They forget history
March 30th, 2010 at 5:13 pm by David FarrarBrendon Burns blogs:
Today’s announcement violates that fundamental principle upheld by the Right that there should be no taxation (rates) without representation. It axes a democratically-elected body without any public input for the first time at least in recent history. It forces through this bill under urgency from later this afo with no chance for Cantabrians or anyone else to comment.
And No Right Turn exhales about me:
So you’d think that when the present government announced plans to sack an elected council and strip 560,000 people of their vote in regional council elections for four years, as a “defender of democracy”, he’d be similarly outraged about it, right?
But Burns is wrong. This is not unprecedented in recent history. From the Q&A:
Rodney District Council in May 2000
Local Government Minister Sandra Lee appointed a Commissioner, Grant Kirby, to replace the elected Council following a Ministerial review. The Government introduced and passed the Local Government (Rodney District Council) Amendment Bill which suspended elections of Councillors and
clarified the role of commissions, through all stages under urgency on 2 May 2000, with the support of the National Party and all parties in Parliament. This intervention was at the Council’s request.
So it happened under the last Government, and to a territorial local authority which has far bigger impact on people’s lives than a regional council. Also done under urgency, and also done at the request of local Councils – but in this case the ten or so territorial authorities.
What is the big difference?
National in Opposition supported Labour, because they put doing the right thing ahead of petty politics. If a Council has not managed a water allocation plan after 18 years, then it is a pretty sure sign than things are wrong and need fixing. Just waving a stick and saying “try to do better” has not worked.
March 30th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
The Labour Party are like a demented catherine wheel playing politics with everything hoping something, anything, will stick. They bank on the fact that their views usually count for nothing but they just might get lucky on something.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
everywhere you look, you see Labour Party hypocrisy .. just saw Philin on the steps of Parliament protesting mining .. didn’t have his overalls and head light on though
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Unfortunately for Regional Government in NZ, it enjoys no constitutional status unlke the State Goverment’s in Australia or the U.S. Hence they will always be susceptible to bullying by political parties and MPs. In Australia the Federal Government is trying to rip power away from the States by denying them taxation (the latest being Rudd’s takeover of the States hospitals)
The State Governments in turn bully Local Government by sacking them regularly and legislating to take away their planning and decison makers powers. No matter where you go its always the Central Government (from both left and right- makes no difference to them) and its bureaucracy who wins these power battles.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
The Norm Kirk Government in the early 70′s ‘s replace the Whangarei Harbour Board with a Commissioner so we seem to have a History of doing this by left wing governments. How many times has National need to take this ultimate step.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
And Helen Clark fired the Auckland Health Board and replaced it with a commissioner.
Vote:Then there was an election of the board and Helen appointed me as one of four government appointees.
Then when National won the election and Simon Upton fired the whole Board including me, even though it was the best performing board in the country, and had another election and appointed their own party secretaries as govt appointees .
So this has been going on for ages and frankly there are a few councils that should be fired and replaced with commissioners right now. The ARC would be in my sights for starters. And Kaipara District Council would have been bombed into oblivion long ago.
March 30th, 2010 at 6:15 pm
Two Points
Vote:1 We must not forget the wonderful caring labour party do what is right for “the people” but the reprehensible National party are hell bent on destroying our beautiful socialist paradise yeah right.
2 Are the National party so bereft of ideas and the where with all on this well signaled event to organise a counter protest with some posters reminding those present and the media that the labour party was created out of the miners union, you know people who dug things up from the ground to make their living, and the several recent photos depicting the total hypocricy of their anti mining stance by virtue of their actions in the Clark years.
March 30th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Here’s the difference DPF. Sandra Lee on the First Reading of the Local Government (Rodney District Council) Amendment Bill on 2 May 2000:
Rodney voters got their chance to elect a new Council 11 months after the Council was sacked – and 6 months before the next scheduled local elections nationwide.
