The priority need in any reorganising or amalgamation of local councils is to put locals back into local government. Chris Bishop is on record as saying, “The government’s belief is that local government has lost the social license and that New Zealanders have lost faith in local government – this is borne out by the fact that over half don’t bother to vote in local elections.” He has also said reform, or we (the government) will do it for you.

To reform a system is to improve it gradually from within. Nothing about the Ministers deadline of the 9^th of August to come up with a plan for council reorganisation or amalgamation or we (the government) will do it for you, is reformative. The issue with local government that is in desperate need of reformation is locals being the driving force in any question of reorganisation on their time frame and for their benefit.

The benefit most locals want is cost effective rates spending, affordable rates, water delivery charges and localism. None of these are present in the patsy survey Upper Hutt City council presents as consultation. It is however not entirely councils fault rate payers have mistakenly believed that the mayor and council, now and in the past, have the talents and skills to make decisions for what matters most to us the owners of all things local.

It is time for reform but not the reform of reorganisation of councils outlined in the government’s “head start pathway document” but one where we the effected party in any reorganisation drive any change based on a solid business case and what matters to us not what matters to Chris Bishop or even the UHCC.

We need to reorganise and reform ourselves as locals meaningfully involved in all things local not just jumping to governments tune. It’s not a power grab,” Bishop said. “This is about making local government fit for purpose.” The purpose Mr Bishop is that locals call the tune because they pay the piper.

To borrow a motto from people living with a disability “nothing about us without us”. Let’s act now and put locals back into local government become a member of the Upper Hutt residents’ group or any local group that gives you a collective voice.

And thank you to the editor of the Upper Hutt Connection for given locals a voice lost when we lost our local paper.   

Teresa Homan
5 Elm Street
Upper Hut

A “thank you” to Teresa Homan for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

17/06/26