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The Star 15
News
Latest Christchurch news at www.
.kiwi
Thursday March 16 2017
By-election may cost $65,000
• By Bridget Rutherford
A BY-ELECTION to replace city
councillor Raf Manji, should
he win the Ilam seat in the
general election,
would cost about
$65,000.
The Waimairi
Ward councillor
has confirmed
he will stand as
in independent
Raf Manji
candidate for the
Ilam electorate in
September’s general election.
It comes five months after he
was voted in for his second term
as a city councillor.
He will come up against
National’s Gerry Brownlee, who
has held the seat since 1996,
Labour’s Anthony Rimell and
David Lee, of the Green Party.
If elected, he said he would
step down as councillor.
City council electoral officer
Jo Daly said a by-election would
be needed to replace him.
“The estimated cost of a contested
election for the Waimairi
Ward is $65,000.”
She said there was no rule that
she was aware of saying a councillor
must step down if they
BEEHIVE CONTEST: If Raf Manji was to beat Gerry Brownlee
in this year’s general election, a city council by-election to
replace him would cost about $65,000.
were successful in the general
election.
Cr Manji said the catalyst
for him to stand was when
then Prime Minister John Key
stepped down in December, because
he had a good relationship
with Christchurch and Cr Manji
did not want that to slip.
“I hadn’t planned to do it
when I ran for council. I had
thought further down the track
but not this one.”
He said the cost of a byelection
was not ideal but it had
happened before.
If there was a way the community
could choose its own
candidate without having to go
through that process he would
be supportive of that, although
he did not know if that could be
done.
Cr Manji said his goal was to
make sure he could be the voice
for Christchurch in Parliament
to continue its recovery. The
launch of his policy platform
next month would outline what
he would stand for, he said.
His experience in council
would help with its relationship
with the Government, he said.
All his campaigning
would be
done in his own
time, he said.
“People who say
independents can’t
Gerry
Brownlee
have influence,
that’s absolutely
not the case.”
Mayor Lianne
Dalziel said she thought Cr
Manji was always destined for
central Government, rather
than local. However she was
surprised he was standing as an
independent because it had its
“challenges.”
Cr Manji, who was first
elected onto the city council in
2013, is currently chairman of
the finance and performance
committee.
Ms Daly said Ms Dalziel
would have the power to appoint
a new chair under the
Local Government Act.
But Cr Manji said he would
still be there to help if needed.
Cr Manji said Mr Brownlee
was a “formidable opponent.”
Police meeting
with residents
tonight
• By Noah Graham
AN ORGANISER of an online
survey about crime in Lyttelton
hopes tonight’s police-prompted
community meeting will not just
be a show of statistics.
A public meeting between police
and the community will be held at
the Lyttelton Primary School hall
at 6pm.
It comes after months of concern
from residents about policing in
Lyttelton.
Paul Dietsche, who helped
organise an online survey which
highlighted the community’s dissatisfaction,
is worried the police
will show statistics that say there
has not been an increase in crime.
But he is hopeful the police will
suggest plans on how the community
and police can work together.
Canterbury area prevention
manager Acting Inspector Paul
Reeves, Senior Sergeant Stephen
McDaniel and Sergeant Dave
Knowles will be at the meeting
to help answer the community’s
questions.
National list MP Nuk Korako
and Port Hills MP Ruth Dyson
will attend. Green Party list MP
Eugenie Sage has requested leave
from Parliament to attend.
Clothing Bin
Locations for
Pink Bags
Blue Child Cancer Foundation bins are
available all over CHRISTCHURCH
for pink clothing bags, any used Clothing,
Toys, Bric-a-Brac and anything useable.
New World Northwood
New World Rolleston
Oderings Cashmere
Countdown Moorhouse Ave
Soleares Ave Shops
Parklands Kindy, 20 Chadbury St
SAVEMART NEW BRighTON, hAWKE ST
Beach Rd Tyre & Auto Centre, 91 Beach Rd
Bealey Discounter, Cnr Bealey & Champion St
SAVEMART 472 CRANFORD ST
Springfield Dairy, Abberley Cres
Roll On inn Dairy, 251 Sawyers Arms Rd
Mobil Redwood
Challenge Service Station Blighs Rd
New World halswell
Westfield Riccarton
SAVEMART 94 ShANDS RD
National Bank Carpark, Riccarton
New World, Peer St
Shopping Centre, Staverley St
SAVEMART 45 BATTERSEA ST
Cracroft Dairy, Cashmere Rd
Countdown Beckenham, Colombo St
Thorrington School
Supervalue Lincoln Rd
Landsdowne Play Centre, Landsdowne Tce
You help a lot when you drop pink clothing bags in
one of the above bins. Any used clothing acceptable,
other bags and cartons of clothing acceptable.
If you can’t get to a bin or have large items, phone for
a collector to call ph 349-5896 or 029 272-5519.
Thank-you for helping.