Monday 30th Aug 1999
Media Release -- Economy

30 August 1999

Chris Fletcher
Mayor of Auckland City
Private Bag 92516
WELLESLEY STREET
Auckland

Dear Your Ladyship the Mayor

I write on behalf of Epsom voters and all hardworking New Zealanders to protest against your threat to the Government that you will cross the floor and vote against tax cuts.

This is contrary to National Party principles and the principles upon which you were elected. My surveys of Epsom voters show that voters overwhelmingly want tax cuts now. They don't like politicians playing games and saying that they know best what to do with their hard-earned cash. They are also intensely critical of your performance as Mayor. They are fed up with your rate rises.

Why won't you listen to what voters are telling you? Your own survey showed that two-thirds of Epsom voters were opposed to Paid Parental Leave and yet you still blackmailed your own party to support the Alliance Party's legislation. Where was your mandate to do this?

Your only dubious achievement is to have been a spoiler. You have voted against the government and opposed changes that would benefit New Zealanders many times. And yet you declared that you had to stay on as MP as well as picking up the Mayor's salary for reasons of economic and political stability. When has the interests of economic and political stability ever been advanced by routine political blackmail?

You haven't even bothered to turn up to your party's caucus to take part in the debate. By your own admission you haven't attended caucus since August last year. This is grossly irresponsible.

Words fail me to think that you would then go and vote against a tax cut for 2.3 million taxpayers simply because you are offside with your party and your former colleagues. For once you should put your interests second to those of the country. That's what voters expect. That's what you should be doing. I plead with you to please reconsider the fortunes of all those hardworking New Zealanders who could spend that extra $10 a week far better than you ever could on their behalf.

Yours sincerely

Rodney Hide MP
ACT New Zealand
ACT MP with Special Responsibilities for Epsom

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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