Resignations from Goals ‘unnecessary’

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 6

Resignations from Goals ‘unnecessary’

By

KAY FORRESTER

The Going for Goals chairman, Mr Alan Shadwell, will not be calling for the resignations of Goals people involved in the local body elections.

Mr Shadwell said last evening he did not believe it was necessary for those who were candidates in the elections or active in campaigns to step aside from Going for Goals until after election day, October 14.

Last week one candidate, Mrs Carole Evans, offered her resignation from one of the Goals task forces and called for everyone involved in the election to follow suit. If those seeking political office withdrew from Going for Goals until after the election it would not be a political football, she said.

On Friday evening the leader of the Christchurch Action team, Mrs Margaret Murray, who has been accused of hijacking Going for Goals to win her places on the new Christchurch City Council, said the candidates in her team would resign from Going for Goals if Mr Shadwell deemed it necessary. That was how committed her candidates were, Mrs Murray said. Mr Shadwell had issued a statement on Thursday emphasising the need for Going for Goals to remain independent. He reiterated that yesterday but did not feel the resignations of Goals people who were candidates or campaigners was necessary.

“I’ll be keeping a close eye on it, obviously, and if it does become necessary I will ask for those resignations. But I don’t believe I should do that at

this stage or will need to later,” he said. Goals people who are Christchurch Action candidates are the executive director Mr lan Shrimpton, Messrs Jamie Tulloch, Derek Anderson and Philip Carter, Mrs Pieter Stewart, and Mrs Murray. The first two are members of the Goals executive, the others are involved on task forces. Two United Citizens candidates, Sir Hamish Hay and Mrs Honor Bonsich, are also members of Going for Goals. Sir Hamish is an ex officio member of the executive; Mrs Bonisch a task force chairwoman.

“We have people from more than one group,” Mr Shadwell said. “That balances things a little, but we do have to be careful.”

Mr Shrimpton said the Christchurch Action Goals candidates had discussed

their possible withdrawal. They were prepared to opt out of Going for Goals for eight weeks if Mr Shadwell asked them to.

Mr Shrimpton said the absence of the candidates would not have any effect on Going for Goals. “There are other people immediately below the task force leaders who could sit in. And for my own position, the Going for Goals full-time administrator, Tui Short, could fill in,” he said. This was echoed by Mr Shadwell.

“Going for Goals will go on for a lot longer than eight weeks. It will continue after the present people are no longer involved. It could do without them for eight weeks if it had to,” he said. Mr Shadwell said he had received some calls about the perceived political link betwen Going for Goals and Christchurch Action. They had mostly supported his stand for independence. Going for Goals released some of its goals last Thursday evening. They drew congratulations over the week-end from the member of Parliament > for Christchurch North, Mr Mike Moore, who praised the people of Christchurch for seizing the initiative. Among the goals to be achieved by Christmas is the linking of city amenities through tree lighting and lighting part of the Avon River between Victoria Square and Cashel Street.