The fools who started and ran the Hawke’s Bay amalgamation campaign, putting everyone to so much trouble over something they never asked for, should apologise.
There was NO mass movement in the Hawke’s Bay, and there wasn’t in the Wellington region, for amalgamation.
Yet these people invited and encouraged the devil – the Local Government Commission – to propose amalgamation of the region.
Once the work started, there was still no mass movement. The issue got aired at public meetings, local media, and through various paid advertising. Yet, very few people responded.
The main pro-amalgamation actors were:
- Lawrence Yule, Mayor of Hastings. Championed the idea everywhere. Concedes it is a major defeat but self-justifies. He couldn’t even win the vote in his own Council. You have to wonder how well he understands his own citizens.
- Craig Foss, MP for Tukituki. A late-comer to the debate, which illustrates the weakness of his political radar, and perhaps susceptibility to doing what he is told by superiors. Wrote long-winded asinine article in the local paper. Acknowledges now that “the community has spoken” which is really beside the point, since they were speaking loudly before the election, and before this mess started, weren’t speaking about amalgamation at all.
- Rebecca Turner, chairman of A Better Hawke’s Bay, led the local charge single-handedly. Says she was “surprised” by the result, which suggests she was talking too loudly to listen. She has blamed the public for believing “fear and scaremongering”.
Yes, you’re right: not a single apology among them for causing consternation, expense and heartache for their fellow citizens.
