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Today I read a ‘Metro' magazine article titled 'Cycleway Saboteurs’. The writer accuses two local activists, Gael Baldock and Lisa Prager plus our sitting councillor Mike Lee of being in a conspiracy to undermine democracy at both the Waitematā Local Board as well as at Auckland Council. With editorial support, Metro magazine argues that democracy is at stake because a David and Goliath battle has ensued over the bike tracks for the Waitematā electorate in which David snatches a bad faith victory over a corporate Goliath against a backdrop of universal community support.

The writer constructs his narrative around disparaging factoids and opinions but fails to mention that the whole of Auckland Transport / Gen Zero / Bike Auckland proposals became moot when Pippa Coom, for her single issue stance, was resoundingly rejected by the Waitematā electorate at the last election. This electoral defeat left AT feeling there was no political will to continue the projects and it shelved them. The Meola Road project, which is being rebuilt with bike paths included, will still be happening as constructing road and bike lanes together is the best method for integration as discovered in the Christchurch rebuild. Coom’s loss resulted in the return of Mike Lee who now has a mandate from the community and has proven himself both presently and previously a reliable steward for the Waitematā Ward.

The rekindling of the bikeways project has only been managed after another real attack against democracy. At the 2022 local body elections, C&R had its first Waitematā victory in a decade, again another nail in the coffin of the bikeways. That victory was short lived however, and I quote from a STUFF article by Todd Niall from November 2022 as to why:

“Genevieve Sage of the majority Communities and Residents (C&R) team broke ranks to be elected as chair backed by left-leaning minority City Vision (CV), after two coin tosses to break deadlocks and a noisy walkout by some in the audience. The outcome of the occasionally rowdy meeting, meant C&R lost its highly prized 4-majority on a board that was previously held 6-1 by the left.”

Apart from defrauding the electorate and with an “I will decide what’s best” arrogance, Gen Sage as the $100,000 chair of the board has later tabled the cycleways projects for reconsideration, which by a simple majority were rekindled against the objections of C&R elected board members, our councillor and the Mayor.

Donnell concludes that his narrative is, “How a small but loud minority delayed and almost tried to completely kill one of the rarest things in local politics: an almost universally popular plan to install bike lanes.”

It is only by ignoring the fact that it was a democratic electoral process that put paid to most of the bike tracks in Waitematā that has the writer able to attack a mandated policy change as sabotage. This hit piece has more to do with grievance politics and sour grapes than an exposé of a conspiracy to defraud our democratic processes. While one journalistic tenet is to hold those in power to task and policy, another long forgotten tenet is to inform the electorate in a manner that enables voters to fairly and in good faith determine how they cast their votes. With this in mind Metro needs to take a long hard look at its standards and obligations to journalism.

Adam Baines, Westmere

EREBUS MEMORIAL

It is a shame that Tony O’Brien is so misinformed, as are other supporters of the Erebus Memorial going into Dove Myer Robinson Park.

The Protectors ‘did not cancel the project’. The Ministry of Arts and Culture was forced to abandon the site because it ignored all advice that the cliffs in Hobson Bay are unstable.

Of course ‘we are happy with the outcome’ and the park is not a memorial site for such a monstrous structure, whilst respecting Papatuanuku and recognising that some people are hurting.

No one to my knowledge has ever claimed anything about the memorial limiting access to the park. The criteria for ’national’ memorials are that access has to be available to the public at all times.

Anne Coney, Parnell

AUCKLAND CENTRAL, ROCK THE VOTE NZ PARTY

Election 2023 is a generational event in New Zealand politics. Auckland Central is a unique electorate that has shown an ability to move from one end of the political spectrum to the other in a single electoral cycle. This means Auckland Central voters can react to issues rather than being bought by electioneering promises which very seldom actually evolve into meaningful life changes for voters.

Every political party has shown that they are answerable to organisations outside of New Zealand ahead of the New Zealand voters. The Government response to Covid was completely in line with the World Health Organisation format, not the New Zealand Pandemic Preparedness Plan formulated in 2006. There was no need to destroy lives, businesses and families by shutting New Zealand down for extended lockdowns.

Our Government, media and health department, in my opinion, repeatedly used extreme fear and outright lies to sell the premise that Pfizer vaccinations were both safe and effective, when they were and are neither. The New Zealand debt has ballooned to unprecedented levels, which is now our gift to future generations of New Zealanders. Mandates are another long-lasting imposition and are still in place in both health and educational services. They and the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act need to be removed immediately.

The Convoy 2022 is another indicator of how little respect political parties have for voters. Over 33% of New Zealanders supported the convoy’s purpose to get mandates removed and every politician in Parliament signed an agreement not to meet with the Wellington protesters, without exception.

Auckland Central has the opportunity again to show the rest of the country that they can lead the way to a better New Zealand by voting for your Rock the Vote NZ candidate, Paul Davie, to reclaim New Zealand sovereignty for all New Zealanders.

LETTERS CONTINUED ON P34