What IS going on in NZ?

Lots of Local Government people privately bemoan the amount of consultation that occurs - often with the same small groups of people in their local communities. But to legislate consultation in the proposed manner in NZ is simply mad. A local resident activist describes the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill as a:

"... desire to strip local communities of their consultation rights. The Bill goes on to say that an intention is to “remove unnecessary consultation”, particularly around Long Term Council Community Plans. These are the 10-year plans that set the strategic direction and imperatives for Councils; a great many Wellington community and private groups currently provide input into how these are shaped by the Wellington City Council and the Regional Council.

Under the proposals in the Bill, the community consultation for LTCCPs would be completely removed – and then in a move that would make George Orwell gasp in admiration, Councils are constrained by the Bill to only being able to undertake activities that are included in the LTCCP."