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The Dairy and Business Owners Group is calling on retailers, restaurateurs and business owners to stand for council election in 2022 as part of a ‘business extinction rebellion.’
“You have to wonder if councillors and council managers have shares in Westfield given how they want to destroy retail in Auckland and Wellington especially,” says Sunny Kaushal, Establishment Chair of the Dairy and Business Owners Group.
“If we don’t get adults at the council table next year, then thousands of retail and food businesses face extinction. In central Auckland, the average number of pedestrians on Queen Street is down 30% since mid-2018 with almost 1:10 stores (9.44%) empty according to Bayleys.”
“JLL paints a similar picture for Wellington’s CBD that’s caught the business equivalent of ‘long Covid.'”
“No one at these councils, or in government, seems to care or do anything about the beggars, the grime or the crime, which multiplies as each business closes.”
“Instead of taking a leaf from the big malls that offer free and safe parking, these councillors are anti-car as are the faceless petty council officials behind them. Central Auckland is a mess.”
“The 60-months of chaos since the City Rail Link broke ground hasn’t helped. In 2016 they said it would be completed by the end of this year for $2.5 billion. It’s now going to be at least 2024 we are currently told and the cost has shot up to at least $4.419 billion at the moment.”
“Just recently, we’ve been asked for our ideas on how to reactivate the CBD but with no money. Excuse me? Where have these overpaid suits been? We have been asking the council for a plan for years when people first started voting with their accelerator pedal.”
“And what’s next? Congestion charges for Auckland and Wellington. That’ll really help reverse the footfall we’ve lost from Covid and remote working as more offices and workers will just relocate out leading to more business closures.”
“The mentality seems to be if it moves, charge it. If it stops moving, ticket it. If it involves lycra, fund it.”
“Now, Wellington’s councillors are looking to Auckland’s Queen Street and CBD as some template for its future. They want to ban cars and pedestrianise New Zealand’s last true golden mile. Have they been to Auckland?”
“Forget hector’s dolphin as Lambton Quay should be on the endangered species list.”
“JLL said Lambton Quay is in decline until footfall and tourists return but with 3,000 carparks lost since 2016, the councillors there now want congestion charging and an extension to the time and cost of the few car parks that remain. The only ones smiling are Westfield’s shareholders.”
“It’s time to get adults around the council table to make our towns and cities vibrant and the best ones who know about that are the businesses who sell to the general public.”
“It’s time for a Business Extinction Rebellion,” Sunny Kaushal said.
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