MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday 13 August, 2013

IS AUCKLAND SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF NEW ZEALAND?
HAVE YOUR SAY TOMORROW NIGHT ON TV3’S ‘THE VOTE’

Does New Zealand need Auckland to keep growing, and growing fast – or are Auckland’s gains at the expense of the country and economy as a whole? Is Tenby Powell right when he says the New Zealand economy “wouldn’t exist” without Auckland?

Or do you agree with former Christchurch Mayor Gary Moore that the South Island needs its own political party to protect Southerners’ interests? How many people living in our biggest city agree with Urzila Carlson they are “hostage in Auckland,” and would prefer to live elsewhere if the same jobs and opportunities existed?

Their comments are part of the latest episode of The Vote, screening on TV3 tomorrow night (August 14) which debates the statement ‘Auckland is sucking the life out of New Zealand.’

Comedian Urzila Carlson admits “I’d love to live somewhere else like Feilding, but the work is [in Auckland],” during the debate while Garry Moore adds his voice to recent calls to create a South Island Party, saying: “I think we need to form a South Island Party. We’d have the balance of power forever…People would vote for the local constituent MP and for the mainland as an issue.”

The Wednesday night programme sees Duncan Garner led the ‘For’ team, with Economist Ganesh Nana, comedian Urzila Carlson, and former Mayor of Christchurch Garry Moore. Joining Guyon Espiner on the ‘Against’ team are businessman Tenby Powell, actor, director and broadcaster Oliver Driver, and Auckland Mayor Len Brown. Broadcaster and lawyer, Linda Clark is again charged with keeping the debaters in line and on topic.

Co-producer Tim Watkin says while the debate was filmed in Auckland, the most important result will be the opinions of viewers voting around the country.

“You’d expect the theatre vote to favour Auckland, but as always it’s the nationwide vote that counts; the response by heartland viewers will help us gauge just how worried the country is about Auckland’s growth.

“A third of the country’s territorial authorities are already shrinking while Auckland adds another three people every hour. With the recent provincial job losses, mayors and business leaders tell us this as the most serious issue facing the country, yet there’s little public debate about how we spread the people and the wealth.

“We want to spark that and get people thinking about whether Auckland’s the problem or part of the solution.”

The Vote is competitive current affairs – a monthly series of entertaining and informative national debates on the big issues facing New Zealanders. The debates take place in theatres with audience participation and voting, but the opinion that matters most is that of the audience watching at home.

Viewers are encouraged to vote for free at www.TheVote.co.nz, via Twitter @TheVoteNZ and Facebook at The Vote NZ. Viewers can also text their vote by texting ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to 3920 at a cost of 20 cents per text.

The Vote is produced by TV3’s News and Current Affairs division with funding from NZ On Air, and screens once every four weeks in the same timeslot as 3rd Degree.

- ends -

3rd Degree presents ‘The Vote’.
‘AUCKLAND IS SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF NEW ZEALAND’
Wednesday 14 August, 8.30pm on TV3.

Website: www.TheVote.co.nz
Twitter: twitter.com/TheVoteNZ
Facebook: facebook.com/TheVoteNZ

© Scoop Media

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