Comment: Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisor Nigel Billings urges people to get involved in local council elections and annual plan consultations.
You have to get involved in local council politics.
I know a lot of people out there are very much running from pay cheque to pay cheque without much time to look up to see what is happening around them, but trust me – you need to look up.
Currently councils are, or will shortly be consulting on their draft annual plans and also in October we have local council elections.
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Advertise with NZME.So it is a big council year and it should be quite a triumphant year for democracy at a local level, but history shows us that it probably won't be.
Read more from Federated Farmers here.
As reported in a Newshub piece, interest in local elections is weak with falling voter turnouts.
2016's turnout was only 42 per cent, barely half of the 2017 general election's turnout of 80 per cent.
Far too often, there is little or no choice in council elections.
Often the candidates with the most media mentions or sitting councillor's are returned no matter how effective they have been in their roles of public "advocates" and "watchdogs".
The other thing is the council sector's operating expenditure exceeds $10 billion per annum, it employs around 32,000 people, and its assets are worth around $113 billion, partially offset by around $15 billion in debt.
Local government is big and it is getting bigger but working alongside this growth is the subtle creep in of a move away from consultation on annual plans.
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Advertise with NZME.Annual plans are like an annual budget and set out councils' spending and rating plans.
As such they are important.
Since 2014 councils haven't been required to consult on annual plans unless they plan on something significantly different from their three-yearly long-term plan.
This might not seem a big deal but since then councils' consultation practices have varied dramatically and in our experience this can impact on rates bills.
What this move away from meaningful dialogue shows is you end up with a form of government able to pass tax increases without meaningful conversations with those that pay the bills.
This year – the time of council elections and annual plan consultations, you should all take part, or at the very least take notice.
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Advertise with NZME.This is your democracy. It only works if you take part.
