Best of the web: Super city debate takes nasty turn

Greater Wellington Regional Council chairwoman Fran Wilde got a hard time at the Local Government Commission debate in Carterton.

The debate over the benefits (or not) of a super city was the most engaged posting online last week, made particularly notable on Facebook with 10 satirical memes courtesy of Chris Chittens.

The story also created the best-selling front page for the week.

That was perhaps unsurprising, considering the scramble for extra chairs to cater for the capacity crowd who turned up at the Carterton Event Centre to hear guest speakers give their presentations, largely in the negative, on the concept of Wairarapa becoming part of a super city of Wellington.

The notable exception was Greater Wellington Regional Council chairwoman Fran Wilde, basing her speech on a positive vision of Wairarapa in 20 years.

Facebook posters, many who were at the meeting, expressed dismay at the rudeness of the audience to Ms Wilde, which had involved a slow handclap and deliberately audible yawns.

Geoff Fairburn said the lack of basic manners shown in the debate was poor.

"No one achieved anything positive by being a complete ...," he said.

Andrew Pallesen agreed. "Not taking a side, but this clearly needs a good honest look. Eighty-plus councils in NZ is absurd. At some stage we need to get real. Agree with Fran or not, she works hard and doesn't deserve this abuse. An honest and open debate needs to be held, without being nasty."

Mr Pallesen said facts needed to be presented, not emotion.

Gwyn Jones said Ms Wilde's vision of Carterton with a street lined with outlet shops was "hardly inspiring". Ian Kiernan echoed that. "How is turning our beautiful corner of NZ into a hub like Wellington meant to appeal to us?"

Chris Chittens, author of the memes, branded the "anti-super city brigade" as a fanatical cult "festering out of Carterton", relying on emotion rather than facts and numbers, and it wasn't working.

The solution to that, as several posters pointed out: read the Local Government Commission documents.