30-year struggle to protect Waitakere’s 28,000 hectares of coastal land from urban expansion.

Bennett, National candidate for Waitakere, says the party has no plans to abolish the act but will be monitoring its cost to ratepayers. 

“Whether I like it or not it was voted on and got through. I respect the democratic process.” 

Labour MP for Waitakere, Lynne Pillay, was a key player in introducing the act and says retraction will cause severe public backlash.

“There was such a clear mandate of support, if they [National] were to repeal it there would be outrage from the community.”

- Chris Whitworth

 

East Coast Bays

East Coast Bays incumbent National MP Murray McCully says he does not want advice from Waitakere mayor Bob Harvey regarding the Whenuapai airport.

Mayor Harvey supports a commercial airport at Whenuapai’s current Air Force base and hopes to attend North Shore election meetings to encourage politicians to swing to his view.

However, McCully says Mayor Harvey needs to accept this is a matter which voters will decide themselves.

“I don’t really think they need too much help from Mr Harvey,” he says.

Harvey says two-thirds of North Shore people support a commercial airport, but North Shore mayor Andrew Williams disagrees. He says the majority of North Shore voters do not want a commercial airport, because his stance against the airport saw him voted in as mayor, while councillors supporting a commercial airport were voted out. 

- Holly Roberts

 

Following Labour Party tradition, a primary school teacher has been given a ticket to contest the East Coast Bays in this year’s general election. 

Vivian Goldsmith is standing against incumbent Murray McCully and Green MP Sue Bradford in the electorate. 

Goldsmith has entered into a  National stronghold. “I’m realistic of my chances in such a climate, but I know the East Coast Bays has people who believe in Labour,” she says. 

Goldsmith says new citizens in the area are a big issue, as close to a quarter of the electorate has arrived in the last 10 years.

Of those born overseas, just over one-quarter (27.5%) were born in the UK or Ireland, and one-quarter (25%) in North East Asia.

“Those people don’t know the history of the Labour party, and more importantly they have nothing to compare this government to.”

- Jamie Melbourne-Hayward

 

A programme to improve local business has been implemented in the East Coast Bays suburbs of Browns Bay and Torbay.

The Business Improvement District programme (BID) involves businesses in growing metropolitan townships working together to improve the surrounding environment. BID funding is typically used for graffiti control, retail improvements and beautification projects. Albany became the latest BID district in June.

- Sophie Schroder

 

Pakuranga

Pakuranga National MP Maurice Williamson says those on the Domestic Purposes Benefit (DPB) should be forced to meet certain obligations. 

Last week, opposition leader John Key announced that National would make people on the DPB spend at least 15 hours a week in part-time work, training or actively job-seeking – similar to obligations faced by those on the unemployment benefit. 

Williamson says parents on the DPB should show an attendance register to prove their children have been going to school.

He also says it should be a requirement for those parents to immunise their children. “They save the public health system a fortune and it’s free,” he says of immunisation.

- Hannah Norton

 

Northcote  

Northcote MP Jonathan Coleman is standing by his claims of an “alarming” midwife shortage on the North Shore, despite the Waitemata District Health Board saying he has his facts wrong. 

In a press release on his website, Dr Coleman said that on the latest figures, the DHB was short of 21 midwives.

The health board disputed Dr Coleman’s allegations, telling the North Shore Times his information was “quite incorrect”.

But Dr Coleman claims the board is “spinning the figures”.

 “They can make up that there is no shortage but the reality is that they’re scraping by with people who are working on a temporary basis. What they’re saying is wrong.”

- Alice Neville 

 

Manukau

Researchers are looking at possible connections between liqour outlet locations and “alcohol related harm.” Two Sale of Liquor Act amendment bills are currently before Parliament. 

Manukau City Council and the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) have just commissioned the Population Studies Centre at the University of Waikato to study various issues around liquor outlets. 

The project is the first of its kind in New Zealand and, when completed next year, will provide a blueprint for Manukau City’s alcohol policy. “We are looking for robust evidence to inform policy,” says Margaret Chartres of ALAC. 

- Louise Blockley

 

Mt Roskill

Mt Roskill locals, fed-up with government inaction over vandals, say they feel threatened by taggers and are being forced to tackle the graffiti problem themselves.

Kevin Hicks, chairperson of Neighbourhood Support Auckland, says Mt Roskill locals are “living in fear”.

“No matter how much money the Government pours into crime, one of the best solutions is for the community to take ownership of it.

“Personally, I do think the Government should be putting more funds into crime prevention, as one of its primary duties is to protect its citizens,” says Hicks.

 The Mt Roskill Community Board has been given an extra $200,000 in funding to help fight graffiti in Auckland, more than doubling last year’s budget.

- Kristina Koveshnikova