Wednesday 29th Sep 1999

Wellington Central MP Richard Prebble released today 8 Parliamentary answers he has received to questions regarding whether Labour list MP Marian Hobbs has ever done anything for Wellington.

"Ms Hobbs was appointed the Labour candidate last year but as the Hansard record shows, she has not raised a single Wellington issue in Parliament," Mr Prebble said.

"I read in the media her claim to be working behind the scenes so I put in questions on 8 important issues to Wellington Central constituents - a new hospital for Wellington, the stadium, statutory protection for the Town Belt, police numbers, Transmission Gully, education, employment, cultural activities.

"To my astonishment, every single Minister's office says Ms Hobbs has never made any representation.

"She has been Labour's list MP with special responsibility for Wellington Central now for nearly as year and her record of lack of performance is an indication that she would be a 'do-nothing' MP for Wellington.

"I will be inviting constituents to compare her lack of action on these issues with my record of effective representation.

"I believe Ms Hobbs put herself forward for Wellington Central because as a Christchurch list MP she failed to make any impact. Just standing in Wellington Central has given her a profile, but she has failed to realise that a constituency MP must not be such a 'big picture' person that she doesn't put in the hard work that local issues require.

"I have never made any secret of the fact that I am honoured to be a constituent MP and I regard it both as my duty and a privilege to raise issues that are important to my constituents, and as a Wellington Central resident they are also dear to me."

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