Some times you have to say NO!

Rate increases at double inflation figures do not eventuate from anything beyond mismanagement and economic stupidity.
Yesterday The Prime Minister placed his cross hairs fair and square at the council tables using the absolutely positively Wellington conference center where the annual spendup masquerading as a necessary facet of council spending when it is nothing in such extravagance., it is a gabfest where mutual back slapping and self congratulations happen.
I know full well as during a brief stint as a Local Council Board Member I was flown to Dunedin, fed and accommodated, offered a little tourism action taking the Train from Dunedin station up the Taieri line towards Middlemarch for a “Picnic late afternoon meal” following a Powhiri and a piping of a Haggis.
I had to admit it was all a total waste of money as there was nothing remotely resembling education, furthering of competence for the work of the board, or any advantages of any nature. However it did provide a platform for aspiring socialist functionaries to hone their skills, that was entirely displayed at all times.

To my eternal shame I did nothing about addressing such wasteful spending as my sole purpose in getting involved in the local government situation was to facilitate Bob Parker’s plans to dissolve the Banks Peninsula District Council that was facing financial disaster, into Christchurch City. As soon as that was accomplished I returned to retirement, mission accomplished.
Of course the fears that drove Bob’s moves were played out with a lay down Misere in 2010 when the seismic events proved that the anomaly created by the ex mayor of Palmerston North City decades earlier , c2010/2011, could not have dealt with the damages wrought during the over 1000 seismic events.

A very first consideration for any elected official at any level of governance must be “what will this proposed spend deliver for ratepayers/taxpayers, and Mr Luxon’s sage advice to those luxuriating in the comforts of that civic masterpiece of indulgence can be equally applied to him and the >120 member Parliament who at all times see self aggrandisement and legend creation as a first step in any spending decisions, that is why indeed the water pipes failing just outside the convention center to underline the decades of failure, were just so apt.

Keep chipping away Mr Simeon Brown you have much to do yet.