Low Turnout Makes Your Vote More Important

Affordable Auckland Leader Stephen Berry said today, “With voter turnout in Auckland currently 40% lower than in 2010, Auckland residents should realise that their single vote will be even more important than before. So don’t vote strategically, vote for the person advocating the platform you truly support because this election, your vote counts more than ever.”

Affordable Auckland is a new local body party, fielding four candidates across Auckland
· Heidi Bale – Whau Local Board
· Stephen Berry – Mayor, Waitemata & Gulf ward, Waitemata Local Board
· Peter Chan - Waitakere ward
· Niko Kloeten - Franklin ward, Franklin (Pukekohe subdivision) Local Board

Berry says, “Affordable Auckland is offering a genuine alternative to business as usual at Auckland Council. While your average representative rolls over every time rates increase, Affordable Auckland has a plan to cut your rates!”

“Council is dominated by pork-barrellers and project pushers who want to get everyone else to fund their personal interests. Only Affordable Auckland says the role of Council is to focus on quality spending on the absolute essentials that make the city function, not burnt out theatres, artificial white water rafting facilities or tramway novelties which lead nowhere.”

“Affordable Auckland has been at the forefront of the attack on exploding council debt with a commitment to balance the budget in three years and then pay off debt in the following term. Voters who share my concern need to ask themselves if the alternative candidates have the same dedication to minimising future rates that I do.

“While the majority of candidates mount platforms of character preservation which consign proper private property rights to the dustbin, Affordable Auckland stands apart as the champion of private property rights. If what you’re doing on your land doesn’t impact upon neighbouring properties, then what business are your activities of the Council? Should farmers be consulting a giant rulebook to find out if what it takes to run their business is approved by a politician or should respecting your neighbour’s land be the rule?

“Finally, the most important issue of this campaign is affordable housing. The incumbents trot out the same old concern without the plans to make a difference. Len Brown isn’t going to abolish the urban limit. Cathy Casey thinks her plan to make ten percent of all developments over 15 houses affordable homes will work but it will only discourage more development. Only Affordable Auckland states the answer is for the Council to do less rather than more. Have less restrictive zoning, allow less hobby-horse activists to block development, have fewer delays in granting consent to new development.”

Stephen Berry believes Affordable Auckland is fighting one hell of a campaign to show Aucklanders there is a real credible alternative to going down the same worn out path of doing more of the same. “Heidi Bale stands out in Whau for her advocacy of frugal application of local board funding. Peter Chan is the only Waitakere local who bats for a lower rates and regulation philosophy. Niko Kloeten is scaring the beejesus out of the establishment in Franklin with his knowledge of the issues and his significant support from the locals. I am the only candidate for Mayor and Waitemata & Gulf ward really advocating for the interests of ratepayers and young families seeking truly affordable housing.

“Based on current trends, your vote is forty percent more powerful than in 2010, so if you really support Affordable Auckland’s path to an affordable Auckland, don’t vote to block the incumbent – vote Affordable Auckland!”

Ends

© Scoop Media