Post by Kiwi Frontline on May 26, 2024 19:37:05 GMT 12
Frank Newman: THE LETTER FROM MAYORS & CHAIRS.
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 on the BreakingViews link below).
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 d1pepq1a2249p5.cloudfront.net/media/documents/Letter_from_LGNZ_Mayors_and_Chairs_on_M%C4%81ori_wards_and_constituencies_S4jE57h.pdf
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/05/frank-newman-letter-from-mayors-chairs.html
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 on the BreakingViews link below).
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 d1pepq1a2249p5.cloudfront.net/media/documents/Letter_from_LGNZ_Mayors_and_Chairs_on_M%C4%81ori_wards_and_constituencies_S4jE57h.pdf
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/05/frank-newman-letter-from-mayors-chairs.html