Commenting on Mayor Tory Whanau’s decision not to seek
re-election, Andrew Little says:
“I want to
acknowledge Tory Whanau for her service to Wellington. Tory
took on the mayoralty during a tough time for Wellington and
regardless of our differences in approach I want to
recognise her hard work and her dedication to the
city.
“I also want to say that while criticism of
public leaders is healthy and necessary in a democracy, at
times during Tory’s mayoralty this has crossed a line into
personal abuse, particularly in online spaces. It is to her
credit that she got on with the job in spite of it. This
sort of abuse discourages good people from standing for
public office and it needs to stop.
“My focus
remains on campaigning to win a mandate for change at the
local elections in October. As I speak with people across
our city, it’s clear that Wellington faces significant
challenges that require urgent attention. From
infrastructure issues to housing affordability and
unaffordable rates increases, there’s a growing consensus
that we need a new direction.
“I am standing for
mayor to bring that change – grounded in strong experience,
the ability to work across political lines and a clear
progressive vision for Wellington’s future.
“I
invite all Wellingtonians, including those who have
supported Tory Whanau, to join me in this
campaign.”
To get involved in Andrew Little for
Mayor campaign visit www.andrewlittle.nz
to volunteer or
donate.
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