The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming confirmation from Local Government New Zealand that it supports recall elections at the local government level. 

On Friday the Taxpayers’ Union launched a joint campaign with the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, and Rodney-based Northern Action Group calling for Labour and National to include the introduction of a recall option in their election manifestos' local government policies. 

Local Government New Zealand contacted the Union to confirm that recall elections were in fact contained in their 2017 “Local Government Manifesto” – with the foreword written by the then LGNZ President, now Shadow Local Government Minister, Lawrence Yule. The paper said:

Recall elections: At the national level if a government loses
the confidence of the House and no alternative government is
available then another election is called. No similar provision exists
at the local government level. Occasionally communities elect
members to a council who are unable to find common ground
and work together. In some cases individuals may be elected to
councils without understanding the nature of the role they stood
for and find that they are completely unsuitable for public life.
Under the current legislative framework these councils, even
if highly dysfunctional, stay in office for three years, regardless
of popular opinion. Internationally it is common for citizens to
have the ability to demand, through a petition process, a recall
election to address governance problems created by elected
representatives who, for what ever (sic) reason, lose the confidence of
their electorates.

Neil Miller, an analyst at the Taxpayers’ Union who co-wrote the Union’s Joint Proposal Paper said, “Seldom are the Taxpayers’ Union and the local government lobby on the same side – but on recall elections, everyone can see the common sense. Recall elections enhance democracy, and would serve to increase trust in local councils and DHBs.” 

“With Lawrence Yule having championed this cause before becoming an MP, the question now is whether he can convince his National Party colleagues to adopt our proposal as an election policy. We’re also challenging the Labour Party to do the same.” 

The LGNZ paper is available for download at www.taxpayers.org.nz/lgnz_on_recall_elections The Joint Proposal Paper by the Taxpayers’ Union, Ratepayers’ Alliance, and Northern Action Group, is available at www.taxpayers.org.nz/recall_paper

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