Unofficial Steamers mascot Hori Leaming says he will run for Parliament at this year's general election unless he gets an answer to the question: 'Is it bullshit or bulldozer?”
His question is pointed towards National MPs Simon Bridges and Tony Ryall, who at the 2008 election said an underpass would be built at the Welcome Bay roundabout system.
Hori Leaming, former Tauranga City Council mayoral candidate and unofficial Steamers mascot.
Hori is concerned the government is not staying true to its word on this election promise and will use this as his election platform if he does not get a satisfactory response.
'Basically the gloves are off,” says Hori.
'We were promised our central corridor link by Simon Bridges and Tony Ryall at the last election, and that it was always in the pipeline and it always would be – I want to know if this is bullshit or bulldozer.”
'Bullshit” would mean the government has not kept its election promise and 'bulldozer” refers to the start of work on an underpass.
'I want them just to front up,” says Hori.
'Simon Bridges says this and Simon says that, but Simon ain't done nothing yet.
'Simon's party said they weren't going to put up GST to 15 percent and they did that – so what's to say they are not going to can this project.”
Hori has not decided if he will stand in the Tauranga or Bay of Plenty electorate as an independent candidate, but he is certain of who people should give their party vote to.
'I'm asking the electors to get out there and vote for NZ First because Winston Peters did not let Tauranga down last time,” says Hori.
'Did we or did we not get our harbour bridge last time?
'He didn't let us down in the past, he won't let us down in the future.
'If he gets into the balance of power he will fight for that central corridor.
'So the only way to keep the acid on whatever government it is, whether it's Labour or National, is to vote NZ First for your party vote and vote for me in whatever electorate I stand in – I will fight for Tauranga.
Hori is not a one issue politician and he says the rest of New Zealand is laughing at how underdeveloped Tauranga is.
'We have to get a high court, a central corridor and a stadium to be legitimate as New Zealand's fifth largest city,” says Hori.
'Otherwise we are just pissing in the wind – we are a joke.
'The fact that we've got no world cup games – it's a joke.
'The fact that we can't secure a vital central corridor link – it's a joke.
'The fact we haven't got a high court – it's a joke.
'We're the largest export port in the country and we're not getting the infrastructure to support that port; it's not about what we want, it's about what we need.
'I would like to think that National and Winston could negotiate to form a government and if by some sheer miracle lining up of the stars and I'm in a position to do that, I would say give us our high court, give us our central corridor and you're back in power mate, cause that's what I want for Tauranga.”
10 comments
BOTH ...
Posted on 13-07-2011 18:14 | By Murray.Guy
Hori asks,"Is it bullshit or bulldozer? Sadly Hori, the answer is likely both. The amount of BS will require a bulldozer to have any hope of moving it!
Don't bank on it.
Posted on 13-07-2011 20:22 | By tibs
Don't bank on too much from Winston, he's scarpered off to the big city lights of Auckland.
Politicians best friend
Posted on 13-07-2011 23:26 | By Openknee8ted
Right now I'm having amnesia and deja-vu at the same time. I think I've forgotten this before.
Posted on 13-07-2011 23:57 | By Joe Bloggs
A vote for Winston and a vote for Hori would both be wasted votes though I must admit there could be a grain of truth in his prediction about the Central corridor and Route K trade off, it wouldn't surprise me. We'll see what credibility Simon Bridges has I guess, it will certainly cost him a stack of votes if Hori's right
LOL
Posted on 14-07-2011 09:09 | By SpeakUp
I'm having a crack-up reading comments below. The situation is hopeless but not serious. Respect to Hori for his engagement, however, I think he's barking up the wrong tree. Party politics paralyze what we citizens need.
Get it right
Posted on 14-07-2011 12:50 | By Chatboy
If Hori had done his research he would already know that PM John Key has said he will not work with Peters after the election. And maybe Hori should be chatting with Tga Mayor Crosby who is the one who wants to ditch the underpass so he can offload Route K to balance the council books. It is not the MPs driving any proposed changes.
well done Hori
Posted on 14-07-2011 14:01 | By Capt_Kaveman
a vote for anything other than WP or NZ 1st is a belief you like to sell off assets and continue the distruction of NZ
Tauranga plays catch-up
Posted on 14-07-2011 15:37 | By steve_of_greerton
Yes Hori, I do think you have a point, Tauranga is very under resourced infrastrucure - wise when compared to the other bigger cities around the country. From my perspective its because Tauranga grew so slowly as a city, up till the last 15 years or so at which point the population has exploded. Keeping infrastructure upto pace with that bigger increase of population is a big ask. A city like Hamilton (where I came from originally) has grown steadily over 150 years and added top quality infrastructure incrementally and as funds allowed. Watching Tauranga go crazy spending money all over the place in the past 5 years has been mindboggling to behold but deeply disturbing because a lot of the development has been mismanaged and highly questionable in its outcomes - southern pipeline to no where??? Tauranga is now in deep trouble due to over shooting its financial sustainabilty. The rate payer shouldn't be asked for anymore money as this city delivers very low incomes to most workers. I suggest that the super - wealthy Port Of Tauranga be used to set up a debt facility that allows the systematic funding and construction of a regional road and rail network to handle the freight task that blocks up our public roads. In Tauranga all roads lead to the port all roads are for the the port, the port benefits from ratepayers who are funding the roads why isn't this model being reversed so the ports pays for what infrastructure it directly benfits from instead of doing so at our expense?
steve_of_greerton
Posted on 14-07-2011 21:03 | By Capt_Kaveman
as a Mountie this is why i never wanted to be part of Tga and wanted Mt Pap to be together
Captn_caveman
Posted on 15-07-2011 08:28 | By steve_of_greerton
I can see your point, your high value rateable properties would have been irresistable to Cityhall, just like those high value rural properties in Roney district that have been rounded up by the Auckland supercity...where will it stop?
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