16 December 2005
Bulldozers 1 Democracy 0
Ignoring pleas from community representatives for time to consult the public, Auckland City Council last night voted to
approve a motorway route that will bulldoze hundreds of homes, destroy green space, degrade the city's premier urban
stream and add to the City's congestion.
"It is outrageous that the Council has chosen not to consult the affected communities on a development with such massive
social and environmental consequences," said Living Communities spokesperson and Eden-Albert Community Board member,
Phil Chase.
"It's not just communities that are getting bulldozed here but also the proper democratic process."
Transit New Zealand's revised plans for State Highway 20 were only revealed to the public on Monday, following a two
year period during which no consultation with affected communities had taken place.
Transit told the City Council that if it did not approve the planned route yesterday, the entire project would be put at
risk. "The public can only conclude that Transit New Zealand has blackmailed the Council in order to push through its
highly controversial project," said Mr Chase.
Community Board representatives and some councillors had asked for the decision to be delayed until next year to allow
for public consultation, but their pleas fell upon deaf ears. Even some of the councillors who voted to approve the
route conceded that the process was undemocratic, acknowledging that Transit was 'holding a gun to their heads'.
"The timing of Transit's ultimatum, just before Christmas, seems highly suspicious, and designed to deliberately bypass
the views of affected suburbs."
Only councillors Glenda Fryer, Leila Boyle and Neil Abel were courageous enough to stand up to Transit's bullying and
defend the public's right to be consulted.
"History is littered with examples of decisions overriding the democratic process as a matter of supposed urgency," said
Mr Chase "The outcomes have rarely been good."
ENDS