Wednesday, June 24, 2009



Be afraid. Be very afraid

The government hasn't even finished turning Auckland into a rich-boy's oligarchy, and Peter Dunne is already arguing that it should do the same to Wellington:

UnitedFuture leader and Ohariu MP, Peter Dunne, says the establishment of an Auckland supercity makes it inevitable and necessary that Wellington would go down a similar path.

[...]

Mr Dunne proposed a Wellington supercity extending as far north as Waikanae, but excluding Wairarapa, with one elected council and mayor, supported by a network of community boards, to replace the Wellington, Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, and Kapiti councils, and the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

“We cannot afford to delay unduly on this, and ought to be starting now to develop a comprehensive regional plan, ideally capable of being implemented for next year’s local body elections,” he said.

Such centralisation of power inevitably means silencing a local voice. The result will be a more remote and unaccountable "local" government. And that is not something we need, in Wellington or in Auckland.

Sounds like Wellingtonians who want to keep control of their local council need to de-elect Dunne at the first opportunity.