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 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