Press Release
Affordable Auckland
Heritage

World Heritage Waste

Affordable Auckland Waitemata & Gulf Council Candidate Stephen Berry has today expressed his disdain for a plan to convince Auckland Council to spend thousands of ratepayer dollars on researching the concept of making some Auckland volcanoes into Unesco World Heritage sites. “To a big spending money wasting councillor, $50,000 may be negligible but to those on limited incomes struggling to pay their rates, it is a huge amount. This wanton waste of money is symptomatic of the complete disrespect our Council has for other people’s wallets!

“Today Auckland City Council will be asked to spend this figure, which does not include staff costs, on a year-long study of whether it should be recommended to bureaucrats and politicians to apply for world heritage status for volcanic cones. While rates go up every year, your money is being wasted on studies of recommendations for touchy feely rubbish that delivers no services and no value to property owners in Auckland.”

The Affordable Auckland candidate says that local councils have too much liberty with ratepayer dollars. “Councils should be spending money only on the bare essentials required by law to make our city function. Sewerage, footpaths and rubbish collection pass this litmus test. Investigating a potential recommendation to politicians as to whether they should apply for meaningless politically correct title does not. This is especially so when Len Brown has already previously stated his commitment to seeking world heritage status.

“Too often in Auckland the money and interests of property owners are sacrificed on the altar of heritage and this has to stop. Those who are enthusiastic about the preservation of pre-1940s houses and volcanic cones should put their money where their mouths are. Spend your own money on these activities instead of getting the Council to spend other people’s money for you. “

Affordable Auckland is one of six parties under the nationwide Affordable City banner contesting the 2013 local body elections, with more to be announced. Included in their key policies are the protection of private property rights, lower rates and the spending of ratepayer money only on core services required by law.

Stephen Berry
Candidate, Waitemata & Gulf
Affordable Auckland

stephenberry@xtra.co.nz

www.affordable.org.nz

www.facebook.com/affordablecity

ENDS

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