Law Change Makes Wairarapa Councils Amalgamation Undemocratic

The Local Government Commission’s proposal to amalgamate all three Wairarapa councils is now on their website, says New Zealand First Deputy Leader and List MP based in Wairarapa Ron Mark.

“The problem is that National’s change to the Local Government Act means there will not be a poll in each of the individual Council Districts involved.

“The new legislation requires that any poll taken, is taken across all three affected districts as one. Meaning the biggest district will swamp the democratic wishes of the smaller districts.

“This is not democracy.

“This aids and abets the hostile takeover of smaller councils and their ratepayers’ assets. Assets which they have built up over hundreds of years.

“Each district has a right to decide for themselves if they want to be amalgamated or not.

“The law used to demand that. National changed the law and removed that right.

“They did that deliberately to ensure that smaller districts could not prevent amalgamations.

“New Zealand First opposed that law change by National in 2013.

“We will reverse that law change and give small rural districts back the right to decide for themselves,” says Mr Mark.

ENDS

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