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Bryce Edwards: Parliament’s increasingly toxic ethnic identity wars – Democracy Project
“Personal abuse, dishonesty, and contempt in the public sphere are bad for democracy, social cohesion, and the integrity of the political system”, writes political analyst Dr Bryce Edwards in his commentary about Parliament’s increasingly toxic ethnic identity wars.
Peter Winsley: The mask has slipped: now we can see tribalism’s true face (but things are looking better overall)
Peter Winsley comments on Kiri Tamihere-Waititi’s declamatory call for Māori to overthrow the Government, declare sovereignty and do what the f##k they want, in which we saw tribalism’s true face.
David Farrar: Winston sums it up well
David Farrar of KIWIBLOG writes that what people need to understand is that we have a political party in Parliament that doesn’t want democracy, that doesn’t believe in equality of suffrage. This is summed up well by Winston Peters “They don’t want democracy, they want anarchy.”
PETER WILLIAMS: Campaign update on co-governance of water
Peter Williams, long-time broadcaster writes that it is becoming clear the new Government is continuing down Labour's path of undemocratic and costly co-governance. “Millions of ratepayer dollars are being spent on work that will see the 'mana of the water' put above the needs of you and your community and will give local iwi and hapu an almost unlimited scope to determine how water can and can't be used. Despite the coalition agreements and the very clear election mandate, unless we keep at them, the issue of equal democratic accountability and the dangerous path of co-governance isn't going to be fixed.”
Dr Bryce Edwards: When Unelected officials dominate the local democratic process
Dr Bryce Edwards, political analyst at the DEMOCRACY PROJECT, writes about dysfunctional local government councils. “In numerous councils around the country, elected councillors complain that the council officials, and often their council’s chief executive, have usurped the power to make decisions or at least come to dominate the elected councillors in their decision-making. This is a fundamental problem for the principles of democracy, in which the bureaucracy is supposed to serve those with the elected mandate.”
Andrea Vance: New code restricting advice to councillors is “unlawful and unconstitutional”
Andrea Vance for THE POST writes that Wellington City Council chief executive Barbara McKerrow has drafted a new code which councillors believe restricts the official advice they are allowed to see. Dean Knight, Victoria University law professor and leading expert in public and government law says that the code is democratically problematic.