Local Body Elections are happening on 11th October 2025. This is always an exciting and important opportunity for residents and ratepayers to elect their representatives in their region. At Ground Zero we hope everyone will take their responsibilities seriously to ensure you look into the candidates and their policies, to provide the future that will best serve our region.
We need to get in behind our up-and-coming contenders against the contemptuous incumbents and ensure challenges are honoured when put to the people. The importance of public consensus cannot be overstated, in a true and conventional democracy.
“I believe strongly in freedom of speech and freedom of choice, anything else is not democracy. I want to bring democratic process back to the council table, bring the people’s voice to town and make sure it is listened to and included in Clutha District Council Long Term Plans”.
While there are some problems with local government, they arise when councils become too big, bureaucratic, unaccountable, and or distant from the people they represent. Unaccountable councils become inefficient and wasteful with disregard for the value of ratepayers’ money.
Recently we have been seeing that there is a separation of the democratic process from the people’s participation, with the worrying strategy of councils going ‘in committee’ and closed workshops. Council appears to justify business impacting on Long Term Plans into small print financial reports that are not covered by local democracy reporting. Overspending is a massive drain on our children’s futures, as borrowing to offset rates increases becomes the official modus operandi and a hidden narrative during election cycles.
We need to participate in council surveys, submissions and monitor the functions of our local bodies by taking an active interest in the balance sheet and the live stream meetings to understand what forces are acting within our councils that promotes the fiscal irresponsibility we are seeing. Because we the people, the residents and ratepayers bear the costs of council operations, and councils are accountable to no-one else, until they go bust.
What are we waiting for, let’s make this year, our year, it’s never too late to get involved to make a difference for our families, our neighbours and our communities.
If you tolerate this – then your children will be next. (Song by Manic Street Preachers • 1998)
Wrapping Up with Key Insights
“We need to get involved in consultation and debate, and have both a strong will and a strong voice. Leaving the public out of the consultation process is not acceptable, we will need to make ourselves heard at this year’s local body elections”.
“Spread the word and encourage people to exercise their right to vote. We need to stand strong against any new or existing legislation that undermines or restricts activities within our community”.