Representation Commission - 13/11/2006

(Presented by Mayor Michael Laws and rural ward district councillor Nicki Higgie)

• On behalf of the Council, welcome to Wanganui.
• We appreciate the Commission's heavy schedule this year and the complexity that accompanies much of its deliberations. The Commission will be pleased that Wanganui's representation arrangements and suggestions are relatively straightforward by comparison.
• The relevant issues are:
  1. Whether 'at large' representation improves local democracy;
  2. The number of elected representatives;
  3. The role of the Rural Community Board.
• Council has found itself largely guided by the will of Wanganui people in addressing each of those issues.

There was an even range of opinions around the council table, but both supporters of the 'status quo' and of representative reform worked together in constructing the public information campaign, and in framing the questions for inclusion in 'Referendum '06'.

We were unanimous in our view that the material was both excellent and impartial. It was signed off by us all.

The referendum information campaign consisted of:

1. A detailed 4-page pamphlet delivered to every Wanganui household;
2. Full page public advertisements in both the daily 'Wanganui Chronicle' and the weekly community newspaper 'Midweek';
3. Radio advertisements on both local radio stations;
4. A dedicated and extensively advertised website;
5. Suburban public meetings at which 'yes' and 'no' advocates debated the issues;
6. A 2-page summary pamphlet delivered with every voting paper.

• The 'Referendum '06' turn-out was exceptional – over 55% of registered voters cast their votes – over 17,000 people.

  1. 'At large' representation

  It is a moot point as to whether the Council would have continued with a rural ward if the Local Electoral Act (2001) had not required both a representation review and for mathematical formulae to be applied to that review.

  When it became apparent that rural representation would be likely reduced to just one councillor, then the council decided that an 'at large' ward was the favoured method of future representation. There is a strong view that rural voters would effectively be disenfranchised if they were only allowed to vote for the mayor, one councillor and the rural community board.

  Council believe rural voters will have greater influence, and that council will take more notice of rural communities and rural issues, if a change to ‘at large’ representation is achieved:

  WARD OPTION 1 Mayor, 1 Councillor, 6 Rural Board = 8 representatives

  AT LARGE OPTION = Mayor, 10 Councillors, 6 Rural Board = 17 representatives

  That said, it is important to note that less than half of rural residents are actually involved in agricultural-related work or industries. Most residents are 'lifestylers' and most rural population is sited within easy reach of urban amenities and facilities.

  The rural community of Wanganui is not dramatically disparate from that of the urban community. For most rural dwellers, there is more 'community of interest' with the urban Wanganui district than the rural Wanganui district.

  2. Rural Community Board

  It is important to note that there was very little interest in former rural community board elections, because the rural board has so little power and was unable to demonstrate effective lobbying as a consequence.

  I personally changed that in 2004 by ensuring that the rural board was treated as a standing committee of council (reporting direct to the council and not through other standing committees) and ensuring that every standing committee had a rural board member with speaking rights.

  That is now official council policy and is unlikely ever to change.

  This arrangement has worked well. It is obvious that the rural community enjoy this enhanced representation by the fact that a by-election in early-2006 attracted four quality candidates whereas, in the past, it would have struggled to attract any.

  3. Reducing Councillor Numbers from Twelve (12) to Ten

  The interesting thing about this council's proposal to reduce councillor numbers from twelve to ten, is that it is an issue that attracted the most submissions but was the most clear-cut result on representation issues at 'Referendum '06'.

  It must be noted that the submissions of many anti-petitioners represent part of a perceived general grievance rather than a specific one. That much is evident in the tenor and claims of some of the submissions.

  Putting aside such rhetoric, it is vital to understand that the proposal to reduce councillor numbers has overwhelming community support. 10.014 persons voted to reduce councillor numbers and 6,577 voted to maintain the status quo.

  The reality is that Wanganui is over-governed. We have nineteen (19) elected representatives and the council's intent is to reduce that number by two.

  The following figures relating to electors and representatives is illustrative:

  Status Quo: 1 mayor, 3 councilors & 6 rural board members for 3,675 rural electors
  1 mayor, 9 councilors for 27,044 urban electors.

  Proposal:
  1 mayor, 10 councilors & 6 rural board members for 3,675 rural electors
  1 mayor & 10 councilors for 30,719 'at large' electors

  The urban electors-to-elected representative ratio moves from 2,704: 1 to 2,792:1.

  For rural electors, the ratio moves from the extraordinarily low ratio of 367:1 to the even lower one of 216:1.

  In summary, the council's proposal aims to:

  • streamline council,
  • fit in with the general national trend of reducing representative numbers,
  • represent the will of the Wanganui people,
  • open up the possibility of salary and administrative savings and
  • still ensure that there is outstanding access of to elected representatives.

  Michael Laws
  Mayor