Past visions return to haunt

ALMOST everyone loves a redemption story. Especially that quaint Victorian tale of the convert from a lower path to a higher one, or the conversion on the road to Damascus.

Yet I remain sceptical of the modern ones - the reformed alcoholic who promotes the teetotal life everywhere, or the ex-smoker who now looks down at still-smoking comrades with harsh, judgmental eyes.

True believers bring out the sceptic in that their allegiance seems finally so staunch, so arbitrary - and, I fear, so temporary.

Politicians present and former recently expressed themselves in favour of fine old conservative values. They're promoting thrift, requesting transparency, demanding accountability. Each in accord with their own set of meanings for these grand old concepts.

I'm half cheering them on in that I've been for thrift, transparency and accountability since at least 2003 when some of the present bunch were already active in local politics.

Graham Adams has been "reviving" a ratepayers' watchdog group after a hiatus of almost 10 years. Of the 20,703 reported ratepayers in the Whanganui district, how did the charge to represent the rest come to reside in the upraised hands of Mr Adams and 38 attendees of his meeting?

What makes his group a watchdog over the district council? Was it elected? Is there provision for such a group in the city's charter documents?

Ten years ago, this watchdog group (now reviving) was supposedly watching - just watching - while the previous two district councils under the former mayor (2003-09) were spending themselves silly and raising our debt from $35 million to $95 million.

Were the watchdogs induced to sleep from some sedative? Was there something in the water? Or were they perhaps political allies of the now departed ex-mayor? Did they bark at the time or roll over?

In his most recent outpouring, Mr Adams channels the ghost of the former mayor, proposing - as Michael Laws did - a nil rates increase. His argument is based on extraneous issues such as petrol and dairy prices, and such a proposal is irresponsible.

Others with even more distinct ties to the former mayor have recently emerged to support frugality. Bob Walker, ex-president of the Vision Party, which brought us the dubious benefit of our former mayor, expresses his opposition to the Sarjeant Gallery extension and earthquake upgrade.

Councillors Rob Vinsen and Philippa Baker-Hogan - the latter still smarting, I surmise, over rejection of the $15 million velodrome cover - are taking public issue with the mayor over decisions on the wastewater treatment plant and citing a lack of transparency.

During the years of the former mayor and council, transparency was so lacking that Mr Vinsen had to file Official Information Act requests to get the facts on council finances.

In those days, thankfully gone, only one voice spoke for the district council - that of the former mayor. So I'm glad we're now having robust democratic debate on council - so robust it is spilling out into the paper's letters section.

Though, if memory serves, Mr Vinsen and Ms Baker-Hogan were on the 2007 council which approved the original (now failed) treatment plant.

I know the next local-body election is 15 months off, but something tells me some of these people are preparing to raise their hands grasping for the mayoral chain. Political ambition is the stuff that selfies are made of ... and baggage lost sight of.

When councillors claim their views are not heard, they might expect to be taken seriously. Unless, of course, they are the same people who walked out rather than listen to citizens eager to petition them about the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

Elections are said to be about the future. Accountability means this next one will also be about the past.

-Jay Kuten is an American-trained forensic psychiatrist who emigrated to New Zealand for the fly fishing. He spent 40 years comforting the afflicted and intends to spend the rest afflicting the comfortable