Press Release from Peoples Choice
12 November 2006

Peoples Choice Tells Manurewa Residents Ticket To Focus On The Job

The Manukau City election ticket Peoples Choice is calling on elected members of the Manurewa Residents Ticket to put their in-fighting to one side and focus on the job of improving the Manurewa community.

Peoples Choice Chairman Hamish Stevens says the Manurewa Councillors are heading for a showdown with their own Community Board because they are backing the wrong Brown for the mayoralty. It looks like the Councillors are supportive of Colleen Brown’s mayoral aspirations and this has put them offside with some of their own Community Board members.

Mr Stevens said that Manurewa can’t afford this side-show and has called on the ticket to sort out their internal squabbles. “We believe there is a lot of work still to do to improve the Manurewa community”.

Mr Stevens said Peoples Choice has been looking through this group’s 2004 election promises and has found they haven’t made much progress.

“They promised a safer Manurewa, but instead crime is up in Manurewa on the previous year. They promised better transport, but stations such as Te Mahia are still a disgrace. They promised a revitalised shopping area, but we have even more $2 shops, roller door frontages, and gambling dens than ever. They promised to control liquor stores, and we have more of them now than any other part of Manukau. And they promised less graffiti but it’s still highly prevalent around the neighbourhood”.

Mr Stevens said Manurewa needed action oriented and effective leadership. Now is not the time for internal arguments – it’s time to focus on the job.

“One thing the Councillors could do is put a stop to extravagant council expenditure”.

“Many Manurewa residents have had enough of the Council’s think-big projects such as the Pacific Events Centre, the dead-end Wiri Railway, and the Flat Bush commercial Centre. They want their rates money spent on local issues”.

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