THANKS VOTERS
I would like to thank all the people who took the time out to cast a vote for me at the recent local body elections. The voting was very low, so every vote counted. I will be running again in three years, as time goes quickly, and before you know time is here. I ran as an independent and am now getting a little disturbed by party politics that is taking over local body politics. As you drove around west Auckland you could have been mistaken that it was 2017 and the general election was here. Money spent on hoardings, flyers, on that scale and everything else can only be spent by parties. With a sea of Labourendorsed hoardings and candidates running under Labour in drag like Future West. Maybe that could have played a part in voter turnout, as they have an idea who would get in. Bit like running against Phil Goff. When they go to a council meeting, they are all singing from the same song sheet. Independent candidates work for the voter, party tickets do not. I think next time people will maybe vote better, and maybe independents like myself will have a chance.
WAYNE DAVIS
New Lynn
PARTY TICKETS
I would like to congratulate everyone who ran the race for the Waitakere Ward of the council and the Henderson-Massey Local Board and succeeded. While I would have liked to have been able to join them, on the local board or the council, I am very pleased to have been elected to the Waitakere Licensing Trust (Lincoln Ward). I thank you all my supporters and all those that voted for me and look forward to making a positive contribution to our community. I would like to share a warning, however, that the west is going down a dangerous path with our local boards in control of the Labour Party. No longer is local government for local people, it has become party politics and therein comes a disconnect. I would hope that the local media like the Western Leader will question decisions made by the local boards over the next three years, and ensure that the board members themselves attend their meetings, including workshops and stay for the full duration of meetings. Local government is about the footpaths we all use, the roads we all use, rubbish collections, the libraries and the parks. We do not want to spend time arguing with our neighbours and friends and relatives about the state of our roads as a result of
AT PARKING APP
Josh Fagan, in the Western Leader August 23 edition, brought to the reader’s attention the soon to be introduced Auckland Transport Park app. I do not have a smartphone and there are many people of my age (73) who don’t. I would appreciate Josh Fagan providing a part 2 of the article in which he can let AT’s parking design manager, Scott Ebbett, tell those of us without a smartphone how we will be able to legally park. Buy a smartphone is not an acceptable solution. Thank you. GORDON HENDERSON Avondale
Auckland Transport’s media relations manager Mark Hannan: We can reassure Mr Henderson that the app will be an option for those with a smartphone but at this stage we will not be phasing out others ways of paying for parking such as eftpos, credit card or cash.
CONTACT US
Letters should not exceed 250 words and must have full name, residential address and phone number. The editor reserves the right to edit and abridge. Opinions must be genuinely held by the letter writer. Letters may be referred to others for right of reply before publication. Mail: Western Leader, PO Box 21-167, Henderson. Fax: 836 9309. Email: edwl@snl.co.nz.