A Mayor or a Puppet? 

2nd September 2010 at 23:47

This exchange between Len Brown and John Banks highlights one of the really important issues we face in Auckland at the upcoming elections – do we want a Mayor and a Council who are genuinely focused on doing what is right to our city, or do we want a pack of puppets who just want to please their political masters in the beehive?

At the meeting in question, Banks arrogantly stated that:

"There is not one person in this room who knows that the National Government want to work with my opponent from Manukau City and not me," he said.

This statement is concerning on multiple levels. Firstly, Banks is effectively claiming the endorsement of the government and the Prime Minister. If in fact the government is trying to get "its man" into power in Auckland then that is a constitutional affront, and cuts across our right to make our own decisions.

Secondly, Banks is claiming that if Auckland votes for Len Brown, that the government will not work with the duly chosen leader of Auckland. This is an extraordinary claim – effectively he is saying that Aucklanders can and should only elect someone closely linked to the government of the day. A puppet in other words.

Whatever happened to electing the best person for the job?

And that indeed is the choice this election. John Banks and C&R who have consistently supported Rodney's Supercity, and have set up a monolithic machine to take over our region, or Len Brown and community focused candidates who will back the people of Auckland.

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