Press Release
Affordable City
Announcement
Affordable City Launched – New Zealand’s Nationwide Local Body Political Party!
New Zealand now has new force in local body politics: the Affordable City national umbrella of local body political
parties. The move was announced today by party spokesman Stephen Berry, who will be standing as a candidate in the
Waitemata & Gulf council ward for Affordable Auckland. “Now there is a real alternative to the rash of councils who make property
ownership unaffordable through over-regulation and excessive rates..”
Currently six Affordable parties have been established throughout the country, with candidates contesting council seats
in Auckland, Hutt City, Wellington, Masterton, Porirua and Invercargill. “As the local body elections approach,
Affordable City will be launching local body parties in more districts and boroughs around New Zealand.”
All Affordable parties under the Affordable City umbrella share the view that the only real way to achieve affordable
living in our cities and districts is through less council interference in the lives, money and property of ratepayers.
Each party is committed to five key policies to achieve this:
• Lower rates
• Balanced Budgets
• Affordable Housing
• Restoring Private Property Rights
• Spending On Core Services
Stephen Berry says, “Councils around the country are making home ownership a struggle for young families and those on
fixed incomes. Rates that go up every year, irresponsible spending and rampant borrowing guarantee difficulty for the
ratepayers of the future. Incompetence by the big spenders in Kaipara has resulted in the entire Council being sacked,
while Auckland City Council borrows over $2.5 million a day.
“Protecting the right of property owners to build on their own property, as well as reducing rates, regulations and
compliance costs is the key to affordable living,” Berry concludes. “Ratepayers will only find that by voting for their
local Affordable party!”
More information available at www.affordable.org.nz
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Stephen Berry
Spokesman, Affordable City
Waitemata & Gulf Candidate, Affordable Auckland
ENDS