Dear Editor,
I was under the impression that we elect District Councillors and a Mayor to represent the communities’ best interest, by listening to what the communities have to say. However, in Horowhenua this is not the case. We have just had two Shannon Wastewater “Have Your Say” consultation meetings only in Levin where Councillors had the opportunity to hear what the community had to say, but only one Councillor (Anne Hunt) turned up. Mayor Duffy and Councillor Rush did pop in for a few minutes to show the flag.
I can excuse Cr Wayne Bishop as his principles do not permit him to engage in anything political, but what happened to the rest of them? Where was the Foxton Community Board? They weren’t there looking after the people they represent. All the pollution ends up in their backyard.
The ratepayers and residents in Horowhenua have to ask “how can our Council now make the important informed decision on the views of the community when only one Councillor was there to actually hear the voices of the people?”
Unfortunately ,the Council now have to passively rely on the “Have Your Say” Feedback forms, which have been contrived to offer Hobson’s choice given that the Shannon community majority vote for 100% land based disposal has been summarily discarded by HDC staff based on questionable consultancy advice.
This is not democracy at work, it is dictatorship in an attempt to distract the ratepayers and residents from the real issues that are in front of our community and the bullying style that we have had to endure at Council meetings over the last few years.
There is no doubt that the politics used by the Mayor and Council will say that we are ill-informed. This could be correct because they hold the most important decision making In Committee to avoid exposing their inability to implement appropriate financial management.
Already our mayor has started the campaign to be re-elected using our local community newspaper with his Mayoral Opinion Column attacking the people who stand up for the truth and can back up their statements with public documents.
Don’t be intimidated by the propaganda that is being published by Council or the Mayor, You have to vote them out in October or put up with more of their incompetency for another three years.
David Thomson
Vice Chair HDRRAI
Levin
