Dan Jackson: Vote results will reflect town's anger

Dan Jackson

THERE'S an undercurrent of anger influencing Wanganui's upcoming elections.

Frankly, the whole town seems pissed off, and it doesn't take much to get someone to tee-off about the poo pond saga or some other aspect of local body shenanigans. Just mention WWTP (poo pond), Heads Rd narrowing, cycleway, rates rises and the "aitch" to people and then sit back and watch them go purple with anger.

It'd be funny if it wasn't so bloody sad.

But the thing with collective anger is it manifests in strange and often dangerous ways.

History is littered with what a group of people can do when they're angry -- the French Revolution and dropping atomic bombs on Japan are examples.

Locally, I'm a bit worried about what's going to happen at the council table and what it will mean for Wanganui.

I am upset at the way we have been treated by our councillors and council officers and the lack of information we, the people who live here, have been given about issues affecting us.

I was upset enough to consider running for council myself at one point but, with a young family and business, I decided against it because I did not have the time to make a decent go of it.

However, that hasn't stopped a lot of others throwing their hats in the ring, and this is what has got me worried.

Wanganui is angry, and I think the results will be shown when the election is tallied.

In a few weeks' time we could have an almost entirely new bunch of people sitting around the table in Guyton St with absolutely no idea of what they're doing.

I think fresh blood is a good idea, but I think we need to use our brains and not throw the baby out with the bathwater -- or wastewater, as the case may be.

It would be all too easy to tick the boxes out of anger -- and I do think there is a bunch of councillors who definitely need to go -- but I hope my fellow Wanganuians use common sense and vote on what they know of the candidates and not just on gut reaction.

I've made my decisions on who I'm voting for and yes, it was influenced by the abysmal handling of the poo pond debacle, but I've also weighed what I think will be best for the district long term. This is not a single-issue election and we still have a town that needs good governance overall.

In saying all of the above, though, I hope everyone gets out and votes and that we send a resounding butt-kicking Guyton St's way.

�Dan Jackson is a Whanganui journalist and part-time scrap metal dealer.