Yesterday I criticised North Shore City’s mayor, Andrew Williams, for using an irrelevant issue to trash the idea of a “super city” for Auckland. Today, he used similar tactics again.
Speaking to NewstalkZB, Williams was commenting on the abduction of a 5-and-a-half year old Chinese girl from Albany in North Shore City. Rather than just limit himself to the topic, Williams declared “This sort of thing just doesn’t happen in Albany,” when, in fact, this sort of thing doesn’t happen anywhere in New Zealand—which is precisely why it’s news.
As mayor, part of Williams job is to promote North Shore City, to be its chief booster. Tearing down other places doesn’t accomplish that, but instead makes North Shore seem petty and parochial. One doesn’t have to be negative about other places to promote one’s own, as Southland’s Tim Shadboldt has good-naturedly and tirelessly demonstrated.
If Williams keeps up this nonsense, he’ll drive me firmly toward the “one city for Auckland” side, if only so we can get rid of such narrow-minded, parochial local politicians.
No comments:
Post a Comment