Mt Albert By-Election
2009-05-20 14:22:00.0
AUTHOR: Judy Turner
The Mount Albert by-election has been characterised so far by candidates playing the person rather than the ball. I find it petty and in poor taste to see the news filled with candidates digging for dirt and revelling in the gaffs of their opponents. Voters deserve better!
If they choose to think beyond this nonsense, the voters in Mount Albert have a delicious opportunity before them to send a clear message to both National and Labour that it’s not all about them.
The roles of National as the government and Labour as the main opposition party will be largely unaffected by the outcome, unless the people of Mount Albert give them the wake-up call they both need and vote in someone from a credible minor party. Reminding the government and Labour that we expect them to consult beyond their own four walls is a timely thing to do, particularly with the Waterview and Super-City issues taking centre-stage.
However, voters in this by-election should think beyond the two current issues of controversy and ask themselves what sort of M.P. do we want long-term?
Sure we want someone who advocates loudly on the big issues, but we also want to know that when our immigration application stalls, or when we have a problem with our benefit, or when we are unhappy about the school our kids attend, that there is an open door and a pro-active response to our individual concerns.
I believe with all my heart that UnitedFuture is the credible option, and I am thrilled to be offering myself as candidate for Mount Albert. I have more parliamentary experience than all the other candidates put together and in the last 3 years (05 – 08) I had an Auckland electorate office that provided a quality service to many individual constituents with a wide range of concerns.
Mount Albert does not need “muscle” or “shouting”. It needs attentive listening, someone to tenaciously follow-up on concerns in a timely way, someone who knows how to build real relationships with community groups and someone who is approachable.
I know I can be that person, so let’s hope the voters of Mount Albert see through the melodramas and realise the unique chance they have.