Nats preparing to impose Chch dictatorship

Written By: - Date published: 10:43 am, January 26th, 2012 - 15 comments
Categories: democracy under attack, local government - Tags:

David Farrar is calling for the Christchurch City Council to be sacked on the bizarre pretext that some of them have objected to the council CEO’s obscene pay rise. Apparently it’s a crime not to express confidence in your CEO if you’re an elected representative (Farrar seems to have missed the Collins-Matthews affair). But this is all a softening up exercise.

We’ve seen this old game so many times now, it’s clear what’s coming. National is preparing to do away with democracy in Christchurch. Just as they have in Canterbury. Just as they imposed the Supercity on Aucklanders without allowing them their democratic right to a referendum. Just as they are planning to foist a Supercity on Wellington next. Just as they did when they reformed the RMA to curtail locals’ right to object to projects in their communities.

This isn’t about making local government more effective, it’s about power, pure and simple. National wants local government that puts the interests of the business elites it represents first. That means strangling any council that stands in their way and tipping the field against democracy. Christchurch is next on the hit list.

If I were advising the council and the local opposition MPs, I would say get together your counter-strategy now.

15 comments on “Nats preparing to impose Chch dictatorship ”

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  1. randal 1
    26 January 2012 at 11:32 am

    looks like new zealand is now becoming a new social laboratory.
    at the moment they are trialling the new fascism.
    what next.

    • Kevin Welsh 1.1
      26 January 2012 at 1:02 pm

      Nothing new about it randal.

      Electronic banking in the 1980’s, the beginning of the Neo-Liberal political experiment in the 1980’s and now the brazen in-your-face-fuck-you grab for money and power of the 21st Century.

      It’s gathering pace, but at least we have X-Factor to feed us intellectually.

  2. mickysavage 2
    26 January 2012 at 11:37 am

    It is really bizarre.  If a council should be sacked because individual councillors may be leaking stuff to the media there would not be a Council remaining in the country.
     
    And if a Council should be sacked because some were objecting to obscenely high salary increase for the chief executive then democracy does not have a chance.

  3. Lanthanide 3
    26 January 2012 at 11:40 am

    Jim Anderton spoke about this on National Radio this morning. He said that the problems with CCC started 10 years ago when the previous CEO was appointed. He said as a result of her appointment, 28 of the 29 senior managers resigned, took voluntary redundancy or retired.

    This same rot has continued with Tony Marryatt and Bob Parker forming a cabal that excludes the rest of the CCC councillors from most decisions and meetings.

    Idiot lemmings that voted Bob Parker in just because of the quake. Just like the last general election.

    • mik e 3.1
      27 January 2012 at 10:22 pm

      Another smile and wave moment.Kiwis are easily sucked in by media savy opportunists!
      Your Host Bob Parker.

    • Puddleglum 3.2
      27 January 2012 at 10:56 pm

      Agreed, Lanthanide.

      Leslie McTurk (sp?) was the previous CEO and she restructured the council staff to a standstill.

      I know someone (very well) who temped at the council during that time and morale was abysmal. It was a very stressful time for the staff.

      There is a long-standing effort to have the council run more and more along corporatist lines and it began in earnest with her.

  4. vto 4
    26 January 2012 at 11:48 am

    “Idiot lemmings that voted Bob Parker in just because of the quake. Just like the last general election.”

    +100

  6. A.Ziffel 6
    26 January 2012 at 1:30 pm

    I don’t get it.

    1. Is Farrar really a spokesman for Cabinet?

    2. The only thing I could glean from reading his article, was that Farrar called on Cnr Carter (& maybe Cr Livingstone) to resign for publicly advocating the dismissal of the town clerk (CEO).
    A sort of anti ERA fair and reasonable employer thing.

    • Draco T Bastard 6.1
      26 January 2012 at 4:06 pm

      1.) No, he’s a pollster for National. IMO, him putting something like this up on his blog is part of the polling. He’s seeing which way Nationals base will take it.

      • Jack 6.1.1
        30 January 2012 at 5:49 pm

        He’s also taking lots of vacations lately.. my guess on taxpayer’s money. I wonder how much the National Party, umm taxpayers, have paid him. He is Key’s pr man. I notice he has a column in the Herald, now Stuff, and Dominion Post.. Obviously Key has rewarded him well. I think he is a tosser.

  7. ron 7
    26 January 2012 at 5:08 pm

    DTB is right and this was so obvious.

    One councillor came out publicly criticising the pay rise and the way the mayor makes secret decisions and excludes important councillors.
    STRAIGHT AWAY Sue Wells is pretending to freak out and say if this sort of division doesn’t stop they’ll bring in the commissioners. It was a complete over reaction from someone who knows better and has to be a set up. Then Brunton(?) is on about how it’s all the fault of the “leakers” – a follow up to ensure public perception is the the “fractures in council” are the fault of those who spoke out about Parker’s bullshit.
    Two things are now possible: usual Tory process of diverting a manufactured disaster and taking the credit (Smith even “coincidentally” raised his ACC efforts, today) and then taking the credit: Parker and Wells “Well, despite the efforts of those nasty councillors who spoke out we have managed to save Chch from commissioners”
    Or
    Commissioners are brought in: Smith and Parker “We told you noit to speak out – now look what you’ve done”.

  8. randal 8
    26 January 2012 at 7:46 pm

    mirk shrewsbrewery got one thing right on close up tonight.
    who is calling the shots?
    the ceo or the elected council.
    and bob parker is way off track when he calls the council to task for not doing the job properly.
    their job is to represent the people not toady up to overpaid accountants.
    and besides whats the rush.
    we see on the teevee tonight the building with the redsticker removed and people getting killed because of it just so someone could start making money again.
    a bit of sober reflection might be in order here instead of kneejerk flipouts which can only be exacerbated with nick smith appearing on the scene tomorrow.

  9. Jum 9
    27 January 2012 at 1:25 am

    Parker operated for Key and Co because they supported him to get back in. How far they went is a matter of science, but that’s for another day.

    What does Parker get in return for his devotion to the asset sales cause?

    Always we have to watch for the fires while this government is controlling the country, not the smoke.

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