Roskill Community Voice

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Media Statement: Roskill Community Voice Supporting Residents Against Bottle Store

“We stand firmly behind the ‘Mt Roskill Against More Liquor’ group to oppose the establishment of the new bottle store on May Rd, and the further spread of off-license liquor outlets in Mt Roskill”, says Roskill Community Voice spokesperson Michael Wood.

“Roskill Community Voice has been concerned about this issue for a long time and we have made it one of our central campaign themes. Throughout the campaign we have warned that the current laissez faire rules are leading to a dangerous proliferation of liquor stores in Mt Roskill”, he continues.

“We are not anti-liquor, we just want reasonable controls in place so that we can keep our community safe. As it stands, we have a huge range of alcohol related problems in Mt Roskill, and yet another bottle shop will just add to the problem”

“We have had a number of calls from local residents and what is making them so angry about the May Rd bottle shop is that there has been no community consultation. The blame for that lies squarely at C&R’s door. In March of this year they block voted against proposals to better regulate off-license liquor stores. C&R voted against the community and to keep the free-market in liquor”

“We will actively support local residents in their fight against this particular store, and we will continue to campaign for our community to have a real say over liquor policy in our own backyard. In particular we will be making it a priority to push on with our call for a local liquor licensing trust that gives the community a direct say over liquor issues here in Mt Roskill”, concludes Wood.

ENDS

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Media Statement: Boards must take control of Dominion Rd shambles

“We are thrilled by C&R’s limp back down on their shambolic Dominion Rd proposal, but we are concerned by what will happen next”, says Michael Wood a spokesperson for Roskill Community Voice, a team contesting the Puketapapa Local Board.

“From the beginning C&R’s plan was a shambles. They purposely tried to force it through in a rushed timeframe to get it in place before the October elections. So flawed was the plan though, and so great was the resistance from local communities, that they had no choice but to back down”, continues Wood.

“The tragedy of the botched process is that it has obscured the fact that there are real issues on Dominion Rd. It is not pedestrian friendly, traffic is often heavily congested, public transport requires further improvements, and cyclists face real peril. We have always agreed that Dominion Rd needs changes, just not in the way that C&R proposed.”

“Following on from that undemocratic process, we are now really concerned that Auckland City is sending the issue to Auckland Transport, the new CCO that is run by unelected government appointees. What we really need is for the issue of Dominion Rd to come back to the communities of Dominion Rd.”

“Our position is that a new plan for Dominion Rd needs to be developed at the grassroots. A Roskill Community Voice Local Board will hold public hearings about the future of Dominion Rd, and we will include all of the stakeholders from the start. We did not accept C&R hijacking the development of this Auckland icon, and we will not accept an unaccountable CCO doing the same”, concludes Wood.

Ends