Many will remember being taught that the most important principle of democratic freedom was our right to vote and it was through the voting process that we held elected officials to account. The right to vote is very important but the rest is highly questionable.

At the general election this year, we will receive many policy proposals from all political parties. When this happens, ask yourself – is this policy development process driven more by party political requirements , e.g. winning, than by the expectations of the community?

To date, no political party has shown that it has the skills to tackle poverty, homeliness and constitutional reform. We propose creating a Community Council which would have the job of re-constituting the relationship between government and the community so that communities regain their right to a proper voice in politics.

Community Council members would be endorsed by their communities and would commit to a shared process of working together, across party politics, to create and implement sustainable solutions to major problems facing us.

The relationship between community members and parliamentarians needs further teasing out but we intend that the two groups would practise cooperation over a 5 year term of office.

Anton Spelman and David Stott

Contacts:

Anton Spelman 
Honorary Research Fellow
School of Speech Science University of Auckland
5/6 Lonsdale St
Ellerslie
Auckland 1051
021 233 6309
 
David Stott
Retired Civil Engineer
119 Streamlands Swamp Rd
Warkworth
Auckland 0980
27 288 75601

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