Thank you for spreading the joy
A (very) belated thank you to the Mangakahia Gardening Club Ladies.
I have just had to throw out the last of an impromptu bouquet which was one of many, given out to anyone that showed an interest in their annual “Brighten your Day” morning at the Whangarei Central Library last month.
Thank you ladies for spreading the simplicity of joy of the unexpected. Janette Bilton Whangarei
Misses the point
District councillor Ken
Couper appears to be confused about what it actually is that his council does.
In an article appearing in the Bream Bay News (Nov 19, 20), he argues that adverse social statistics for Maori are a reason why his council should have Maori wards.
He seems to miss the obvious point that it is the role of central government not local government to address the many negative social statistics affecting Maori.
Does he really need to be reminded that the primary purpose of local councils remains infrastructure and property services? Heavens knows, there is plenty for the WDC to do in that area. Further, Cr Couper did not address the most important issue and that is why he voted against Maori wards being put to the community at large for a mandate. Does he think the community at large is racist? Does he not trust his electors to make the right decision, the very same electors he trusted last year when they elected him as their councillor? Lastly, surely the best way to approach poor social statistics is to focus on need not ethnicity. Racebased wards will do nothing but divide our community.
Geoff Parker Kamo
Maori wards
Councillors who have recently voted
to install Maori wards without any public consultancy need to bear in mind this usually did not form part of their electoral manifestos and they have no public mandate to go down this path. Polls usually end up with 70 to 85 per cent no votes to wards from citizens.
As it stands the Local Electoral Act 2001 law is heavily weighted against citizens as it forces them at considerable time, inconvenience, and cost to organise and file the 5 per cent petitions within a short timeframe.
In reality the total obligation should be on errant councils to initiate and organise a referendum poll at the same time and in conjunction with three yearly local government elections cycles which saves considerable ratepayer cost and is not haphazard. Why not just change the law to rationalise this process accordingly along these lines and force councils to toe the line in name of openness, transparency accountability and honesty. This is not what Ms Mahuta, the part Maori sovereignty activists and the woke crew envisage — quite the reverse in fact, they want the democratic referendums scrapped and that ain’t a level playing field.
Rob Paterson Mount Maunganui