NO TO AMALGAMATION

Napier Labour Party candidate and anti-amalgamation campaigner Stuart Nash believes there are political motives behind vandals who damaged three anti-amalgamation signs during the weekend.

Mr Nash has had to replace the signs, at the intersection of Hyderabad Road, Carlyle and Thackeray streets and Georges Drive, after vandals painted out part of the “No to Amalgamation” message.

“I take this action very seriously as this doesn’t appear to be the random actions of some yob on the way back from town, but rather a deliberate attempt to manipulate the message, ” he said.

“This kind of vandalism does no good to those on the other side of the debate, and I hope this action was not sanctioned by those running the pro-amalgamation lobby, but it’s hard to imagine they didn’t know. The bottom line is: it’s illegal, it’s dirty politics and in my experience it turns people off. Perhaps they should put their efforts into more positive endeavours as opposed to attempting to subvert those of us who are working hard to ensure amalgamation does not occur.

Mr Nash has been a vocal and high-profile opponent of pro-amalgamation lobby group ABHB, and the Local Government Commission draft proposal to merge Hawke’s Bay’s five councils.

“There is a cost to this. Not just the signs themselves, but I also received resource consent to display them. All the great people out there who have provided me with locations for these shouldn’t have to put up with vandalised signs on their property. I’m more determined than ever to keep getting the message out there that Napier’s future as a city depends on voting ‘No’ to amalgamation.”