TDC accused of bias in anti-amalgamation flyer

April 6th, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

A row is brewing over Tasman District Council's use of ratepayers' funds to promote the majority anti-amalgamation opinion of councillors via a mass letterbox flyer, the Mayor's official comments and the Newsline magazine.

The TDC and some of its more vocal councillors have cranked up their campaign opposing the Neslon-Tasman amalgamation, with a spate of advertising and a flyer to all Tasman households promoting a 'No' vote.

This has angered at least two of the four councillors who personally support the amalgamation plan, with one calling the official TDC flyer (titled 'Amalgamation at what cost...') a "blatant stand and lack of balance by our council". The legality and ethics of the ratepayer-funded flyer are also being called into question.

Golden Bay ward councillor Martine Bouillir told Motueka Online that she just cannot believe the latest bit of biased propoganda put out by TDC in our letterboxes.

"I'm extrememly disappointed by our council's latest attempt at influencing - and they will - the amalgamation vote by way of a flyer to all Tasman households," she said. "It is no secret that TDC is against this proposal, however information coming from both councils is supposed to be neutral, leaving you to make up your own mind.

"It is fine that the mayors and councillors present their own strong opinions but this bit of selective propaganda is being paid for by you and is blatantly designed to put the wind up anyone considering the merger. This was not run past councillors before disseminating.

"I have had several concerned phone calls from constituents upset by this flyer. It just confirms even more strongly for me that the 'us and them' mentality is well and truly alive and as entrenched as ever. Even more reason for me to want meaningful change!"

In her emailed community newsletter, Martine added: "(People) are taking matters into their own hands by contacting government ministers, the mayor and the LGC. If we don't speak up we continue to be controlled by default and we continue perpetuating and condoning unethical behaviour.

"Obviously this leads to acceptance of less than impeccable standards and gradually we come to accept more and more inappropriate behaviour. This council is elected, paid for and employed by you, don't forget. This is nothing to do with amalgamation and everything to do with ethics and integrity."

One Golden Bay resident is known to have written to the Local Government minister, Hon David Carter, questioning the legality of the flyer. Her email includes: "The flyer is on Council letterhead. It is clearly a one sided argument against the amalgamation proposals currently being voted on in the Nelson/Tasman region. I am told by our local councillor that printing and distribution was paid for with ratepayer funds. Can you please advise if this is allowable behaviour? In central government, using taxpayer money to fund political views during a voting process is quite carefully regulated. Is there no equivalent in local government?"

A few weeks ago a spat flared at a council committee meeting over councillors expressing their views on amalgamation. (See Nelson Mail story here.) Although the majority view of the council is against amalgamation, four councillors - including Cr Glenys Glover, who has submitted her opinion to this website - are known to have personal views in favour of it.

It was reportedly agreed at that meeting that in future all councillors would make their opinions known as personal ones only. Council acting chief executive Dennis Bush-King said the council had to inform residents there was an upcoming vote but must not be seen to promote or oppose amalgamation.

Presumably aiming to compete with the strong advertising campaign of the "1Region" group, Cr Judene Edgar placed a half-page ad in the Guardian opposing amalgamation, and both she and Cr Trevor Norriss posted professionally produced 4-minute-plus videos on YouTube expressing their opinions as councillors. Trevor has also been an active participant in the Motueka Online discussion forum on the issue.

In the past two weeks the Mayor, Richard Kempthorne, has urged Tasman voters to be sceptical of claims made by pro-amalagamation people and the Local Government Commission about the potential benefits of amalgamation, calling some of the claims "myth-information". (Read his press release here)

Golden Bay Community Board chair Carolyn McLellan is also critical of the TDC's letterbox flyer, believing they have breached Council's own Code of Conduct.

In an email to her constituents, Carolyn said: "This is unbelievable tactics from our Council. TDC represents all ratepayers, not just the anti-amalgamation faction and this completely disrespects and disregards any other point of view. I do not appreciate any of my rate money being spent on this campaign to discredit any option other than that which keeps TDC with its own autonomous fiefdom.

"In the last couple of days everyone in Tasman has had an anti amalgamation pamphlet delivered to them from TDC. This has caused a lot of concern from people both for amalgamation and anti-amalgamation (people) as they do not like council spending money on a campaign such as this. No matter what your view point we should be free to vote how we believe without Council trying to influence that vote.

"It has been okay for the two groups, who are not funded by the councils, to have their campaigns to try and garner support, but not for Councils to take on a position as TDC has in this case.

"As ratepayers we have all paid for this advertising and the Newsline, our fortnightly magazine, is also peddling the blatantly anti-amalgamation message. Newsline is supposed to be a magazine to ensure ratepayers are kept up to date with issues happening around the district, it is not supposed to be used to sway or influence opinions especially not on such an important issue.

"I believe that these articles and pamphlets have breached Council's own Code of Conduct.

"I have made no secret that I support amalgamation, however I have not spoken on behalf of the Golden Bay Community Board nor should I - my opinion is just that, mine, which I have been happy to share with anyone who is interested."

[See also later story]

Editorial comment: On April 22nd I received an email from James Hutchinson, who wanted it known that he made the videos of Judene Edgar and Trevor Norriss "as a volunteer and a passionate opponent of amalgamation. I am not a professional, but a 21 year old student studying at NMIT with a keen interest in politics. I would like it acknowledged that the videos were made at no cost to any of the councillors featured in the videos, and were purely voluntary."

I acknowledge that the intention of the sentence I wrote about this was ambiguous - I had intended to report that the videos were made of a professional quality, not that they had been made by a professional video company.

Comment by Grumpy Old Men (via William Cleaver:
[Posted 7 April 2012]

Simply let the powers to be do their advertising and flyers around the community. Most members of the Grumpy Olds have taken enough rope and hung themselves at some stage of their lives. I think the same could be said for TDC if using rate payers to fund this attempt to smear the amalgamation.

Comment by Ron Nuttall:
[Posted 11 April 2012]

I personally fail to understand why anyone would object to the TDC information brochure covering many previously un-answered questions on the proposed council amalgamations.

I understand that councilors are voted by the public, to represent the public, by informing the public. I see no where any statement in the brochure on how one should vote.

As for concern for the costs of the brochure it would be nothing compared to the in excess of the $80,000.00 combined costs to the 1st June 2011 created by Mr Miccio quest for amalgamation. $49,774.00 for the Strateg Ease Report alone.

Comment by Shirley Frater:
[Posted 12 April 2012]

It all depends on what you support or feel threaten by. Perhaps those who are complaining about a flyer should listen to adverts placed on a radio station where so-called prominent Nelson/Tasman people have been making strong statements about the benefits of amalgamation. I question some of these ads.

Please allow the ratepayers the intelligence and democracy to do their voting without this politicking. The important aspect is that people have their say by voting. If people do not vote how can they moan after? Some of us have been watching the actions of people for some time - not just polling events.

Comment by John Anderson:
[Posted 12 April 2012]

For too long we have heard only the propaganda from Aldo Miccio and his well heeled cohorts extolling the virtues of amalgamation while ignoring any facts that do not agree with their claims. The opposition to this third rate proposal has for the most part been silent and voters were left to sift through the fine print on their own. Very few attended public meetings and those who did heard a one sided debate that was controlled by the presenters. Reporting in the press was pathetic until the groundswell of opinion showed that there was considerable opposition to the amalgamation which had cynically been called a "no brainer". Details such as the shift of the ward boundaries that would, without any consultation, move the Motueka Valley into the Motueka Ward were not reported. Nelson province is a first rate area and for any amalgamation to be warmly welcomed by the rate payers in both regions we would need a first rate proposal.

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