Posted on 8-5-2004

Battle For Auckland
7 June 2004

Auckland Mayoral Candidate Chris Fletcher today said that she would be
making verbal submissions on the City's Annual Plan at the Town Hall on
Thursday.

"The Annual and Long-Term Plan is deeply flawed. It will mean even greater
ratepayer subsidy, especially by the poorest in the City, who are perceived
as 'fair game' by this developer-oriented Council," she said. "It is also a
grossly inaccurate picture of Council expenditure. The Eastern Motorway, for
example, is barely mentioned in the Plan. Where in the plan is the budget
for the $4 billion cost, or where John Banks will find the $60 million
needed to buy the property to get it off the ground? To not reflect this in
the Plan is blatant dishonesty.

"It's only a short while ago that a Regional Land Transport Study was
agreed, and the Eastern Motorway was not a priority then," Chris Fletcher
said. "To proceed with this disastrous road when it's not a regional
priority is sheer petulance by John Banks - he can't get his own way so he
does what he wants anyway. This is not the kind of leadership that Auckland
needs or deserves."

She said that the Council's "zero debt" policy was totally inconsistent with
its plans for the Motorway. "They can't have it both ways, so which of these
policies is Banks going to back away from?" she asked. "I confidently
predict he will introduce a new Uniform Annual General Charge, probably some
hundreds of dollars a year per household, just to pay for the motorway."

Chris Fletcher said that it is also dishonest to claim that rates are being
held at the level of inflation when it was proposed to raise some of the
standard charges by as much as 17% or 24%. "Let's look at this in context.
At the same time, Council has decided not to make a transport development
levy on developers in the Central area, and Ports of Auckland have been
given an exemption from paying a contribution for open space and reserves.
This is a clear message that major companies and large developers are being
subsidised, and an increasing rates burden is to be placed on elderly people
and those of limited means," she said.

She noted that the pro-developer group was even attempting to perpetuate its
influence beyond the election by appointing a new CEO within a couple of
months. "This is blatantly anti-democratic, and is the last gasp of the
ruling cabal before the public sees through them and turfs them out of
office," she said. "What company would appoint a new CEO nearly a year ahead
of taking up the position, and ahead of changes to the 'Board' in three
months' time? The reason is purely and simply that they are seeking to
protect their mates' interests.

"The lack of public consultation in the Long-Term Plan is an insult to
Aucklanders. To give the public only one month to make a submission, and
then restrict them to only five minutes of speaking time is a clear
indication that Banks is not interested in what we might wish to tell him
about the future direction of the City," she said.


For further information, please contact Chris Fletcher on 027-276 0013

Chris Fletcher, Ph: 09-638 6853 Fax: 09-638 7543
admin@chrisfletcher.org.nz PO Box 56-622, Auckland 1030