Wellington Needs Effective Representation

Saturday 30th Oct 1999

Richard Prebble

Media Release -- Governance & Constitution

SPEECH TO WELLINGTON CENTRAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCH Karori Community Recreation Centre Karori Road Wellington

1.00pm Saturday 30 October 1999 HON. RICHARD PREBBLE, MP LEADER OF ACT NEW ZEALAND

The Wellington Central electorate race is what voters wanted when they voted for MMP.

All three candidates in Wellington Central are MPs and are high on their party's list and so will be MPs.

The issue in Wellington Central is which MP will make the most effective representative for Wellington.

My two opponents are backbenchers who struggle to get reported. As a Party Leader, I am able to give any issue high public profile.

Wellington has needed a new hospital for over twenty years.

I have led the fight for a new tertiary hospital in Wellington City.

I have promoted Wellington as a tourism destination.

I am leading the debate on the need to stop the drift north of corporates.

I have protected funding for culture.

I obtained a loan for the new stadium.

While I have stopped the proposed major subdivision of the Town Belt, my major objective is to obtain reserve status for the Town Belt, Wellington's jewel.

As Leader of ACT, I am committed to the Transmission Gully project.

What is interesting about the issues, is that with the exception of Transmission Gully, that the Alliance and Labour have both opposed, all the other issues are now party political.

The issues just need stronger, effective, high profile representation which, as a Party Leader, I am uniquely qualified to provide.

I do ask the electorate to compare the record of representation between myself and my challengers.

In the year that Ms Hobbs has been the Labour candidate she has not achieved anything for the people of Wellington Central.

A check through the Hansard shows she hasn't raised a single issue affecting Wellington in Parliament.

Questions to Ministers reveal that in 12 months Ms Hobbs has made no representations on the hospital, the Town Belt, Transmission Gully, employment, education or any other issues.

Voters are entitled to ask, what has she done?

In the same time, I got a loan for the Stadium, saved the Thorndon Tennis Club, stopped a subdivision of the Town Belt, and got a decision for the go ahead of Wellington Hospital at the Newtown site.

When the issue is who is the most effective local MP, it's no contest - the answer is Richard Prebble.

ENDS

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