The headline in today's issue of the Mercury -
Local government minister Nic Street has slammed bad behaviour during campaigning for council elections, urging candidates to be accountable for their actions.
What I find distressing is that candidates across the State are being targeted in one way or another but are they being targeted by other candidates? Why should the signs of candidates be defaced especially signs of candidates who have never stood before for election? Why should those candidates who have been on Council for previous terms be subjected to inuenndo and derogatory statements about past decisions?
If that is the case, then candidates need to be accountable but more importantly how do they intend to sit around the table with those who may be elected with them and maintain a good working relationship.
The Minister went on to say -
“Individuals that hold public office at all levels of government should be held to high standards in terms of behaviour. They are leaders in the community and are relied upon to represent, and make important decisions on behalf of, the community.”
In this week's edition of the GOBC news, there is a letter from a candidate that makes a number of comments about previous councils and how matters should have been dealt with by incumbent councillors. What is missed by the writer is that individual councillors cannot make decisions in isolation. All decisions are made by a majority or in some cases an absolute majority. What is worse is this allegation -
Why were previous GSBC’s allowed to operate outside of the Local Government Act, and by whom?
Who is the writer referring to as 'by whom'? Again, in Council there is no one person who can make decisions that would mean Council is operating outside the Local Government Act. As a long-term councillor, I'd like to see any evidence that the writer may have.
Don't forget to vote. It is compulsory this year.
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