26 August 2010

Mayoral Bid Based On 'Your Wellington' Platform

Speaking at a campaign launch function in Cuba Street last night Jack Yan, Wellington Mayoral candidate and businessman, promised to "give Wellington back to the people".

"I am standing for the Mayoralty of Wellington because of concerns repeatedly expressed to me about the future direction of this city we all love, and because I think we can take whatever we do here in Wellington and take it to the world - just as I have in my own career.

"My vision for Wellington is to enlist the real talent of Wellington, the real wisdom of Wellington to prepare for a next stage of growth under the banner of 'Your Wellington'. The concept for my vision is that I will tirelessly and endlessly promote Wellington as 'Your Wellington', a Wellington where your ideas count, a Wellington for your kids and your kids' kids.

Jack Yan said his experience of Wellington during the Prendergast decade has been of a city that has failed to harness the energy of its creative businesses and creative people and hasn't even known where to look for it.

"To see the growth potential in Wellington you only have to look at tech companies like Silverstripe who continue to make headway and profits year after year. They are part of a range of existing clusters that Wellington hasn't really grasped and that I will make it my mission to accelerate and unite.

"The notoriously famous closed door culture in operation at Wakefield Street isn't a recipe for lifting Wellington out of the doldrums and up to the next level. What Wellington needs is a genuine and forceful change agent as Mayor, which is exactly the story of my own life and exactly what I have to offer back to Wellington.

Speaking at the campaign event, held at JJ Murphy & Co in Cuba Street, Jack Yan announced that citizen-led supporters of a change in the Mayoralty have been forming collaborative advisory groups to back and inform his Mayoralty bid. The first to be formed is a Business collaboration group primarily focused on new urban design ideas for Wellington, which will be joined by a Youth collaboration group which meets for the first time this weekend. Amongst the Business collaboration group's contributions to Jack Yan's Mayoral platform was the joint announcement earlier this month of a proposed waterfront development for Miramar and soon-to-be-announced plans for a new car parking scheme for the CBD.

"With the advisory groups I have backing me, my team's extensive online and international business networks and the regular contact I personally have with community-based groups - be that residents' associations throughout the entire city or with groups like Waterfront Watch and Right To Water - I believe the vision I have for 'Your Wellington' has really taken shape.

"I also believe these should be exciting times for a Wellington that is tired of the same old, same old. If that isn't a context for change then I don't know what it is!"
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