Wayne Brown (aka FNDC) has spent untold of our dollars promoting his version of the future local government structure.
Some time ago I attended a local meeting where the options were to be outlined. The meeting to which I went spent the entire time promoting the Mayor's view ofhaving two unitary authorities and telling us what was wrong with one authority. As if those were the only options.
The status quo, which provides for district councils, has not been seriously addressed by him. The meeting I attended was called consultation; it was nothing of the sort.
I have been consistently bombarded with publicity which tries to make me fear the spectre of being ruled by the Whangarei steamroller and rightly so. But the status quo has not been discussed as an alternative. What the Mayor has failed to do is to mention what is wrong with the status quo.
Yes, his well-documented disagreements with the regional council would be reduced if he had no regional council to contend with.
If he were to address the option of the status quo, he would prompt people to consider that option and weigh it against his own personal preference. His unbalanced promotion of the issue is at best self-serving.
The latest glossy in my letterbox lists a few people who for their own reasons support two authorities. I have not seen any opportunity given to those who are happy with the existing structure. I still have an open mind but I will not support any proposal which lacks a wider picture.