Canterbury voters are being denied under this Bill the opportunity to elect their representatives at the next local election. They will be governed regionally by appointed Ministerially appointed Commissioners for a full three and a half years.
Big difference, I would suggest.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
this is a water grab by national party cronies.
Privilege of the elite.
There will only be user pays after the water is divided up amongst themselves.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Toad and the rest of the lefties always make me laugh.
When they are in opposition or have no realistic chance of ever being the government they constantly harp on about democracy when the reality is that they are probably the least democratic party in the house.
God knows what the would force upon us if we were ever stupid enough to let them get their hands on the reigns of power, one thing is for sure, “democracy” would be the first thing that they pushed out the window.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Poor Brendan!
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Like always DPF, it’s different when Labour do it.
And of course lefties have short memories, they think socialism works because they forget that it fails ever single time it is tried.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Hard day D4J?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
FFS, burt, can we stop the “they did it too” excuse. If it is wrong, it is wrong – it doesn’t matter who did it.
I’m the first to challenge Labour on things they have done wrong, I’m even on record on the blogs challenging my own party, the Greens, on things I think they are doing wrong (like supporting Labour’s ETS).
In this case, I think Sandra Lee got it right re Rodney District in 2000 – it was completely dysfunctional, and a Commission was appointed short term to sort out some of the shit. The local election in Rodney, however, was brought forward by 6 months to restore local democracy as soon as practicable.
In Canterbury the current National-led Government is doing the opposite – deferring local elections so Cantabrians have no say in their regional governance for three and a half years.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
toad our ( Cantab Country where Brendan Dugan was born) “regional governance” will self destruct. Watch Bob each way go down first. Ooops Ecan just got chopped up.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
@dad4justice 6:57 pm
d4j, as a Cantabrian purportedly committed to justice, I would have thought you would have something useful to say on this thread in the interests of justice and democracy in Canterbury.
Seems not!
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Oh sorry toad justice it is – would you like the name of the judge with a protection order or the one that smokes P?? How about how Rob P got to be at Howards side. Oh yes did you know that our prisons are so full they need a big cull.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
Careful Toad, you will set him off on one of his rants and that will be another good thread stuffed.
You can see he is spoiling for a fight.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
FFS, burt, can we stop the “they did it too” excuse. If it is wrong, it is wrong – it doesn’t matter who did it.
Oh FFS Toad, can we stop the: Its OK for Labour to do it, but not National. Its just makes you look like fucken hypocrite.
See, works both ways.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
I would have thought you would have something useful to say
If that aint proof that your a moron Toad, then I don’t know what would be!
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Both sides have done it but this one is by far the biggest one ever done- one of our largest Regional Councils having no elected representation for three and a half years (which is a long time politically). Its also one of the most politically risky. If CChurch residents don’t like what the Wellington commissars do, they’ll re-elect the same people back on. Its also likely to be a key issue at this years council and next years General Elections.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Owen, was that the time when Helen sacked hubby too?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
“You can see he is spoiling for a fight”
You are insane big blouse. What a twisted snake you are tuffy guy. Write a song about yourself, title it COWARD OF KIWIBLOG.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
Commies a bit sad they are being fumigated from local body agencies. Shame that.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
@d4j 7:16pm
Yep, with a copy of the protection order, or an affidavit from someone who has witnessed a Judge smoking P, I sure would d4j. But I suspect you cannot provide either.
Evidence, d4j. Evidence! Not “someone told me he had heard from someone…”. If there is even a wee bit of terrier in you, d4j, go and dig up some evidence.
You know, the stuff that would stand up in a court of law.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
I wonder if by any coincidence these judges might be the same ones who ruled against D4J?
By the way, given any more thought to your mayoral campaign D4J?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Oh toad please, join big blouse and Dug bevan and place pins in your d4j doll then go head butt a concrete wall several times. Cowards Co.. Evidence of smoke after Nandor got in eh.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
D4J
Stop being a softcock and stop playing the victim.
