Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Monday 8 September 2008

C&R Vote Auckland City "Last City Of The Pacific"

City Vision-Labour Councillors today expressed their outrage that, without consultation with affected communities, Citizens and Ratepayers (C&R) Councillors block voted down officers' proposals to develop Pasifika Participation and Housing policies at Auckland City Council's Community Services Committee meeting.

Labour Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward Councillor Richard Northey said, "Pasifika people contribute vitally and distinctively to the fabric of life in Auckland City but are underrepresented politically and in key aspects of social and economic life of the city. Consulting with Pacific Islanders to develop appropriate Council policies to maximise their effective participation would have demonstrated our real commitment to our role as the world's foremost Pasifika city and our mission for Auckland to be the 'First City of the Pacific'. C&R Councillors demonstrated by their scorn and their voting that they are content for Auckland to drop back to be the 'Last City of the Pacific'."

City Vision Western Bays Councillor Graeme Easte said, "I was appalled to find out in the debate that the Council's own Pacific Island Advisory Board had not been consulted with; they weren't even given the courtesy of being alerted to the proposal to scrap the development of a Pasifika Participation policy. This decision is clearly contrary to the principles of Auckland City Council's Consultation Policy, and even more contrary to common and decent human courtesy."

City Vision Eden-Albert Councillor Cathy Casey said, "Affordable housing has been universally recognised as a major issue in Auckland City and the lack of it is stifling both social development and economic growth. We can debate the appropriate nature of Auckland City's role in housing, but C&R Councillors have voted not even to open the debate."

ENDS

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