No politics in 3-bin stance: Shadbolt

BY EVAN HARDING

A city councillor has accused Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt of using the proposed three-bin rubbish service for political gain in election year.

Mr Shadbolt has rejected the claim, made by Cr Geoff Piercy.

The mayor told The Southland Times this week he would ask city councillors at today's full council meeting whether an independently run scientific poll should be held on the controversial three-bin rubbish system.

It was important for the council to know the public's thoughts on the three-bin system before councillors voted on it next month, Mr Shadbolt said.

The mayor's "unscientific" phone poll last week had 70 per cent of respondents say they were against the three-bin system, which was the opposite of other polls on the same issue, he said.

Supporters of the three-bin rubbish service, including Cr Piercy, were no longer saying 70 per cent supported it, but instead saying residents would like the new rubbish service once it was established, the mayor said.

However, Cr Piercy, the council's works and services committee chairman, yesterday suggested Mr Shadbolt was ill-informed on the three-bin proposal and had not taken the time to discuss the implications of it.

"All the stuff (about the three-bin service) is nonsense that he is talking. His whole attitude is politicking ... it's election year."

Mr Shadbolt last night said if he had been politicking he would have taken a low profile on the three-bin issue because it was so controversial.

He wasn't ill-informed either, having visited the Timaru, Christchurch, North Shore and Auckland councils to get more information on solid waste, he said.

Cr Piercy said Mr Shadbolt's mayoral poll was biased because he had forewarned people he was against the three-bin system.

Mr Shadbolt said he had wanted to put his cards on the table and let people know he wanted more information on the proposal, which if implemented would cost ratepayers an extra $100 a year.

Cr Piercy said he had conducted his own polls when doing public speaking and they showed 60 to 70 per cent of residents supported the three-bin service.

Both men agreed if another poll were held it should be independently run, with Cr Piercy saying only ratepayers should be asked the questions because they would be the ones paying for the three-bin service.

- © Fairfax NZ News