Auckland

 

Auckland consistently rates as one of the world's best cities. I always throw in the comment that everywhere else must be shite, then.

Auckland used to be one of the best cities, but a succession of mayors veering from right wing, empire-building Christine Fletcher, to the terminally incompetent Dick Hubbard, and on to the traitorously self-serving while crapping all over his beloved Pasifika voters in Len Brown, it is not any more. Superifcially, I'm sure it passes the test, with rapidly-expanding job markets and an enormous influx of people, but if you scratch the surface of the low-waged, you will find a dark underbelly which is being ignored by central and local government.

This coming election could well be the most important election Auckland has had. With a right-wing government entrenched and determined to prop up dairy prices with Chinese money, the chances of Auckland returning to affordable are nil.

The field isn't finalised, but the heavyweight contenders look like Phil Goff and Victoria Crone. Goff will stand as an independent, but clearly has the backing of Labour, while Crone is strongly in bed with National and Key will no doubt try to belittle Goff while pushing Crone's barrow.

The winner absolutely needs to be someone who understands that more than Queen Street and Parnell make up a great city.

The winner must work towards helping those on the bottom rung of the ladder afford to live in Auckland.

In other words, the winner must care.

I don't know Victoria Crone from a bar of soap, but I do know Phil Goff.

While I've never been a fan of Phil, Auckland's mayoralty is a ready-made job for him. Quietly-achieving like Bob Parker, but with real heart and determination to stick up for the little guy. Phil has always been a lefty Labour and honest to a fault.

He is exactly what the city needs in the 2016 election.

Don't let Auckland be the loser: vote for Phil Goff.

 

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