Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Time to speak out, councillor

Mark Dawson
Whanganui Chronicle·
25 Nov, 2013 06:39 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

Mark Dawson, Editor of Wanganui Chronicle

Jack Bullock is a young man at the crossroads.

By most accounts, the 23-year-old is highly regarded as a Wanganui councillor and his high polling in the October election indicates strong community support.

The election result followed news that he faced bankruptcy for unpaid debts.

That particular hiccup didn't dent his popularity, in fact, it saw a rallying around of supporters.

And so has his latest skirmish with the law, his arrest on a drugs charge on Friday.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But Councillor Bullock would be unwise to take too much comfort from the "hugs" social media is sending his way. It could cloud his judgment on the realities that lie beyond the online world.

He faces a couple of decisions, one of them he has already made, insisting he will not resign from the council over what are still allegations of criminal behaviour.

Well, there is precedent for politicians who have hung on in such situations.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is clinging to power and he was smoking crack cocaine, and closer to home, Auckland Mayor Len Brown looks like he will survive a sizeable scandal.

The greater decision for Jack Bullock is how he addresses his tarnished reputation.

The common cry has been "well, it's only cannabis ... everyone does it".

That echoes similar pleadings: "It was only a couple of drinks and a short drive home" ... "It was only a little push" ... "It was only a bit of shoplifting".

Discover more

New Zealand

Marijuana 'safer' drug, says councillor

25 Nov 06:44 AM

Everyone does it, right?

But the law isn't a bendy toy to be twisted to suit people's weaknesses and, as a councillor, Mr Bullock should uphold it.

So here's one option, Jack. Tell the people of Wanganui - and especially the younger ones who look up to you - that you won't be smoking cannabis.

And if you believe it isn't harmful and the law is wrong, join the campaign for the legalisation of marijuana.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

'Just a precaution': Pātea residents told to boil water

17 Sep 04:14 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Police arrest three in Castlecliff operation

16 Sep 11:18 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

'We need Māori voices influencing the decisions that affect our whenua'

16 Sep 11:00 PM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

'Just a precaution': Pātea residents told to boil water
Whanganui Chronicle

'Just a precaution': Pātea residents told to boil water

The current supply does not meet the new drinking water quality assurance rules.

17 Sep 04:14 AM
Police arrest three in Castlecliff operation
Whanganui Chronicle

Police arrest three in Castlecliff operation

16 Sep 11:18 PM
'We need Māori voices influencing the decisions that affect our whenua'
Whanganui Chronicle

'We need Māori voices influencing the decisions that affect our whenua'

16 Sep 11:00 PM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP