PN Mayor firing political potshots
Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith has fired another public shot against the prospect of party politics on the city council.
Smith has criticised moves to have people elected on party tickets since Labour announced its intention to endorse candidates for October’s election back in February.
He used an election forum in August to plead with voters to choose candidates who would put Palmerston North rather than party affiliations first.
He repeated the message for 60 people at a Grey Power Manawatu meeting in the city on Wednesday.
‘‘We have no desire for central government party politics in the chamber,’’ he said.
But his entreaty did not go unchallenged.
Grey Power member Don Robertson said the only difference this election was that Labour and the Greens were being up front and standing candidates ‘‘overtly’’.
‘‘Hasn’t it always been there underneath?’’ he asked.
‘‘It is not necessarily a bad thing as it brings different values, so long as people can accept the majority vote if they are outvoted.’’
Robertson said in the recent past it was obvious Palmerston North Labour MP Iain Leesgalloway was talking to supporters about certain candidates.
He also referred to former mayor Jono Naylor’s mid-term decision in 2014 to ‘‘suddenly’’ become a National Party supporter, contest the Palmerston North electorate seat, and subsequently become a list MP and resign from the mayoralty.
Smith said he was happy to work with people with a range of different values so long as they were prepared to listen, and to change their minds and make decisions based on what they heard during debates.
‘‘But not when decisions are not made at the council table, but in Wellington, and they are told how to vote.
‘‘If they are getting manifestos from Wellington or bloc vote, I would be very concerned.’’
Smith said he wanted to maintain a team spirit among councillors, which he claimed to have nurtured in his 18 months in the job.
‘‘We are a pretty cohesive council, and in this city that has not always been the case.’’
He said by working together, and by developing their individual portfolios, the current council had gained some momentum in pushing staff and projects along.
There was a lot to celebrate and a lot of potential in the city, he said, as he predicted the council to continue to be ‘‘united’’.