Affordable City is go!

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Affordable City Launched – New Zealand’s Nationwide Local Body Political Party!

New Zealand now has new force in local body politics: the Affordable City national umbrella of local body political parties. The move was announced today by party spokesman Stephen Berry, who will be standing as a candidate in the Waitemata & Gulf council ward for Affordable Auckland. “Now there is a real alternative to the rash of councils who make property ownership unaffordable through over-regulation and excessive rates.”

Currently six Affordable parties have been established throughout the country, with candidates contesting council seats in Auckland, Hutt City, Wellington, Masterton, Porirua and Invercargill. “As the local body elections approach, Affordable City will be launching local body parties in more districts and boroughs around New Zealand.”

All Affordable parties under the Affordable City umbrella share the view that the only real way to achieve affordable living in our cities and districts is through less council interference in the lives, money and property of ratepayers. Each party is committed to five key policies to achieve this:

  • Lower rates
  • Balanced Budgets
  • Affordable Housing
  • Restoring Private Property Rights
  • Spending On Core Services

Stephen Berry says, “Councils around the country are making home ownership a struggle for young families and those on fixed incomes. Rates that go up every year, irresponsible spending and rampant borrowing guarantee difficulty for the ratepayers of the future. Incompetence by the big spenders in Kaipara has resulted in the entire Council being sacked, while Auckland City Council borrows over $2.5 million a day.

“Protecting the right of property owners to build on their own property, as well as reducing rates, regulations and compliance costs is the key to affordable living,” Berry concludes. “Ratepayers will only find that by voting for their local Affordable party!”

12 thoughts on “Affordable City is go!”

  1. Reed, I think it just means committing to the five policies listed here.

    Beyond that, you get to do your own thing.

    Also, it costs $20 to join the party … and it costs $300 (I think) to stand as a candidate in the local body elections.

  2. On taking office each elected member, on the first meeting following election, must swear the following oath:
    “I, [full name of councillor], declare that I will faithfully and impartially, and according to the best of my skill and judgment, execute and perform, in the best interests of [name of region or district], the powers, authorities, and duties vested in or imposed upon me as a member of the [name of local authority] by virtue of the Local Government Act 2002, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, or any other Act.”

  3. If you become a councillor you will have a duty to the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi…

    Local Government Act 2002
    4 Treaty of Waitangi

    In order to recognise and respect the Crown’s responsibility to take appropriate account of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and to maintain and improve opportunities for Māori to contribute to local government decision-making processes, Parts 2 and 6 provide principles and requirements for local authorities that are intended to facilitate participation by Māori in local authority decision-making processes.

  4. Reed, what’s your point?

    If elected, I will use my best skill and judgement in order to perform in the best interests of the whole community, not just the ward from which I’m elected.

    There are no principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

    I have no problem with participation by Māori in local authority decision-making processes. I’m certainly keen to see participation by Tim!

  5. If elected will you fulfill the duties imposed on you by the legislation?

    You indicate there are no principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and therefore no duties but that is not the intent of that section of the legislation. Wouldn’t you be oath bound to the intent of the legislation?

  6. I think you should do one of the following:-
    1. Run. If successful – don’t take the oath. See what happens.
    2. Run. If successful – take the oath. Keep it.
    3. Don’t run.

    Do you think you could do 2?

    Could/should you faithfully and impartially execute and perform the powers, authorities, and duties imposed on council by the RMA?

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