Independent Mayor Votes 100% for the Left

The Auckland City Council met for a full day of debate to finalise the Annual Plan for the year ahead. Council considered over seventy resolutions and amendments with the Mayor voting the same way as the deputy Mayor and the Labour left council on every occasion.

"Dick Hubbard stood for Mayor as an Independent but, despite being given many opportunities, he has clearly chosen to nail his colours to the Bruce Hucker mast with a one hundred percent voting record in favour of the new socialist left leaning council" remarked Councillor Scott Milne from the Citizens and Ratepayers team on Council.

"With the Mayor's support the city is now back into social housing and debt. We are funding scholarships for Pacific Islanders, contributing to "Peace Sculptures" in Christchurch and providing means tested handouts to homeowners on low incomes", he added.

Council passed the Draft Annual Plan without any major changes despite 179 verbal submissions and over 500 written submissions. The key element of the plan is a 9.7% average rate increase which equates to a $266 increase for a home valued at $540,000.

"The real winner from this annual plan is central Government... Their 9,000 Housing Corp dwellings will have tiny rate increases and the council is looking to borrow money to spend in partnership with them to build more social welfare dwellings. I think Aucklanders will be shocked to see what Mayor Hubbard's "visionary leadership" has served up; but not half as shocked as they will be when the next rate demand arrives' Mr Milne concluded.

Councillor Scott Milne

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