The debate over the wards has caused controversy after an initial vote on the issue earlier this month was not in favour of establishing a ward in time for the 2022 elections. Councillors voted to push the issue out in favour of public consultation. However, days later the council back-peddled following a meeting between Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate and Waikato-Tainui representatives. The mayor and five councillors then said they would revoke that decision at Thursday’s meeting.
Tom Lee/Stuff
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate has back-peddled after initially voting against installing a Māori ward at the time she said she couldn t support the introduction of Maori wards without first consulting the wider public (file photo).
City council brushes off criticism over $400m social housing gap stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Decades earlier a very different leader with a very real snarl raised visions of a Communist ambush and dangerous political overreach. An infamous advertising campaign featuring dancing Cossacks helped National’s Robert Muldoon take the Beehive, but even he could not resist the strong arm of political might, responding to crises with carless days, wage and price freezes, and Think Big.
Tom Scott
Tom Scott cartoon depicting Helengrad.
Cartoons depicting Helengrad and the National Party’s dancing Cossacks fuelled people’s concerns about the intrusions of government into everyday life. Those muscles have been flexed once more, in response to the latest global crisis.
Wellington scoop co nz » Democracy and ideology scoop.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from scoop.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Inexperience and infrastructure costs blamed for local government dysfunction
4 Mar, 2021 11:55 PM
5 minutes to read
Tauranga City Council mayor Tenby Powell in November last year. Photo / George Novak
Rotorua Daily Post
By: Natalie Akoorie
A long-time councillor says inexperience, personality clashes and infrastructure costs are at the root of ongoing council infighting around the country, while a local government academic believes New Zealand s sector is unfit for purpose.
It comes as Stuff reports Cabinet slashed a billion-dollar bail-out fund for water infrastructure by $239 million and as Wellington City Council backtracks on a proposal to sell-off part of the city s central library and cut its book budget by 40 percent.