Dunne not down or out of Ohariu

AMALGAMATION BY STEALTH

Remember reading Paula Bennett’s warning in the August 5, 2015 Leader after the Local Government commissioners ditched the one council plan for the Wellington region?

‘‘Just because the Local Government Commission had taken reorganisation proposals for Wellington off the table… councils can all continue as you have. Well you can’t.’’ The government’s recent release of The Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill 2016 makes it clear that Bennett was not issuing idle threats. This new attempt to reorganise local councils against their will, represents the substantial transfer of powers, responsibilities and duties away from councils. It also would reduce the opportunity for the public to participate in and influence their local decision making.

Under the Amendment Bill 2016 our local democracy would be undermined and our rates would flow out of our city. This is essentially amalgamation by stealth.

At a time when the people are fighting to ‘‘Take Back’’ their governments globally it is insulting to see the New Zealand central government threaten our local democracy. Perhaps our leaders have forgotten that they are (humble) civil servants who work to represent the taxpayers of this country whose hard earned dollars pay their salaries.

Now is the time to remind them.

Make a submission AGAINST this bill and in favour of maintaining our local Upper Hutt City Council. Online submissions close on 28 July.

Mary Beth Taylor

Whiteman’s Valley

HOUSING ELECTION PLOY?

Recently the Labour Party announced that it would build 1000 new state houses a year as well as building a similar amount of affordable properties. The Government has responded by setting up a billion dollar fund for local authorities to borrow from, not receive as a grant, to help with the infra structure in new housing developments. However as it often takes 12 to 18 months to get a permit for new sub-divisions then this fund should have been available five years ago if it is to have any serious impact on the present housing crisis.

Since the Labour Party announcement of building more state houses suddenly the Housing Corporation has said it will stop paying a dividend to the government and put $2billion into new state houses. Why did they not do this eight years ago and perhaps avoided the problem of homelessness and people living in cars and tents? This to me seems to be a ‘‘Me Too’’ catch up and an attempt to deflect some of the criticism that this government does not care. Furthermore as I am an old cynic could this just be a ploy to try to win the next election and if they do will they then revert to selling state houses and the land that was once occupied by state housing?

Robert Bryan

Wallaceville

CHOCOLATE THANKS

Many thanks to the man who kindly gave me a $5 note to purchase a hot chocolate at the opening of the Cafe Blume. The delicious drink in delightful surroundings revived me sufficiently to walk back home. The unknown man is more than welcome to come round any day to join us for morning or afternoon tea.

Colin Rammell

Wallaceville Last month, the Greens and Labour agreed to co-operate during next year’s election campaign, to maximise the centre-left vote. But there have been very few indications of how this agreement might work in practice.

For now, the Ohariu seat is widely seen as Ground Zero for how the Greens/Labour agreement will play out at electorate level.

Current OhariuMP and United Future leader Peter Dunne hasn’t heard much about the shape of the challenge he’s likely to face.

In fact, Dunne is not even willing to commit on whether he’ll be standing again in 2017.

‘‘To be perfectly honest I won’t make that call until much later on. But I see no reason why not.’’

On paper, Dunne’s 710 vote majority looks highly vulnerable to a pincer movement by the Greens and Labour.

If the centre-left does collude against him next year, would Dunne expect to receive a sizeable sympathy vote?

‘‘Its interesting you say that. Since that [collusion] has been speculated on, what feedback I have got is exactly that.

People are saying, ‘we’re not going to let that happen’,’’ he says.

‘‘But if it occurred, there’s a whole other side of the ledger that hasn’t been tapped.’’

Meaning? Explicit collusion by the centre-left, Dunne explains, may result in a similar counter move on the centre-right.

‘‘Look on the other side of the ledger [at the combined Dunne/ National vote] and add those votes together.

That is not even being considered. That just blows the [Greens/Labour] thing out of the water.’’

Maybe. Could local people also resent the Ohariu electorate being treated merely as a piece in a national jigsaw?

‘‘That could be a factor,’’ Dunne agrees.

‘‘Particularly since when there have been arrangements [elsewhere] in the past, the people who are now considering such arrangements have been at the forefront of criticising those sort of things.

‘‘All I’d say is that the people who are saying, ‘Labour plus Greens equals Goodbye Peter’, well, that’s far too simplistic.’’

It is early days, but has Dunne been hearing any gossip as to whether a Labour or Greens candidate will get first crack at him? ‘‘No. I’m not.’’

Could, as rumoured, Greens leader James Shaw be readying himself for the role of Dunneslayer in Ohariu? Not according to Dunne. ‘‘He’s indicated to me that won’t be the case.’’

Shaw confirms Dunne’s hunch.

‘‘This new attempt to reorganise local councils against their will, represents the substantial transfer of powers ... away from councils.’’ ‘‘The people who are saying, 'Labour plus Greens equals Goodbye Peter', well, that's far too simplistic.’’

‘‘Its extremely unlikely I’d go to Ohariu.’’

He doesn’t live there, and has run two good campaigns in Wellington Central. Nor have the Greens and Labour yet decided which party would be the main beneficiary of any eal struck between them in Ohariu.

‘‘We haven’t had that conversation yet.’’ Shaw says.

After Dunne’s 32 years in Parliament, voters could surely be forgiven for thinking of him as being more part of the problem than part of the solution.

Even so, Dunne ticks off plenty of tasks still left for him to complete.

‘‘Major work on archives and libraries. Aspirational stuff to do with our place in the world. Plenty of challenges in health. If you’re asking whether I’ve achieved all I set out to do? By no means.’’