ACT leader whimpers about ACT leader

1 month ago 8

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ACT LEADER DAVID SEYMOUR IS outraged that Auckland Council plans to set up a co-governed committee to manage the Waitākere Ranges. "Auckland Council’s plan to set up a co-governed committee to manage the Waitākere Ranges shows why Kiwis need councillors who believe in democracy," says ACT Leader David Seymour.

Democracy.

“The Waitākere Ranges belong to all Aucklanders [says the ACT leader] and should be managed democratically. But Auckland Council’s plan would see unelected decision-makers closing tracks and dictating land use in the surrounding rural areas."

Dictating.

“The ranges are governed under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act," notes the ACT leader. And the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act calls for a "Deed of Acknowledgement" recognising and giving power to tangata whenua. If the ACT leader has a problem with the Deed of Acknowledgement and the giving of power then — since it's the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act that requires the acknowledgement and gives such power — then it's the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act that he has a problem with.

One can only imagine that the ACT leader then was just as outraged.

Minister for Local Government, 2008-11

Except ... it should be further noted that the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act was introduced by the Minister for Local Government in 2008, and brought into law in April 2008. And that ACT leader was himself Minister of Local Government for three years from 2008 to 2011, in which he had ample opportunity to amend the Act.

He didn't.

Ample opportunity to restrict the powers of local government to those in which it enjoyed a "general competence."

He didn't.

What did he do instead?

Oh, that's right. He spent his time, ego, and rapidly dwindling political capital on super-sizing Auckland's already tumescent council, all but ensuring citizens' rates bills would be equally super-swollen.

Dictating to Aucklanders how their "democracy" would work.

Local government in New Zealand exists because central government created it, and grants it powers. Instead of drastically shrinking the power of local government, as an ACT leader should have done, that ACT leader instead awarded this super-sized council many more. Including the power — nay, the necessity — to set up a co-governed committee to manage the Waitākere Ranges.

It's a bit late now to watch this ACT leader whimpering about it.

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