C&R’s Premature Ejaculation

The website of the Citizens and Ratepayers (C&R) local government political party, whose membership is made up of National and ACT Party members as well as right-wing ‘independents’, confirms that nominations for Auckland Council candidates throughout the region closed a few days ago at 5pm on Saturday 20 February.

Councillor Richard Northey said, “Strangely, they were not required to say which ward (area) they were nominating for which clearly implies that candidates will be assigned a ward to stand for irrespective of their current or past connections to a particular community.

“C&R are plainly determined to protect jobs for their boys by closing their council nominations even before the Auckland Council wards and their final boundaries have been decided and announced. Aucklanders with a conservative viewpoint who might have wanted to serve on the new Auckland Council as a C&R candidate will find the portcullis firmly shut in their faces.

“The centralised Epsom electorate-based C&R organisation will be sending their less favoured pawns to the fringes of the region regardless of their lack of empathy with, and knowledge of, the community they are assigned to. This is yet another example of C&R deciding that the right wing burghers of Epsom, Newmarket and Remuera know what is best for the region,” Councillor Richard Northey said.

Councillor Leila Boyle said, “C&R nominees were required to include a nomination fee of $8,500 via cheque. They also had to answer 27 statements on the 4-page nomination form, including agreeing to abide by the majority decisions of any C&R caucus meetings.

“In addition to prematurely closing Auckland Council nominations, C&R also seems to be requiring sainthood for the right to stand for election on their ticket. Any person who has any current or past incident in their personal life, character or business affairs which may cause embarrassment to C&R need not apply.

“Similarly any individual involved in pending litigation, or who has had a conviction of any crime or other offence or a complaint upheld by a Court or Tribunal is not welcome on the C&R team; neither are any bankrupts or directors of involuntary liquidated companies.

“It’s important that elected people are real representatives of their community and anyone who has overcome past mistakes and indiscretions may well have the experiences and skills that Auckland Councillors and Local Board members will need but C&R seems to be ruling those people out of standing for public office on the C&R ticket,” Councillor Boyle added.

Councillor Glenda Fryer said, “C&R has asked nominees to sign a pledge which requires all councillors to agree to abide by the majority decisions of any caucus meetings. This brings a parliamentary style whipping system into the new Auckland Council.

“The party political ‘pledge’ is what has made Auckland City politics so divisive over many years, and now C&R are taking the whipping system of Auckland City politics to the whole Auckland supercity. Deputy Mayor David Hay is the chief whip and his combative ‘winner take all’ style has caused many ructions between C&R councillors.

“It has enabled Councillor Hay to be the puppet-meister in the Councils where he has been Deputy Mayor. The supercity doesn't need the ‘jack boot’ approach to politics being bought in before the ward boundaries are even announced. City Vision and Labour have always allowed Councillors to vote according to their conscience in marked contrast to C&R,” Councillor Fryer said.

Councillor Cathy Casey said, “The one thing that bothers me most is that C&R candidates have to agree not to vote against the decisions of their caucus. It has been evident over this term in office that C&R councillors block vote, following the lead of Deputy Mayor David Hay. The recent decision to evict Monte Cecilia School was a prime example of this. Whatever happened to independence of thought?! I was elected to serve the ratepayers, not any political master.”

ENDS

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