Wellington needs strong and decisive leadership

Mayoral candidate John Morrison said he is not standing for the Onslow-Western ward, which he’s represented since 1998.

“I want to lead the city as Mayor. There is a lot of ground to make up. I want to build business confidence along with the local economy and with that will come jobs and opportunity.

“This latest earthquake reminds us again that we must proceed with ideas like the heritage renovation bonds to strengthen buildings such as St Gerard’s Monastery, The Public Trust and areas like Cuba Street.

“I am offering a choice between three more years of the same; or enterprise, vision, jobs, progress and economic growth.

“I want to lead and initiate big projects such as the Basin Reserve flyover, the second Mt Victoria tunnel and the Airport extension.

“We’ve got to commit to much more than just funding for a resource consent which could hold things up for many years.

“We do have the option of bundling these projects and fast tracking them by partnering with central government,” Mr Morrison said.

ENDs

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The Government’s Smokefree Laws Debacle

The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around – incompetently, as it turns out - for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable view is that the government was being deliberately misleading. Are we to think Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is a fool, or a liar? It seems rather early on in his term of office to be facing that unpleasant choice. Yet when Luxon (and senior MP Chris Bishop) tried to defend the indefensible with the same wildly inaccurate claim, there are not a lot of positive explanations left on the table.... More