Press Release
Rusty Kane “The People's Choice Party”Candidate for Mt Albert By-Election.. Answers the hard questions.. Auckland Super
City Council, Maori Seats, Waterview Motorway, and the Mount Albert By- Election.
The Full Interview..
Q: Whats your opinion on the Auckland Super City do you agree with it.
A: Yes and no. I can see the point of having a central body to focus on Auckland's infrastructure. water roading etc..
But no if the communities and their boards only have token input. I'm also worried on have much political power the
Super City Management Board will hold and who they will really represent Big Business or the wider Auckland community.
Q: Do you think Maori should be alligatored seats on the new Super City Board.
A: Yes .. off course.. Maori should be represented on all local body boards.
Q: Don't you think that is undemocratic.
A: Yes.. Democracy has nothing to do with it... we signed a treaty with Maori in good faith.. And that treaty (The
Treaty of Waitangi) gave Maori certain customary rights the rest of as don't have. Their rights as the indigenousness
people of this land... over this land their land..
Q: Are you suggesting the Maori have more rights than the rest of New Zealanders. therefore privileged.
A: Yes .. the same as all New Zealanders are privileged to live in New Zealand, but after the signing of the Treaty of
Waitangi... Maori because they where the first here and indigenous to the land.. the signing also gave them customary
rights to the land that non Maori. the rest of us don't have.
Q: The Government doesn't see it that way.
A: The Government never did.. They also keep talking of democracy and Maori should be treated the same as everybody
else.. that would also be a good start.... and is also in the treaty.. But the government and the rest of us that are
non Maori should also recognize that the treaty is a partnership with Maori. that also gives Maori certain rights within
that partnership.... We just need to honor it (The Treaty) and get on with being New Zealanders.
Q:: As the People's Choice candidate for Mt Albert .. whats your position on the Waterview motorway.
A: Mine and the People's Choice's stance is that all the motorway options should go back to the Mt Albert community now
that National have come up with a new cheaper option, and then a Mt Albert electorate citizens referendum should be held
to decide their choice.
Q: Mt Albert have already decided they want the tunnel option. So why have a referendum on something that is already
known, referendums are not binding on the government.
A: Yes.. that is true.. But now there is a new option not yet discussed within the community. And it is only fair that
the community of Mt Albert have a chance to again way up all the options. And a referendum to decide the outcome is the
best way for the community to have full involvement in the process. The government would be then very ill advised not
heed the communities majority decision on a referendum, especially when the rest of the country is focused on Mt Albert
and the whole Super City deal. Where the rest of Auckland's communities are feeling less enfranchised with less say and
involvement in their own city. That is why the People's Choice are in the Mt Albert By-election in the first place.. to
promote the need to make citizens initiated referendums binding on the government.
Q: That was my next question .. Ok.. we know why you and the party are standing in the by-election.. to promote citizens
initiated referendums should be binding on the government.. but what else do you hope to achieve other than that.
A: What else is there.. If the communities and the citizens of New Zealand don't have the power of a majority say
against a government decision. We are no better than a dictatorship.. that to us is the issue.. the Waterview motorway
and the communities choice to choose.
Q: But we have elections every three years, if we don't like the government we can vote them out.
A: Yes... But governments don't often keep their promises and often change laws in midstream without consulting its
people... and when the majority of the people do engage with protest they often disregard the majorities wishes for the
minority... the anti smacking bill is a good example of that. Binding referendums would stop this nonsense and make
governments and politicians more accountable to the majority's wishes.
Q: The Mt Albert electorate is a minority.. and MMP is to give the minorities more say in parliament. isn't what you are
saying a contradiction.
A: No.. Mt Albert is a by-election within Mt Albert the views of the Mt Albert majority will be that of Mt Albert.. not
the rest of the country.. The Waterview motorway system combined with the rest of the Auckland motorway system should be
decided by each communities majority choice of each community that it effects, passes through or under making it in the
end Auckland's majority choice.
Minorities and MMP minorities should have the right to have their say.. but they shouldn't rule the majority. If a
minorities view is a good one the majority will except it as a majority choice.
Q: Who do you think will win Mt Albert by-election.. and how well do think your party will do.
A: As it stands Labour then National then the Greens.. That is much the same up and down the country the only change
being either National first or Labour.. the Greens or the Maori party third depending on the electorate. The main
parties always take the top three placings. What will be more interesting for Mt Albert is the candidate vote.. for
second and third place between Nationals Melissa Lee and the Greens Russel Norman. Our goal is to came fourth meaning we
have to beat Act and eleven other candidates. And that really depends on if the Mt Albert voters see through the in your
face pork barrel argee bargee politics of the larger parties and protest their vote to a smaller parties candidate that
has their best interests at heart.
END