May 21 2024
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United for kindness Disappointment on a road to nowhere
The much-touted Kaihu Valley Trail cycleway came under scrutiny during live submissions on the Kaipara …
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p Saint Joseph’s Catholic School students and teachers sported pink hues to take a stand against bullying and promote a good cause. Pupils learned about the day’s theme, and teachers reinforced the significance of saying kind words, being thoughtful and discouraging bullying. Children, the Lifestyler interviewed, reiterated that it was good to say nice words to everyone. The school raised $100 for the Pink Shirt Day organisation. Read more about Pink Shirt Day on page 9.
One person, one vote?
Minister’s homecoming visit
When New Zealand First MP Tanya Unkovich visited Dargaville last week, it was a reunion with the town …
u by Andy Bryenton
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Citizens target issues directly
A hearing to allow members of the public to directly address the Kaipara District Council in Dargaville last week …
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A voting technicality sparked debate in parliament recently, and with rates and charges about to be set by local councils everywhere, the issue of plural voting in local body elections affects everybody. Plural voting means that the old adage ‘one person, one vote’ does not apply to certain property owners. Indeed, the current law suggests that you could cast a vote in every constituency where you own property. Theoretically, a very wealthy and diversified landlord could vote 67 times in local body elections, entirely legally. Greg O’Connor brought a private members’ bill to parliament six weeks ago trying to disestablish this practice. He opined that one person, one vote, should be the rule and that one should vote for the council and mayor where one lives, nowhere else. Mr O’Connor noted, pointedly, that parties opposing
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his bill, including National and ACT, were vociferous on the topic of one person, one vote in terms of Māori ward representation. Celia Wade-Brown of the Green Party quoted a Dominion Post investigative article, which detailed evidence of property investment organisations attempting to ‘fix’ elections using the additional votes of their members, via a letter openly advocating this practice. Cameron Luxton, of ACT, rebutted this argument, saying that those who invest in a region should have a say in its governance, and that vote ‘double dipping’ in this way was not a function of
privilege, but of adequate representation of interests. Why does this affect Kaipara? As a region with many holiday homes and rental properties owned by out-of-district investors, the small voter base and ‘soft’ engagement figures in local democracy mean that elections here could hinge on non-residents’ opinions. Is it fair? Should it go? How do you feel about the right for non-Kaipara residents who have invested money in property here to decide on future governance? We would like to know. Email us at info@integrity.nz and join the discussion. ¢
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