Rates Rebellion To Seek Control Of Arc - Calls For A Fresh Start

First Candidates Announced

The RatesRebellion campaign has now moved from an active protest movement into a change-motivated Team dedicated to winning a majority of the 13 ARC seats at the October 9th local elections.

The aims of gaining control of the ARC are - to redress the rating policy; tackle the real problems causing traffic congestion; ensure a comprehensive public transport system is delivered to the region in the shortest possible time; reform the planning policies behind the Regional Growth Strategy; and clean up the regional environment.

The new Team will stand for election under the name "RatesRebellion - FRESH START"

'RatesRebellion - FRESH START' aims to field candidates in every constituency, or to strike alliances with other candidates who support our foundation policies.

The first four candidates have been named;-

DAVID THORNTON, spokesman for RatesRebellion, former member North Shore City Council, currently member Glenfield Community Board, partner in family Project Management company - standing for North Shore City seat on ARC.

GRANT TAYLOR, south Auckland co-ordinator for RatesRebellion, and Chairman, Cockle Bay Ratepayers Association. - standing for Manukau City seat on ARC

CARL HARDING, a former local and ARC councillor, a Justice of the Peace, serves on many voluntary and industry bodies - standing for Waitakere City seat on ARC.

RON MOTTRAM Rodney co-ordinator for Rates Rebellion, chairman of Rodney District Combined Ratepayers Associations - standing for Rodney seat on ARC

More potential candidates are currently being considered and will be announced when confirmed. Candidates are also being sought for the Auckland City seats on the ARC.

David Thornton, on behalf of the Team, said today "Although the RatesRebellion of the past year has achieved much it is now vital that a majority of new members are elected to the ARC who are committed to long term reform of the funding arrangements for the ARC and local councils. "Meanwhile measures must be put in place to protect ratepayers from the unfair and inequitable rates policies of the present ARC. "Ratepayers are also demanding a positive proactive approach to solving the region's traffic problems, and bringing sanity to regional planning by responding to local concerns. "The only way to achieve these objectives is to elect people who will give this region a fresh start."

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>