You are always the one who comes here and kicks off these shit fights, for some reason you must use this place as a way to vent your undoubted anger problems.
Harden the fuck up or piss off.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:58 pm
Go scare another school girl creep. You are vile blouse. You cannot be a real person. Don’t tell me to piss off. Do you own this blog you twisted fool Dugan?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
toad
I agree entirely, sadly the muppets in the Labour party will never agree and as for the Green’s – didn’t you lot support validating theft to win an election because there were multiple parties flouting the law and claiming it was confusing?
I know, it different when Labour do it and especially different when you do it with them.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
“Stop being a softcock and stop playing the victim.”
WHO IS THE COWARD THAT WILL NOT MEET FOR A COFFEE AND CHAT?
History does not lie yellowbelly.
Clearly you need a mental ward.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 8:17 pm
D4J
Meet you for a “coffee and chat”, why the fuck would I want to do something like that?
I simply do not have the spare heart beats to waste with an idiot like you, nothing you could possibly say would be of any interest to me.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
I would expect nothing else from the biggest coward on kiwiblog. You are such a loon.What a huge disgrace to the kiwi male. One sick tuffy guy.
Vote:End of story.
March 30th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Groan …
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
^ ditto. When will they learn to play together?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 8:35 pm
krazy
… in fact, do you think they fancy each other – you know what they say about hate just being a heartbeat away from …
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
d4j and big bruv – let me introduce your mediator.
Come on in, QoT. Sort these silly boys out.
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 9:35 pm
god, Im confused.
Who was the extreme Right Wing, Gun Loving, Beneficiary Bashing, Sickness Beneficiary again ?
Vote:March 30th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Dirty Rat
Can you narrow this down, was that elected into parliament or onto a local council?
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 12:41 am
Burt:
I think he’s just having a dig at D4J…
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 6:20 am
If he’s having a “dig” at me then the DR is wrong on ALL counts, but that’s nothing new on kiwiblog where lies are invented as quick as you can type hyperbole. So you know where to shove your snide remark Nomestradamus. How pathetic. How sad.
Thank God for the real wprld. Blogosphere is a breeding ground for hateful distorted creeps who thrive for they can throw stones without consequences.
Water is doomed in Canterbury as the local tribe will soon be the proud owner of the largest milk farm in NZ. History will reflect badly when the water runs dry. But who cares give the maori more money. Cool bro. Weak governmemts are walk overs.
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 8:23 am
Actually as part of of democratic system one person can fire an entire government when its dyfunctional and replace it with a caretaker untill we can take another pass at this voting thing.
Its a very usefull little safety valve we have that republics don’t.
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 8:57 am
You are a fool Farrar. And the National Party has just lost massive support down these parts. It will lose seats in 18 months times. And hopefully the next lot will overturn this bullshit.
What is the difference between the Rodney council and Ecan with their respective circumstances? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, you cannot be serious. You hold yourself out as having smarts Farrar… Grow up. Write and express yourself with honesty.
Key can fuck off.
Smith can fuck off.
Hide can fuck off.
This National led govt can fuck off. And I suspect it will – get swamped in its own cowshit cesspit.
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 9:12 am
Phew vto temper temper.
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 9:21 am
D4J:
Get a life – snide remark? DR has had a go at you before, and I was merely observing – for Burt’s benefit, not yours – that DR appeared to be doing so again. So take your faux outrage and shove it somewhere else.else.
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 9:27 am
If a Council has not managed a water allocation plan after 18 years, then it is a pretty sure sign than things are wrong and need fixing. Just waving a stick and saying “try to do better” has not worked.
Ok, sure.
But by that logic who replaces Parliament for the ongoing failure to have a sustainable superannuation scheme after, well, ever?
Vote:March 31st, 2010 at 9:35 am
Fairfacts
Yes it was.
Vote:Harold Titter became Commissioner.