Representation 

Here we go again.

Reading a host of comments relating to the amalgamation game one can't help but notice the new round of Council inhabitants has no idea about history, no idea about roles of local authorities and no idea about local government legislation.

Even staff now are a new round of bureaucrats that  have largely not experienced the upheaval  caused by forced change.

I read a comment 'should have happened 25 years ago ' from someone I recognised and reflected on the battle that ensued at the time and the massive amount of money spent on consultants and experts and meetings that finally gave ratepayers no change.

All that effort is lost as no one wants to learn from history  and the know it all faction that think bigger is better and that local government will be saved by major change are going to win out. They will win out because the thinking people have left the room and everyone left is exhausted.

Rates increases are crushing all and sundry and the solution appears to be less councils.

One glaring example of why amalgamation will be wrong waa a suggestion that a new makeup would see Napier with 4 Councillors, Hastings with 4 Councillors and the rural area with 2.

It sounds so easy but the huge rural area with two representatives would be crushed by the urban sector.

There is absolutely no way this should be allowed .It shows the complete lack of understanding of  why Regional Councils were formed around catchments and their role centred around issues affecting a whole region. Across boundaries.

The existing system in Hawkes Bay has been working well and changes over the years have given us a setup that works.

I would bet that there are no Councillors sitting around the City or District Council tables that have any idea of the roles they are supposed to undertake or the role of the Regional Council .

Hawkes Bay is in for a major deterioration in the effectiveness of Local Government and a major headwind for those in the rural areas.

And I will add,  a big increase in rates if amalgamation occurs. 

  

 

  

Local Body Re-organisation

It is interesting reading the many columns and comments spraying about in the media over the politicians forced action on re organising Local Government.

The ' Battle of Hastings 1977'

The Mayor of Hastings JJ O'Connor , said in the war over Local Government proposals ."This was a death blow to Hastings hopes for a strong independent ,democratic, regional planning authority and two district councils on the plains"

"The United Council outraged his 'every instinct' for democracy .He did not object to rationilisation but to taxation without representation.

New Zealand has been constantly under attack over the makeup of Local Government .the arguments are nearly always the same and last for years while competing sides jostle for dominance.

The 1989 reforms were possibly a good move as the country developed but it was driven by a Labour Government that may not have had the rural sector front of mind in trying to reshape Districts and Regions.

Hawkes Bay was thrust in to the reorganising argument again 20 years ago when more  of the bigger is better proponents embarked on yet another attempt to scupper the power of the people.

With  the latest attack another bevy of the better people has emerged from the Beehive and rolled out the same arguments only this time they have some traction because public servants have become a law unto themselves and ratepayers have a bad taste in their mouth over continued rate rises and less recognition of economic realities.

It is interesting that the Ministers involved were only just out of nappies when the Hawkes Bay region  was embroiled in patriotic impasses and Chamber of Commerce conniptions  regurgitating motions of earlier Mayors and Councils over the best way to cut a pizza.

The latest attack on Local Government has come from politicians who lack an understanding of Local Government and how it works.

The worst part of the attack is that it has been precipitated in response to a situation of politicians own making.

The Resource Management Act started out as a new way, a permissive approach to manage our resources. 

Fiddling over the years and failing to address handbrake clauses , has created a situation where staff  that have come through the system with the latest environmental indoctrination , have then managed to create a monster.

There are major problems but the answer is not to crush the responsible body , but to remove the irritation from within. 

The issues that need to be dealt with are not going to go away but the approach can be altered or carefully steered in the right direction.

It is possible that the noises being made about new authorities show that misunderstanding the makeup of the  beast may lead to a devil of a creature arising in the night.        

        

    

 

 New Valuations

Prior to Gabrielle property valuations were increasing as fast as a nascar and people were overcome with excitement as dreams dominated.

The way to becoming rich and too bad if you missed out on the ladder millions here we come.

Post Gabrielle as furrowed brows perused the rates bill , the valuation didn't look so good.

Properties swamped. Properties demolished . Land smothered in sucking silt and the valuations stayed the same.

It was good and it was bad.

Let's play a game. How much is a property worth? Do the valuers know? They did on the way up but what about on the way down?

Council told the drowned populace they couldn't change the valuations so the rates had to stay the same.

With valuations being carried out every three years residents were caught between showers.

At least one council made a quick decision and allowed affected ratepayers two years rate free. The main   culprit however dug their heels in to the mud and would not budge. The council who bore the greatest responsibility for the community crushing event said look over there. We didn't see a thing and cough or else.

Come 2026 and the new valuations for the district arrive in the mail (remember letters, mail, postman) and with great trepidation envelopes are opened all over Hastings in anticipation of what??

Holy, moly.

Becoming rich really is a dream now. It appears valuations have taken a tumble and the implications will be significant for a host of ratepayers.

My own valuation is questionable given the restoration back to almost the same as before the flood. 

It's going to take a while to evaluate this one.     

     

Misunderstood Local Government

Applause from the expensive seats is reverberating around social media. Yeah. Do away with Regional Councils. Yeah, get rid of all Councils. Let's stop paying so many councillors fat salaries for doing nothing.

Maybe it's my nature but as an elected councillor  and a thinker I wanted to learn about the role and functions of a council and I took my role as a representative of my constituents seriously.

I was given a copy of the Local Government Act and the Resource Management Act from the start and must say it was a shock to the system. What do I do now?

On reflection it was a great move by the CE.I doubt many elected members these days even look at the legislation that dictates what they do.

Also being involved with many hearings involving aspects of the regions resources soon explained the value of a grasp of the law. Local Government is a creature of legislation.

