CHRISTCHURCH PRESS MAYORAL DEBATE 20TH SEPTEMBER 2016 CARDBOARD CATHEDRAL

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Te Whare Karakia ki tu nei – tena koe
Nga tangata whenua o tenei rohe, Ngai Tahu – kia ora koutou
E nga hau e wha – nga mihi nui ki a koutou

Greetings

I’m John Minto and I’m standing as the Keep Our Assets Canterbury candidate for the Christchurch mayoralty.

We are running a different type of campaign than others – no airbrushed pictures, no meaningless slogans, no platitudes – just policies – solid policies which will be great for Christchurch.

But first let’s look at the money – it’s the critical issue this election – in part because the council and government have begun re-negotiating the cost-share agreement under which the previous council signed Christchurch ratepayers up to $982m in spending – mainly for big government priorities for Christchurch rather than Christchurch residents priorities for the city.

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So in this election race who’s the big spender?

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As you can see the Mayor is the big spender and we are the big savers. And to make this worse the Mayor’s big spending is on government priorities for Christchurch rather than citizen priorities for Christchurch.

Now is the ideal time for Christchurch to determine its priorities for spending or we will continue to be saddled with big government projects that will cost us hugely into the future!

Our own policies can be fitted within the fiscal framework I outlined.

· No asset sales

· Free buses and trains paid for by a larger share of transport funding going to public transport and a lower share for the big roading projects which won’t be needed as quickly.

· A minimum of the Living Wage for all council employees and those employed by contractors to do council work. Paid for by managing down the stratospheric pay increases to senior managers at the council to a maximum council salary of $160,000 or four times the Living Wage.

· Building 1000 extra council rental and rent-to-own homes

· Swimmable rivers – it’s a birthright for our children and grandchildren to swim in clean rivers.

· End corporate control of CBD rebuild with stiff rate increases on undeveloped land in the CBD.

Before you leave tonight we want you to be clear on which candidate is working for the people of Christchurch and which one is working for Gerry Brownlee and the National Party.

Notes for John Minto’s CLOSING ADDRESS
For thirty years we have had neo-liberal economic policies from successive Labour and National governments

We have been encouraged to think selfishly, act selfishly and ignore the common good
Thousands of families in Christchurch are now living below the poverty line where daily struggle is grinding and relentless

We have a housing crisis for everyone on a low income

The result is that we live in a deeply divided city where the geographic and socio-economic divide has become a chasm;

Tens of thousands in this city are socially and economically marginalised – and therefore politically marginalised as well

40% will vote this election – most won’t

I reject the idea that voter apathy is to blame – it’s voter disillusionment with politics and politicians which is the problem. Whoever you vote for you get the same corporate agenda.

Vast swathes of the city are deeply disillusioned and disengaged.

At the human level Christchurch is a city in crisis.

Our campaign offers creative solutions to citywide problems whereby we solve these problems by working together.

In this way we can rediscover our common humanity; rediscover the values of co-operation, compassion and inclusion; rediscover that we all benefit when we focus on the common good.

Our creative solutions are as I outlined at the start of the meeting.

· Free public transport – good for people and great for the environment

· No asset sales – future-proofing the city against big rate increases in coming years

· 1000 new council houses for rent and rent to buy

· Swimmable rivers – tell me why and decent community would not have this as a goal?

· Ending the corporate stranglehold on the CBD rebuild

· The living Wage with secure hours of work so council can set a good example to all employers

Through these bold policies we can rediscover what it means for everyone to get a fair go.
Kia ora koutou.

4 COMMENTS

  1. Most politicians are beholding to something or someone and so their freedom to serve the people is compromised. Many of them choose money and prestige over serving the people who pay their salaries.
    Most politicians have lost the support of the people because many of us see right through the facade and phony rhetoric and lies.

    We need more politicians like you John and we support your ideas and plans.
    You are one in a million and you are appreciated. It is rare to see a politician that is not beholding to the lobbyists and criminal corporations and the United Nations and the John Key lot of elite idiots.

    Good luck in your campaign ! ! – Christchurch needs a fresh and new breath of air after years of abuse and neglect and massive greed.
    The people need a voice and to be heard and respected and represented.
    Ole boys network and their criminal and greedy banker/corporate buddies should be put out to pasture ( or brought to court ) as soon as possible.

    • I agree 100 % .

      John Minto’s got my vote.

      A new broom is needed in Christchurch and from there the broom sweeps outwards.

  2. John Minto should have most votes because more years with Lianne is just more of the same ole same ole. Change is needed and getting rid of dead rot and corporate criminals is a good start. Jerry Brownnose is just part of the problem and can not be totally trusted. He is a slick talker like – Dick Cheney ooops I mean Steven Joyce — two birds of a feather.

    Good luck John.

  3. Living in coastal east Christchurch Lianne had my electoral vote for many elections, until she was caught out telling porkies.
    Then she became mayor promising to be transparent and open which she was not. The much maligned Bob Parker had, I believe, a personal staff of one – a press secretary. Lianne has built her personal staff to eight well paid “handmaidens” as they are known, who tell her porkies for her.
    The people of east Christchurch had given Lianne a wonderful living for many years and voted her in as mayor. More fool them as for the last three years she has virtually ignored the east.
    She will not get my vote.
    As for John who comes with a platform of no rate increases ( inflation pegged increases only retain the status quo) but with promises costing billions of dollars ( 1000 new houses, free road and rail public transport and make all rivers in Canterbury swimmable – when many have been unswimmable for close to 100 years – is the biggest spend this city has ever seen – all at a time when the city is deeply in debt) all I can see is another three years of bad roads and footpaths as how can he do this on the same budget as last year and fix broken stuff as well?
    So this year there is no mayoral candidate for me to vote for. John will get votes from the far left and plenty of protest votes against the incumbent but most voters will do the maths and come to the conclusion that his promises can’t be achieved without cutting services and repairs to the bone.)
    Judging by the fact that in 3 days there have only been 3 comments on John’s platform ( 2 by the same fan ) it would appear that his following in voterland is tiny to say the least.

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