Gisborne Mayor John Clarke is furious about remarks made by National MP Bob Simcock at the party's annual conference in Auckland.
The mayor is angry at comments Mr Simcock made in a speech when he strongly attacked people who refused to work and said National would not pay people to stay on benefits.
The comment that really raised Mr Clarke's ire was that "there is no excuse for being on the dole in Gisborne or smoking dope when there are jobs to be had."
Mr Clarke said he did not disagree with Mr Simcock's general philosophy because no one, including many unemployed, wanted to see so much emphasis on state dependency.
"The issue for me was why Gisborne.
"Why not Northland or Southland, or the Chatham Islands or better still why name a place at all.
"The reality is that neither Mr Simcock nor his National colleagues would know much about Gisborne because I doubt they have bothered to come here and talk to those who understand the big picture.
"Nor, when they were in Government for nine years, did they do anything in the wider social field. Instead, they perpetuated a situation which they are now experts in changing."
Mr Clarke said former Finance Minister Bill Birch told regions such as Gisborne that they were on their own.
"And he meant it. Well, let me tell Mr Simcock and his aspiring mates that statements like that won't change anything.
"He needs to start getting alongside local communities, iwi, local Government and agencies who operate at grass roots and work with them to effect change."
- NZPA
Gisborne swipe enrages mayor
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