ACT Party Tauranga candidate Cameron Luxton is calling for democracy to be restored in Tauranga and a local body election to be carried out along with the rest of New Zealand.

“Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta today reappointed the commissioners to the Tauranga City Council until 2024. Tauranga should be like every other local authority and have elections this year,” says Mr Luxton.

“The problem was the last Council, there’s no reason why democracy can’t be restored and a new Council democratically elected. It’s important that local people have a say on what happens in their local community.

“Taxpayers are paying $320k for Anne Tolley to stay on Chair of the Commission. We have one of the highest paid politicians in the country – almost as much as the Prime Minister and we can’t sustain that.

“This is an affront to democracy, these unelected commissioners have no mandate. With Three Waters reforms coming, we need a democratically elected council to reflect the voice of the people.

“Nanaia Mahuta should have made it her goal from the beginning to ensure Tauranga was ready for elections this year instead of lazily rolling over the commissioners. Our community deserves better.”

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