Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Monday 8 September 2008
C Vote Auckland City "Last City Of The Pacific"
City Vision-Labour Councillors today expressed their outrage that, without consultation with affected communities,
Citizens and Ratepayers (C) Councillors block voted down officers' proposals to develop Pasifika Participation and Housing policies at Auckland
City Council's Community Services Committee meeting.
Labour Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward Councillor Richard Northey said, "Pasifika people contribute vitally and distinctively
to the fabric of life in Auckland City but are underrepresented politically and in key aspects of social and economic
life of the city. Consulting with Pacific Islanders to develop appropriate Council policies to maximise their effective
participation would have demonstrated our real commitment to our role as the world's foremost Pasifika city and our
mission for Auckland to be the 'First City of the Pacific'. C Councillors demonstrated by their scorn and their voting that they are content for Auckland to drop back to be the 'Last City of the Pacific'."
City Vision Western Bays Councillor Graeme Easte said, "I was appalled to find out in the debate that the Council's own
Pacific Island Advisory Board had not been consulted with; they weren't even given the courtesy of being alerted to the
proposal to scrap the development of a Pasifika Participation policy. This decision is clearly contrary to the
principles of Auckland City Council's Consultation Policy, and even more contrary to common and decent human courtesy."
City Vision Eden-Albert Councillor Cathy Casey said, "Affordable housing has been universally recognised as a major
issue in Auckland City and the lack of it is stifling both social development and economic growth. We can debate the
appropriate nature of Auckland City's role in housing, but C Councillors have voted not even to open the debate."
ENDS