Transparency
Andrew Bydder in “No More Smoke and Mirrors” (The News May 27) raises important concerns about the lack of transparency in local government, a matter that is not only evident in our own Waipā District Council but also across many councils throughout New Zealand.
Local councils exist to manage regions effectively and to provide essential services to their communities. However, their core responsibilities are increasingly being sidetracked by “pet projects” and initiatives that fall outside their primary purpose with little or no visibility or accountability.
While I fully support Andrew’s position, I believe it does not go far enough. Unfortunately, when residents request information from the Waipā District Council under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA), much of the content is heavily redacted. With all due respect, the council is not the GCSB or the New Zealand Police. There is no justifiable reason for such excessive secrecy from an organisation that is supposed to serve the residents and ratepayers of Waipā.
To be clear, I understand that some limitations must exist—particularly when it comes to personally identifiable information, staff-related matters, and contracts that are still under negotiation. But beyond these specific and justifiable exceptions, the default approach should be full disclosure to residents and ratepayers, not just the “media”.
The residents and ratepayers of Waipā and indeed all of New Zealand deserve unfiltered access to the truth. Currently, too many meetings are held behind closed doors, and information is withheld, making it nearly impossible for the public to see the full picture. (Abridged)
Ian Hayton
Cambridge
Road names
Editor’s note – we have received considerable feedback to our question: what do you think? about the debate over road names in Waipā. Watch out for further coverage on this issue next week. To publish a letter, 300 words to [email protected]
Letters to Editor. Photo: Pixabay
