Post
(1/?)
@norightturnnz
The "Better Regional Boundaries Bill" sounds like a bad idea.
The current boundaries are based around geological reality, specifically the watersheds of major rivers. The whole idea of creating regional authorities, separate from civic authorities (city and district councils), was to make them *environmental* regulators. With responsibility for an area defined by ecosystem boundaries, not social, cultural, historical or political ones.
(1/?)
@norightturnnz
The "Better Regional Boundaries Bill" sounds like a bad idea.
The current boundaries are based around geological reality, specifically the watersheds of major rivers. The whole idea of creating regional authorities, separate from civic authorities (city and district councils), was to make them *environmental* regulators. With responsibility for an area defined by ecosystem boundaries, not social, cultural, historical or political ones.
@strypey I agree. Its also likely a waste of time, given national's plans to amalgamate and destroy regional councils. So it'll likely be delayed, allowing another bill to be drawn.
(2/?)
The 'supercity' bullshit has already broken that model in Tamaki Makaurau (and elsewhere). Making one council responsible for regulating their own environmental impacts (what could go wrong?).
Another buzzphrase for this, 'unitary authorities' illustrates exactly why this is a bad idea. As the old saying goes, Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Functioning democracies hedge against that, by dividing power into different authorities, who keep each other in check.
(3/?)
I'm not saying that local government isn't in need of reform, it absolutely is. Councils do impose far too many junk fees on citizens, while often giving big business a free ride.
Not to mention giving money to their mates' businesses, often for jobs that really need doing. A nepotism bred by a decades of inadequate media coverage of local government (a gap now plugged somewhat by local democracy reporting).
(4/?)
But 'unitary authorities', huge local government empires accountable only to central government (except once every 3 years when under-resourced elections happen) are exactly the wrong solution.
What we need is the restoration of elected community boards. Although maybe with responsibilities defined by portfolio (water, waste management, arts and culture, housing, transport, health, etc), instead of by geographical boundaries (neighborhood wards).
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