Su’a William Sio

MP for Mangere

Spokesperson on Customs

Associate Local Government

Associate Pacific Island Affairs

Opportunity For Mangere To Hold National Accountable on Community Issues

The Pacific community’s meet and greet gathering with National Minister Hon. Georgina te Heuheu this Thursday at the Nga Tapuwae Community Centre will be a prime opportunity for the people of Mangere to hold National accountable on community issues says Labour MP, Su’a William Sio.

The MP for Mangere says the Pacific community know of the significant benefits gained under Labour policy and while there is respect for the Minister and others as the ‘soft friendly face of National on Pacific issues’ it is National policy and its impact on our diverse communities that will be of primary concern to all.

With job losses mounting and unemployment figures predicted to rise significantly during this recession Sio says “so far under this National government we have seen tax cuts that favour the wealthy, a law that fires people without any protection, and a minimum wage increase of a mere 50 cents.” Many of the constituents in Mangere are bearing the brunt of job losses, loss of income, which affects their ability to afford housing, quality education for their children and putting food on table.

“These kinds of policies will only increase the levels of unemployment within working class communities and remove people’s confidence in the future and the people of Mangere have the right to know what the National government will do about it.

“Under Labour there was significant investments made to lower doctors fees and prescription costs, 20 free hours for early childhood education, increasing numbers in apprenticeship schemes, increasing participation rates from early childhood right through to tertiary levels, 0% interest for tertiary education loans, investments in the arts & creative industries, investments in the health portfolios, support for families with children through tax cuts and the working for families package, and our communities want to know whether this Government will continue this legacy.”

The people of Mangere will want to know from Minister te Heuheu how many state houses in Mangere will her government upgrade and renovate from the 10,000 it announced it would do, and how many new state houses will National build in Mangere out of the 69 it announced it would build in the next six months?

Furthermore, people should also be asking Minister te Heuheu how committed National is to the local community law centre who has been told by the Legal Aid Services it will have to reduce its operational budget significantly.

Our local communities have a right to get clear and concise answers from National and not be subjected to typical National political niceties of doublespeak and weasel words.

ENDS

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