So it was good to see one respected commentator write a column that in effect agreed with my assessment of the amalgamation question and also identify the root cause of the excessive rates problem.

Those who think Councils should disappear are shallow thinking, superficial, probably dominant types who lack depth in life.

Don't get me wrong about rates. I hate rates. Trouble is society has to operate and we need someone to collect the rubbish and fix potholes.

What has happened over a number of years is nothing to do with the number of councils or councillors it is more to do with the legislation and the expansion of local government into areas it should have nothing to do with. It is mainly the Territorial Authorities that have made use of the law to go on spending sprees and throw ratepayers money around like there is no tomorrow. It is mainly the TA's that have become the go to for all and sundry for funding of a plethora of projects.

Another massive impost has been (Central Government imposed and endorsed) climate departments that should never exist but model on forever and think they can change the temperature in Timbuktu. 

LG has grown into a monster and Central Government have been responsible for this happening.

I will tackle the role of Regional Councils separately because of their importance.

Changing the LG legislation to better prescribe the role of councils would be far better than creating a bigger monster that will eventuate from the proposed, forced shakeup.

 

   

  

  

Rates, Reaction, Reform.

There is a resounding 'yes' in reaction to the Governments aggressive response to 'fixing ' local government.

I mean who doesn't want rates reduced? Who doesn't want to see red tape scissored and Councillors snuffed out?

Councils sit around doing nothing and charge the earth for doing it. All they do is have meetings and mealbreaks. Just an absolute waste of time. There was even one suggestion on X that Councils should be done away with completely.

Since the forced reforms of 1989 there has been a slow takeover of councils up and down the country. The days of the Council being a place where well to do businessmen sat around and pondered where to best spend the next ratepayers dollar have been exchanged for a mish mash makeup of all and sundry.

A great place to find a seat for outspoken shallow thinking residents who   have been looking for a niche to slot in to. A place to earn a dollar where other options are too hard.

There used to be those arguing for councillors to be only elected by ratepayers. Could that be right? 

Goodness knows how many elected Councillors are sitting around polished tables now and have never paid rates in their life.I know I know they probably pay via rent. But is that the same?

Not only has there been a takeover of the decision makers but also the insidious creep has slipped through every nook and cranny in Council buildings that have grown with the creep and exploded with a bloated bureaucracy that has an answer for every ratepayer   moan and groan.

Exorbitant union forced salaries have secretly lifted the public servant from approachable , helpful ,suit attired  nine to fiver , to a highly qualified know all , that looks down his nose at ratepayers and scoffs at the idea that they may question a professional.

The staff are no longer servants .They live in another world where the local Government Act and the Resource Management Act reign  supreme.

So what has happened? 

Politicians love to pass legislation in the local government lane and down the track point the finger at the expanding power  and excess red tape that results.

Politicians don't understand local government yet many chase a Council seat on being turfed from there Wellington job.

For years the Hawkes Bay region was attacked by parties that wanted to amalgamate councils and make things more efficient .Get rid of CEO's and save money.

The attempts were thwarted .

Now we face another confrontation .Central Government has some bullies that think they know best and they will force ratepayers in to submission whether they like it or not.

Compulsion is undemocratic.

         

   

  

Local Government

New Zealand should be the best country in the world .

The best country to live in.

Councils have played a major part in the history of  New Zealand and were once respected bodies and the Town Clerk and Mayor were key figures in communities.

The latest move by Government to shake up Local Government in New Zealand is a response to years of lobbying by those who believe bigger is better and that amalgamations and mergers and even cancelling will serve up a better dinner for the long suffering ratepayer.

In recent years we have seen the Auckland monster created by Rodney Hide (I  wonder if he still thinks it was a good idea) and rates that were supposed to be lower because of efficiencies and scale but instead have continued on the upward path.

In Local Government  bigger is not better. It's the nature of the beast.

NZ has a problem. Yes Local Government needs fixing .

Getting rid of Regional Councils and forcing amalgamations is not the answer. I repeat it is NOT the answer. 

So back to basics.

What is the problem.

The problem is the Local Government Act and to a lesser extent the Resource Management Act .

Why are people crying for Local Government to be fixed. Because rates keep going up.

That is the problem.

Developing a bespoke Act to try and change the quantum of rates increases is a flawed attempt to correct a problem and in fact I will speculate now and suggest that if these reforms are pushed through they will result in a worse situation and greater increases in rates.

There is a host of issues tied up in Local Government that will not be solved by bigger bodies and less representation.

I feel I will have to expand on this issue as more of the agenda is exposed.

Cycles, El Nino,  The Moon

It's great when it's fine and warm. No wind. Grass growing .Birds singing and everything about us glorious.

Other times when we curse the weather underline the web of life, the daily grind and the challenges we constantly face.

There is so much information available now to help us understand the weather and the importance it has in shaping our lives.

I have read some incredible articles on weather cycles. You have to adjust your thinking to accommodate the timelines of cycles but the latest referring to 60 year cycles could be playing out while we work away in our routines. 

Warming over a 6o year period and then cooling over another 60 years could put us in a cooling phase. Oh no .Global warming may not be happening anymore.

Another column discusses the moon and its influence  on the planet. Can people conceive that?  The moon that a team just flew around up their in the night sky  .  Could the moon influence the weather? Well we know about the tides so why not.

Then there is El Nino and La Nina. The Southern Oscillation.

Warning are starting to emerge about a strong El Nino coming to a valley near you this year.

I just mention these issues briefly to show how irrelevant we are. Anyone who thinks that throwing money at carbon arresting projects is going to change the weather either way, has to be dreaming.

We live .We learn. We adapt.

A never ending process.