Stop the Stadium says "abuse of process" comments nonsense

Stop the Stadium Inc media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday 11 July 2008

Stop the Stadium has hit back against comments from Carisbrook Stadium Trust Chair Malcolm Farry who has publicly stated people making submissions against a district plan change are hijacking and abusing the process.

Stop the Stadium President Bev Butler says Dunedin people have the right to challenge changes to the district plan being pushed by the Carisbrook Stadium Trust, and was asking Mr Farry to explain in what way any process was being abused or hijacked.

"Such inflammatory language can't cover the fact that the rational and sensible questions Stop the Stadium have put forward have been ignored, because they have no answers to us."

She says the Dunedin City Council have called for submissions this month on the district plan change and questioned how taking part in the process was "abusing" it.

"Comments by Mr Farry and some others associated with pushing for public cash for their pet project show that they either don't understand the legal and democratic rights of Dunedin citizens, or they oppose those legal and democratic rights."

She says it is interesting that people who want to spend what will end up being hundreds of millions of dollars of local people's money were unhappy with those local people who disagreed with their plans expressing their views.

Ms Butler says there is a legal and democratic process around the district plan which can involve appeals to the Environment Court.

"In fact, this process we are engaging in is exactly the type of safeguard we have as a community to contest financially reckless and irresponsible projects that could have major negative impacts on our city."

She says that proponents of public funding for the Stadium would do much better to concentrate on the facts Stop the Stadium had put forward, such as the likely impact of rising prices and an economic recession would have on the project.

"What we are seeing is an attitude where people are beginning to realize the project is in trouble, and instead of admitting circumstances have changed, they are resorting to old fashioned mud slinging."

ENDS

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