Poor Leadership Putting Democracy at Stake in Wellington

Responding to the increasing number of calls for a Crown Observer to be installed in Wellington City Council, Taxpayers’ Union Policy Adviser, James Ross, said:

“Budget blowouts and service failures are just par for the course in Wellington these days, and people are starting to notice. Calls for a Crown Observer are getting harder to ignore, and this is setting the city on a very slippery slope.

“A Crown Observer might be little more than putting WCC on the naughty step at first, but as the council’s finances continue to slide further out of control whispers about installing Commissioners are starting to follow.

“WCC’s only saving grace at the moment is that they are accountable to ratepayers every three years. As inept as the council are proving to be, Wellington cannot end up like Tauranga. Whanau and McKerrow’s mismanagement is now putting the future of local democracy at risk.

“If councillors lack the spine to chuck a failing Mayor and Chief Executive, then ratepayers need the right to elect a council that will ASAP. Recall elections must be a top priority of the new government, as Wellington simply cannot afford to wait another two years.”