Macpherson trying again

The Waikato Times reports:

With just nine days to go until nominations close, the race for the Hamilton mayoralty has cranked into life, with veteran councillor Dave Macpherson putting his hand up for the job.

Macpherson is a former Alliance candidate. His candidacy is no surprise. In March he attacked the Mayor for holding public forums with ratepayers!

And, true to form, the outspoken Mr Macpherson has opened his campaign with a barrage of criticism directed at incumbent Julie Hardaker’s leadership.

He reckoned the councillors had become “rubber-stampers” under Ms Hardaker, and lawyers and managers were now running the city – claims Ms Hardaker said she “absolutely rejected”.

That is hilarious. Macpherson is one of the Councillors who rubber-stamped the V*s fiasco and cost Hamilton tens of millions of dollars. Hardaker has been the Mayor having to clean up teh problems inherited from Macpherson and the old Council.

“I absolutely reject the description we are rubber-stamping,” she said. “This current council has introduced disciplines and procedures that prevent rubber-stamping, which is exactly what happened on the last council when we got into the mess with the V8s.”

Ms Hardaker would not be drawn on whether she believed Mr Macpherson was personally lax in not knowing the facts before voting for the failed V8 event, which cost ratepayers more than $38 million.

Hardaker may not be willing to say Macpherson was lax, but local businessman Ray Stark is:

Hamilton businessman Ray Stark has delivered a clear message to five city councillors: “Please don’t stand again.”
Crs Angela O’Leary, Gordon Chesterman, Roger Hennebry, Dave Macpherson and Ewan Wilson were among the 10 present councillors who were in charge when the Hamilton City Council’s debt skyrocketed during the V8 Supercars era.

In my opinion Hardaker has done a good job as Mayor of Hamilton, and the last thing Hamilton needs is a Mayor who was one of the Councillors responsible for the V8 fiasco.