Aucklanders are in for a shock - something is going to happen. After living for decades in a political cloud of inertia we have a Royal Commission - some findings , a Government with a will to make it happen quick fast and a Minister who will make it happen.
It the Words of BB's dad, "they wont know if their arse is bored, punched or countersunk", such is the speed of the changes - Key has said that he wants everything in place for the local body elections next year.
Rodney Hide says he can do it. We know he can.
Now we are in Auckland tomorrow and Thursday on a couple of missions, we like visiting but wouldn't like to live there. Too big. We like little big Wellington and our green acres but even if we will never live there, we recognise that in the tangled ribbons of highways and hodge podge of sprawled out suburbs, Auckland is an integral part of the NZ economy. So it needs a better system of government.
And we like it that the Chairman of the Board, John Key has set a target for the project and Rodney is project manager.
Good stuff. Good for Auckland and very good for New Zealand.
And when they are finished up there, can the Government turn its sights on Wellington - too many fiefdoms here as well.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
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7 comments:
I used to think the place was too big, but the reality is that however it is managed it is a series of small villiages all joined up. No-one strays far from their patch
Something not quite right here. As Liberty Scott said:
"The debate, of course, should be what is the role of local government?"
"Until you answer that question, the form it would take is pointless to discuss."
Present legislation states;
The purpose of local government is-
(a) to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities: and
(b) to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities, in the present and for the future. (Section 10)
The Role of a local authority is to-
(a) give effect, in relation to its district or region, to the purpose of local government stated in section 10; and
(b) perform duties, and exercise the rights, conferred on it by or under this Act and any other enactment. (Section 11)
Lotsa fifedoms, principalities and little kingdoms everywhere - check out Carterton and South Wairarapa for starters, Kawerau, all sorts through the central north island... and it goes on. Local government employees everywhere must be feeling a little insecure right now (and not before time either)
Couldn't agree more wino. Look at Southland three LAS and one Regional council. Four CEO's and goodness only know how many managers duplicating over and over and over again. Dreaming up fantasies just to keep themselves employed.
The trouble is the shonky legislation that Labour enacted in 2002. The social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities is nonsense, as each one has to be considered equally!
Will Rodney be able to get changes to the Act in a timely manner?
I sure hope so because it is well past the time for CE's to have their parasitic bellies burst!
The functions of local government have been expanded by legislation, as Sally points out, since the fifth Labour government. We need a return to and focus on traditional core functions, where Local Government has a comparative advantage. By this Lamcut means provision of: roading services, public transport, water, refuse collection and disposal and the like. Councils need to exercise caution fiscal prudence by avoiding any unnecessarily burdensome impractical regulatory processes and wiffly non-specific social activities. Unnecessary administrative costs and social activities are a deviation from Council's core functions, and have resulted in a transfer of resources from the private sector. Such spending must not be allowed to continue to burden ratepayers or the economy.
Yesterday I received the Gore DC Draft LTCCP. I have to say that I am in a state of despair. In the mayoral and executive forward this is an example of the Council pulling the wool over the people’s eyes.
“The Council has commenced earnest consideration of its response to climate change. Readers will also find reference to climate change in some of the Council activities where its impact is likely to be felt or where the Council has considered that it can make a contribution to mitigating its effects. Like the concept of a LTCCP, climate change is expected to increase in intensity and evolve in terms of the Council’s response to these challenges, over a period of time. Both sustainable development and climate change will in all probability form key components of the Council’s decision making process in the future.”
This is a paragraph relating to the roading service.
“Climate change will have implications for transportation as a greater variation in weather patterns is predicted leading to disruptions due to flooding, landslips, fallen trees and lines, direct effects of wind exposure on heavy vehicles, softening of bitumen and changed maintenance needs for public transport (road rail) infrastructure. A wetter environment will affect the moisture content of roading materials which will lead to a more rapid degradation of the road pavement.”
Reading this nonsense one could be forgiven in wondering if these brain washed servants have recently come from another planet where weather patterns have never changed.
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