Referendum results clear: Council will act - 11/02/2006Mayor Michael Laws today said the results of Referendum '06 are clear and will likely bind council in its decisions during the coming year.
"I am personally delighted with the spelling of Wanganui result – people have attempted by stealth to respell our city and district and the public of Wanganui have rejected such tactics. It is now appropriate for a number of organisations in Wanganui to reconsider the spelling of their organisations in light of this result," says Mayor Laws.
"Regarding the fluoridation result, again an overwhelming rejection of changing the status quo. I compliment the campaign of the anti fluoridation lobbyists, particularly PJ Faumui. Wanganui's decision was made on a factual basis not on fear.
"I am also personally delighted at the results of water softening, reducing the number of councillors and the abolition of the urban ward. The latter was the only really close vote but it still will be persuasive in terms of council's representations to the Representation Commission. It may well be that Wanganui elects only 10 councillors at the next election at one 'at large' district ward."
But the most outstanding feature of the referendum and by-election was the turn-out of 55.4%.
"Yet again Wanganui has proven that we are a passionate, constructive and deliberative community and I am proud to be its mayor. I said I would give the people of Wanganui the power and they have proven once again they want that power."
Preliminary results of Wanganui Referendum '06 are:
1 Spelling of Wanganui
I vote for Wanganui to be spelt with an 'h', and therefore read Whanganui 3026
I vote against Wanganui being spelt with an 'h' 13670
Percentage 82%
2 Water softening
I vote for council investigating the softening of Wanganui's water supply 12534
I vote against council investigating the softening of Wanganui's water supply 4112
Percentage 75%
3 Water fluoridation
I vote for Wanganui's urban water supply to be fluoridated 4289
I vote against Wanganui's urban water supply to be fluoridated 12257
Percentage 74%
4 Size of council
I vote for the number of Wanganui district councillors to be reduced 10001
I vote against the number of Wanganui district councillorss being reduced 6554
Percentage 60%
5 Abolition of urban and rural wards
I vote for rural and urban wards to be abolished in favour of one district-wide ward 8663
I vote against rural and urban wards being abolished in favour of one district-wide ward 7796
Percentage 53%
For full details on the results, visit the referendum web site. | 
