The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the Government’s move to strip unelected Independent Māori Statutory Board members of voting powers, but says its latest Amendment Paper will kill off councillors’ ability to govern effectively.
Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:
“Council voting rights should belong to people elected by ratepayers. The Government is right to fix the IMSB mess, although why basic democratic accountability needs a six-month transition is anyone’s guess.”
“But the real rot in local government is councillors having to resort to LGOIMA requests just to access information. It beggars belief the Government has somehow found a way to make that broken system worse by giving chief executives a veto.”
“Watts told ratepayers he was increasing the rights of councillors to access information. Now he’s set to pass a law that does the opposite and hands even more power to council bosses. He’s literally making the problem worse.”
“At least the previous version of this Bill let the council as a whole overrule obstructive chief executives. Watts is now scrapping even that flawed safeguard.”
“If unelected officials get the final say over what elected councillors are allowed to know, then the tail is well and truly wagging the dog. Watts is killing any pretence that democratically elected representatives run local government.”
