Mulholland Heft Meer Mmmmmmmm...

If Labour Were Smart...

...they'd realise that Helen Clark is toast at the next election.  She is not going to challenge Massey, Fraser, Seddon and Holyoake.  Her reign is over.

They'd clear the decks and make Goff or Cunliffe the Leader.  Present a new face to the electorate.  A moderate face that can face down John Key.

They'd give Cullen the arse.  Put a new Finance Minister in (hey, Cunliffe, why not?) and cut income taxes.  Completely undercut National.  Make them look like dicks (they are).  Get rid of the corruption and paranoia.

They'd do it and cream it in 2008.  Hell, if it were a first past the post thing, I'd even vote for them.

That's if Labour were smart.  But they're not.  They're pretty freaking stupid.  Almost as stupid as National.

Paid Parental Leave - A Letter to an MP

Dear Ms Collins,

I am a single 31 year old male.  Thus far, I have chosen not to have children.  Someday I may chose to have them with the woman I love.  When we do so, I will provide for both mother and child out of my own earnings, as my father, grandfather, and generations ad infinitum have done before me.

How dare you insinuate that, alongside my obligations to my own family, I should be forced to provide for yours!  I am sick of being forced to provide for other people to have children through my taxes.  How can you justify taking from my pocket and lining yours simply because you have a baby and I do not?  This is not a policy designed to alleviate poverty – it is a middle class luxury subsidy that takes the taxes of poor childless people to subsidise the lifestyles of wealthy women with babies.

Your baby is not my responsibility, it is yours.  Individual responsibility is basic National Party philosophy.  You and the National Party caucus should pay heed to it and reject this ridiculous proposal from the Families Commission.

Sincerely,
Blair Mulholland

Cap Rates? Shore Can!

North Shore has been rottenly served by its local body politicians in recent times, so it's nice to know that now they have a real choice in the Cap Rates Shore Can ticket.  Shore boys and girls need to give these fine people their vote next month:

Northern Ward
Michael Blake
Stephen Martin

Harbour Ward
Nick Kearney

Central Ward
Brian Nicolle
Norman Kearney
Don Campbell

1Auckland.com Candidates

Here is the full list of candidates for 1Auckland.com.  All candidates except those marked are standing for both Council and Community Board.  Not bad for a ticket which didn't even exist a month ago:

Avondale/Roskill
Kathryn Davie
Paul Davie
Richard Li

Eastern Bays
Benjamin Smith

Eden-Albert
Blair Mulholland
Michael Earley
Barbara Haughey

Hobson
Julie Chambers
Lech Beltowski
Dick Ayers

Troy Churton*
Tim Coffey*

Tamaki-Maungakiekie
Doreen Kuper-Prebble
Christopher Diack
Stuart Wilson

Western Bays
Steve Crow#
Sarah Fogelberg#

#Denotes Council only
*Denotes Community Board only

Please give the 1Auckland team your vote.

Questions From Fans

C&R Council candidate Aaron Bhatnagar writes:

[Your] ticket supports referendums for big rates rises, but then said "I will never support rates increases".

Could someone explain to me how this works?

Very easily Aaron.

It means that 1Auckland will never unilaterally vote for a rates rise over and above the rate of inflation.  We will only support rates rises being be put directly to voters.

However, I don't think rates rises of any kind are necessary.  I will never propose them or vote in favour of them, other than to send the proposal to referendum.  Simple.

I think Aaron will be surprised at the depth and number of 1Auckland candidates now that nominations have closed.  We have a formidable team.  As a member of Brian Connell's National Party, he should be careful of the labels he might care to use for us ;o)

Blair Mulholland Standing for Council

It's official:  I am standing for election to the Auckland City Council (Eden-Albert Ward) and the Eden-Albert Community Board on the 1Auckland ticket.

My candidate statement is as below:

I’m a 31 year old Licensing Consultant and Mt Albert resident standing for Council because like you, I am sick of rising rates, bloated bureaucracy and constricting bylaws in Auckland City.  The City Vision/C&R double-act of junkets, rates hikes, water hikes and billion dollar stadium proposals must end.

The people of Auckland are its best asset.  Only if a Council sticks to basic services and infrastructure, and keeps its hands off peoples’ houses, businesses, lives and wallets will Aucklanders realise our full potential. 

1Auckland stands for:

•    Local government reform; one Council, one Mayor, One Auckland. 
•    Our Council working together. 
•    Referendum on big rates rises.
•    Improved efficiency for all modes of transport.
•    A better environment.  A heritage protection Trust. 
•    Water charges for water infrastructure only.

…and I will never support rates increases.

Please give us your vote.

If you support my candidacy and the principles I stand for, please contribute to my campaign.  I will need money and volunteers.  Email me if you can help in either or both ways.

UPDATE:  Michael Earley is running on the same ticket in the Eden-Albert Ward.

Action Hobson Living in the Past

Oh dear.  It's still 2004 in the minds of Christine Caughey and Richard Simpson.

It's hard to imagine them making more of a pigsty of representing their ward over the last three years.  Richard Simpson especially has done nothing but propose multimillion dollar walkways and make ludicrous suggestions such as banning "Remuera Tractors" from the CBD.  They've voted for huge rates increases mostly at the expense of their own constituency.  Nothing they have done in the last three years has been popular.  Even the much-touted electification of the railways is a huge and unnecessary burden on Auckland ratepayers.

So what can they possibly campaign on?  They've got nothing.  They have to roll the clock back three years to talk about the evil Eastern Motorway, a policy C&R ditched almost straight after the last election.  They may as well have said "vote for us, or the bogeyman will eat you".

Hobson voters need to tick the three 1Auckland candidates this time around and get rid of these clowns.

Good News for Greater Auckland Residents

Willie and JT are standing for Mayor in their respective cities!

This is good news for two reasons:

1.  Bob Harvey needs to be booted out of the Waitakere City mayoralty.  JT, while a man who has been known to use creative accounting practices in the past, is just the guy to do it;
2.  Willie Jackson will split the substantial left vote in Manukau with the odious Len Brown and the nice, but lightweight Arthur Anae.  This gives Dick Quax his best chance of being mayor yet.