Comments on: Number of Auckland local body politicians

By: centreforward

centreforward — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:24:00 +0000

“Mayors – from 7 to 1 ; Councillors – from 109 to 20 ; Community Board Members – from 142 to 126 ; Total – from 258 to 147 “. So if this means a lot less duplication and cost savings for ratepayers – then great!
But haven’t some of the leading supporters of the super city declined to promise that it will in fact reduce costs?

Either this project will save costs or it won’t. One would think this question would have been thoroughly debated before any decision to proceed. So exactly how much in the way of cost savings is forecast and who is the person with accountability for ensuring such savings are achieved and over what time period?

If such savings will not eventuate then why should ratepayers put up with less local representation, more centralisation of power and higher costs?

By: toad

toad — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:07:17 +0000

And a massive gerrymander to favour the centre-right for the mayoralty and councillors with whom most of the power will lie. [DPF: How can ward boundaries affect the election for Mayor? Yes the two rural areas tend to have less population per Cr, but this is the case in many local bodies, because ward boundaries tend to reflect a community of interest]

By: Andrew W

Andrew W — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:23:23 +0000

FFS Red, look up “sarcasm”.

By: backster

backster — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:18:14 +0000

ANDREW W…said “State worshiping” No Red, big Government is what I’m against. Is choice in government a problem for you? Why do so many people think that government will become more efficient by making it more centralised?
What happens is the power of the democratic process is weakened, the bureaucrats get control, and voters can no longer compare their councils efficiency to that of similar councils in the same region……………..And I agree, although since they started paying local body Politicians economy has taken flight, and waste and troughing is paramount as minor lefties set up their own little fiefdoms.

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:25:19 +0000

“State worshiping” No Red, big Government is what I’m against.”

Well then you should rewrite tour post of 10:36 and stop wasting reader’s time with inaccurate and poorly thought out analogies.

One is forced to the conclusion that if you are against what Mr. Hide is doing you are for the status quo, and that isn’t working.

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:22:47 +0000

Johnboy, the media are the stormtroopers for the forces of collectivism and progressivism. Don’t ever forget it.

Until we break the Progressive power bloc of media, academia and government, nothing will change. Mainstream journalists (and editors, television producers, script writers etc) are mostly just Stalinist scum trained by Collectivist Generals in the brainwashing camps that the left have made of our universities.

The left have worked for decades to get their people into these positions. Its the Gramasci strategy, and its objective is the destruction of freedom and the removal of choice. Bit by bit by bit by bit.

The only way it will change is to make more and more people aware of the situation, and it starts with awakening them to the fraud, lies and fakery of the mainstream media.

By: Andrew W

Andrew W — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:18:40 +0000

“State worshiping” No Red, big Government is what I’m against. Is choice in government a problem for you? Why do so many people think that government will become more efficient by making it more centralised?
What happens is the power of the democratic process is weakened, the bureaucrats get control, and voters can no longer compare their councils efficiency to that of similar councils in the same region.

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:12:00 +0000

NZ really needs to snap out of its obsession with government. Hard to do tho, when so many NZers are so completely besotted by the words of those government charlatans frauds and carper baggers who are always telling them they cannot do without them.

The hidden truth is that almost every problem that besets this country is occurring because of government, but trying to wean NZers off the state tit when they’ve made it almost their only source of sustenance is a difficult task.

In the end tho, the huge mammary gland that is government has to be sucked dry, as every source of nourishment for the mother slowly and steadily dies off because the tit sucking parasites are unwilling to move away from their food source and really produce.

This country only needs twenty politicians max.

By: Johnboy

Johnboy — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:11:37 +0000

It never ceases to amaze how the leftie journalists of the MSM can get away with their pathetic attempts to sway public opinion by the use of such highly inaccurate headlines.

By: Redbaiter

Redbaiter — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:00:11 +0000

“Congratulations Andrew W on singlehandedly the most pointless comment of the day.”

Progressives like Andy Pandy always fail to compare the compulsory aspect of government to the choice that prevails in the private sector. Its a perspective that just never enters their narrow little state worshipping minds.

By: Andrew W

Andrew W — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:51:28 +0000

Aww, you just lack the capacity to understand the subtleties of the point I’m making. And the day is still young!

By: Sushi Goblin

Sushi Goblin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:38:27 +0000

Congratulations Andrew W on singlehandedly the most pointless comment of the day.

By: Andrew W

Andrew W — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:36:10 +0000

Just think of the savings that could be made if the same thing was done to all the businesses in Auckland, Just have 1 CEO, and say one board of a dozen, instead of the thousands of individual proprietors and CEO’s and board members that they have at the moment.

By: Sushi Goblin

Sushi Goblin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:35:25 +0000

Countess, you have neglected to mention these areas are also being reduced too. Several water companies being absorbed into one, several council planning agencies (TLA and regional) being rolled into one, the Zoo board and museum board exist at the moment too.

By: Countess

Countess — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:17:03 +0000

Plus all the unelected Boards of directors that Rodney has snuck in for most of the Council functions.

The water board, the harbour board, the transport board, the regulatory board plus the existing Zoo board, the museum board
and so on. Probably missed afew

[DPF: Umm at present there are 100 Council controlled organisations with several hundred directors. I suspect this number will dramatically reduce also under the new Council]

By: bchapman

bchapman — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:03:57 +0000

1 Councillor per 70K persons. Do you think we could replicate that in the House of Reps?

Using this formula greater Wellington and Christchurch will only need five councillors each. Do you think that will happen?