Auckland Council candidate Mark Thomas has rubbished City Vision claims regarding his residency.

"The left-wing ticket is feeling the heat from the huge public reaction against their disastrous $30 million Chamberlain Park carve-up plan, their botched Mt Albert Village upgrade and concern over their secret plans to reduce park space at Monte Cecilia in Hillsborough."

"Rather than campaign on the issues voters are concerned about, they resort to a desperate campaign of lies to bolster their flagging cause."

"One week into voting, turnout is below the 2013 Auckland Council record low level. City Vision is showing how out of touch it is by reaching into the Dirty Politics book of tricks that puts voters off voting rather than campaign on the issues they care about."

"My connection to the ward stretches back 30 years, longer than City Vision's political leader Cathy Casey, when I first flatted in Balmoral and she was still in Scotland. Wendy and I bought our first house near Eden Terrace and I have strong connections from school sports and supporting community and environmental groups."

"To further demonstrate my commitment to the community, I opened an office in Dominion Road at the beginning of June. I was based there for around six weeks in July and August while working on a new business and campaigning. The Auckland housing market problems delayed my search for an apartment, but on August 15 I moved into an apartment in Eden Terrace."

Cathy Casey claims to be a person of principle. If this is true, I call on her to renounce this baseless falsehood.

If she fails to do this she will only confirm that, after 24 years in local government, she is failing Aucklanders and the issues they are really concerned about and should be retired.

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