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Frank Newman writes –
Earlier this week Local Government NZ sent a letter to the leaders of the coalition parties and Ministers Simeon Brown and Tama Potaka. It was signed by 52 local government leaders (see list appended).
The essence of the letter is this:
Our position…is that Māori wards and constituencies should be treated like all other wards and that decisions should be made at the council level. Polls aren’t required on any other wards or constituencies, and requiring them will add increased costs to councils.
Polls are not required where ward boundaries are changed, created or consolidated, because it does not change the electoral system.
That petition right was first introduced in 2001 when STV was introduced as an alternative to FPP for the 2004 and subsequent local body elections. That petition right remains today.
When Māori reserved seats on local authorities were permitted in an amendment to the Local Electoral Act in 2002, the Clark Labour Government extended the petition right to include Māori wards, because it introduced the Māori electoral roll into the local electoral system.
There is a very good reason why the binding petition right should apply whenever councillors change the electoral system. It’s because they have a vested interest in the way they are elected! Democratic fairness dictates that electors should have the final say about how their representatives are elected.
Their letter goes on to say:
We are disappointed this is in contrast with the commitments the Government made during the election campaign to empower local government to make decisions about its own communities.
It is absurd for these elected leaders to say the coalition government campaigned to empower local councillors. The narrative around local democracy has been about encouraging greater engagement with local communities, not less. For these 52 luminaries to see no wrong in their proposal displays an incredible arrogance and delusional lack of understanding about their role as community representatives.
Reinstating the petition right strengthens local democracy.
But it should go further. The binding petition right should be extended to become a general right applying to any resolution passed by a local authority. Only then will local councillors appreciate that they are representatives.
A counterargument to a general petition right is that this may prompt too many petitions on matters of little importance and impose unnecessary costs on councils – ratepayers.
From experience, I assure detractors that achieving the threshold support of 5% of registered electors in the form required is no easy task, especially when the voter turnout in local elections is typically less than 50%. It requires a well-resourced and organised team and the issue must be of great public interest.
See their letter Here >>>
The signatories are:
Bay of Plenty Regional Council |
Chair Doug Leeder |
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council |
Mayor Alex Walker |
Central Otago District Council |
Mayor Tim Cadogan |
Chatham Islands Council |
Mayor Monique Croon |
Clutha District Council |
Mayor Bryan Cadogan |
Dunedin City Council |
Mayor Jules Radich |
Environment Canterbury |
Acting Chair Craig Pauling |
Environment Southland |
Chair Nicol Horrell |
Far North District Council |
Mayor Moko Tepania |
Gisborne District Council |
Mayor Rehette Stoltz |
Gore District Council |
Mayor Ben Bell |
Greater Wellington Regional Council |
Chair Daran Ponter |
Hastings District Council |
Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst |
Hauraki District Council |
Mayor Toby Adams |
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council |
Chair Hinewai Ormsby |
Horizons Regional Council |
Chair Rachel Keedwell |
Horowhenua District Council |
Mayor Bernie Wanden |
Hutt City Council |
Mayor Campbell Barry |
Kāpiti Coast District Council |
Mayor Janet Holborow |
Kawerau District Council |
Mayor Faylene Tunui |
Mackenzie District Council |
Mayor Anne Munro |
Marlborough District Council |
Mayor Nadine Taylor |
Masterton District Council |
Mayor Gary Caffell |
Mayor Janet Holborow |
Mayor Neil Holdom |
Napier City Council |
Mayor Kirsten Wise |
New Plymouth District Council |
Mayor Neil Holdom |
Northland Regional Council |
Chair Geoff Crawford |
Ōpōtiki District Council |
Mayor David Moore |
Ōtorohanga District Council |
Mayor Max Baxter |
Palmerston North City Council |
Mayor Grant Smith |
Porirua City Council |
Mayor Anita Baker |
Rangitīkei District Council |
Mayor Andy Watson |
Ruapehu District Council |
Mayor Weston Kirton |
Selwyn District Council |
Mayor Sam Broughton |
South Taranaki District Council |
Mayor Phil Nixon |
South Waikato District Council |
Mayor Gary Petley |
South Wairarapa District Council |
Mayor Martin Connelly |
Southland District Council |
Mayor Rob Scott |
Stratford District Council |
Mayor Neil Volzke |
Taranaki Regional Council |
Chair Charlotte Littlewood |
Tararua District Council |
Mayor Tracey Collis |
Tasman District Council |
Mayor Tim King |
Taupō District Council |
Mayor David Trewavas |
Te Maruata Rōpū Whakahaere |
Cr Toni Boynton & Cr Iaean Cranwell |
Thames-Coromandel District Council |
Mayor Len Salt |
Upper Hutt City Council |
Mayor Wayne Guppy |
Waikato District Council |
Mayor Jacqui Church |
Waikato Regional Council |
Chair Pamela Storey |
Waipā District Council |
Mayor Susan O’Regan |
Wairoa District Council |
Mayor Craig Little |
Waitaki District Council |
Mayor Gary Kircher |
Wellington City Council |
Mayor Tory Whanau |
Whakatāne District Council |
Mayor Dr Victor Luca |
Whanganui District Council |
Mayor Andrew Tripe |
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This article by Frank Newman was first published by Breaking Views.
It follows that the Petition right should be extended to allow Recall Petitions. Only then will ratepayers be able to hold their elected representatives truly accountable during their term in office. Current 3 years is too long for poor performers. With Recall Elections the term could be extended to 4 or 5 years and good performers could be allowed to stay without having to be voted in again (thus saving money).
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