Tuesday 15 November 2016

Voters urged to grill Mt Roskill candidates

“Voters should grill politicians over their promises made in the Mt Roskill by-election in the run up to election day on December 3rd”, says Democrats for Social Credit candidate Andrew Leitch.

By-elections are the time when, more than at any time in politics, politicians stump up with promises that they know they can’t and won’t keep.

Take, for example, the recent Northland by-election, where a cavalcade of cabinet ministers in ministerial limousines paid for by taxpayers, descended on the electorate and promised such things as 10 new bridges, some of which were on roads to nowhere.

Northland voters where smart enough to recognise those promises for what they were, and dump the government in a seat which it had held continuously for nearly 50 years.

The reality is that nearly 18 months later work hasn't yet started on a single bridge, and the vast majority of Northland voters will not be around to see the last one built – if it ever does.

Promises like “fixing crime” and “paying for half a light rail connection into the electorate” should be viewed with cynicism. Voters would do well to ask questions such as: when, how, and where will the money come from.

“It’s time voters put politicians on the spot and demanded facts and figures, not just nice sounding but empty rhetoric” Mr Leitch said.

ENDS

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