Here's the second reply to the questions the St Marks / Our Lady Star of the Sea Justice and Peace Group put to Manukau City mayoral candidates. This one from Mike Padfield
Mike Padfield
Mayoral Candidate for 2004
241 Pakuranga Road
Pakuranga
Phone / fax 577 2170
Where do you stand on abortion ?
Abortion is a crime and should not be legal under any circumstances,.My heart grieves every time I remember that we murder 10 classrooms of children every week by abortion in Nz, yet there are numerous couples who are desperate to adopt children but none are available.
On Gay Marriage and the proposed Civil Unions Bill ?
I believe that true marriage is for the support and upbringing of children and that they can be best cared for by a father and a mother to give the balance of life as God intended it.However tolerance and understanding is needed at all times.
What action will you take to support marriage and the family ?
The family is the backbone of any decent society ,however local Govt is limited in what it can be involved in so for me my focus is on strengthening families of the future by ensuring that all our youth are receiving a decent education every day.Too many youth are truant from school or suspended and miss out on education,then as they move through into adult/family life they do not have the skills to build a decent home and family. For me the only area I can assist in is via the youth.MY promise is a 10% reduction in youth crime by ensuring our youth are receiving the proper education. this will build stronger families of the future.
Do you support user pays for libraries, swimming pools, rubbish collection, water rates ?
No I do not support user pays as it disadvantages the cash poor in society,fails to often cover its costs and deprives our youth and families from the very resources we want them to have to build a better society.
Will user pays polices unfairly penalise families and children ?
Yes at the very time families need access to pools and libraries for the health and education of
their children that is the time when they have the least ability to pay extra for these facilities
What can and ought council do to help the poor?
Advocate to Govt for better housing assistance,health programms and employment
opportunities. Reduce the heavy cost of council rates.Make the rating system fairer across the city. My promise is to reduce rates by 10%.Make grants to support voluntary groups in community who work with the poor.
Do you support retaining subsidised pensioner housing ?
Yes but the cost should be paid by central Govt out of general taxation rather than out of property rates.
Is the current rating system fair? How can it be improved?
No , as long as rates are based on property values rather than services provided it will never be fair.
Local govt should be paid for out of Central GOvt taxation, not property value related rates.
What action should council take to help prostitutes out of prostitution and
remove the scrouge of prostitution from our city ?
Provide education to enable these prostitues to learn to read and write so that they are able to get a proper job after leaving school so they feel valued and able to support themselves legitimately.Prostitution at any age should not be legal.
Should council support hospices for the terminally ill to provide a practical alternative to euthanasia ?
Yes Council should advocate for better funding of these places by Central Govt.Council should recognise the huge input of volunteers to these places and that they would not survive without such support.
Council needs to have a healthy business approach to its costs to keep rates down but it must also develop a social conscience to address the imbalances in our society.
With Gods help I commit myself to the next decade of service to the City of Manukau and look forward to leading us all into a new day of fairness,justice and equity.
Thankyou Chris, I would love the opportunity to come and speak with your group at some stage to continue this debate.
Best regards
Mike Padfield
