The good people of the Hawke's Bay have delivered the final
blow to amalgamation agenda of the Local Government Commission (LGC). A
referendum of residents has rejected amalgamation by a margin of two to one. In
doing so they also delivered a slap in the face of Hastings Mayor and Chairman
of the Local Government trade union, Lawrence Yule, and a thoroughly deserved
boot up the bum to Basil Morrison, the former chairman of the LGC, who in my
view is the epitome of arrogance and disrespect for public opinion.
The victory in the Hawke's Bay reminds me of the expression,
people power is stronger than people in power. It's just a shame that people
power is so difficult to achieve.
