Brian Rudman: Great idea, pity it's not working

John Banks is sworn in as the Mayor of Auckland City in 2007. Photo / Martin Sykes

When Local Government New Zealand launched its one-stop election site a month ago, it sounded like a brilliant idea.

But when I checked yesterday afternoon, that's all it still was, just a brilliant idea.

When she unveiled www.elections2010.co.nz, Local Government Online general manager Cassandra Crowley said that in a first for New Zealand, "users will be able to to seek information on voting, boundaries and candidates in one single portal.

"Users will be able to seek information on [contests] from Auckland Council to the Invercargill Licensing Trust online in real time."

She said, "sitting in a cold town hall on a winter's evening to meet the candidates might not be relevant any more. Many people might want to research candidates at 11.50pm after doing online banking or Skyping with the kids in London".

They well might. But a month after the grand launch, they still can't do it at this website.

Candidates were invited to submit pictures, profiles and policies which would be uploaded to the site, and Ms Crowley said that by the closing of nominations a week ago, "we will have information on the site for every candidate across the country". It wasn't to be.

By the next day, the Auckland Council's new website, www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz, was at least listing the name of every candidate standing for office in the new city. The LGNZ site didn't have that, let alone "information" on each of them.

Click on the Waitemata local board, covering the area where I live, and there are just five random names listed - one misspelled - instead of the 23 that should be there. There are no photos or policy statements or CVs for the blank five.

It's the same for the Henderson-Massey board; four candidates out of 26 are listed.

As far as the ward election goes in my area, Tenby Powell has a picture and policy there, but the big guns, Mike Lee and Alex Swney, are just grey oblong blocks. It's the same everywhere.

Of the 23 Auckland mayoral candidates, six have names and policies up, but the others don't. At the risk of nit-picking, the site includes the name of Joseph Campbell, who withdrew his nomination on August 20, the day nominations closed.

A quick check reveals a paucity of content throughout the land, not just in Auckland.

Ms Crowley said yesterday afternoon that by today, every candidate's name would be listed. Which means someone will have been working very late last night.

As for pictures and policies, that, it seems, is up to the candidates. She says "every known candidate" was told about the site, but it's up to them whether or not they provide information.

I've spoken to a couple of candidates since and neither had any idea about the site. Every candidate, as part of the nomination process, is asked to supply a photo and brief supporting text for the candidate booklets posted with the ballot papers.

But Ms Crowley says outdated electoral law prevents use of that information until September 17 when postal voting begins.

She says that if the candidates supply this information directly to her website, that's legal. But if she gets it from the various electoral officers, that is illegal. Which does seem a bit daft.

What is disappointing is that what could be a great service to voters, candidates and people like myself, seems to be drifting into irrelevance.

I can only agree with everything Ms Crowley said when launching the site with trumpets blazing a month ago. Noting the dreadful turnout at local elections and the ignorance about them, she claimed this site "delivers an unprecedented amount of information in one place".

She went on to say, "ignoring new technologies and bemoaning poor voter turnout and participation is no longer acceptable. Local government must strive to engage with communities using methods expected of other activities in our everyday lives and www.elections2010.co.nz encourages that".

It certainly encouraged me then. But as of last night, a week after nominations closed, the lack of material on the site is just depressing. If you're a candidate, download your stuff on to the site pronto. It's free.

As for those running the show, be more proactive. Ms Crowley was right when she said ignoring new technologies was no longer acceptable.