Mike's Minute: Get some expertise around the council tables

Lindsay McKenzie is still busy at work. 

You will have forgotten the name because like so much news these days, it's hot stuff until it isn't. 

Lindsay is the bloke that was appointed to watch over Wellington Council because of their dysfunction. 

He has just written his second report. His first report seemed sort of sympathetic. Yes, they were a mess, but they were decent people sort of thing. 

His second report seems to suggest not a lot is getting better. Some councillors have continued their criticism of each other and they're suspicion of information being leaked, writes Lindsay. 

He also says the community is at its wits end over infrastructure although most of that comes from the same complainers. 

He has also noted since his first report there have been several incidences that have given rise to concerns about the organisations ability to function. 

Now, the question I have is, given the place is still to be found wanting, what next? You might remember Minister Simeon Brown put this bloke in as the least intrusive option, as opposed to a full commissioner or set of commissioners. 

So far, so bad. So, is the government going to do anything? Or is poor old Lindsay set to write reports for the rest of his life? 

In the report though is a nugget of gold. He recommends a review of the Local Government Act in relation to the qualification for and capability to hold office. 

Yes, yes, and yes please. 

Let's actually treat these jobs as jobs as opposed to dabbles, fascinations or fiefdoms. Let's actually require people to have some skills. 

The idea you can just put your name forward for a job of such responsibility is absurd beyond belief and when any idiot can have a crack, guess what you get? Wellington is what you get. 

Let's get a bit professional, let's put a bit of heft behind the job, and let's get some talent in the room. 

I have no doubt this is going nowhere, because why would you fix anything when you can ignore it? But if that was run with, Lindsay would deserve, if not a knighthood, certainly keys to a vastly better run city. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now Lindsay McKenzie is still busy at work. Now you
have forgotten his name because, like so much news these days,
it's hot stuff until it isn't. Lindsay's the bloke that
was appointed to watch over Wellington Council because of their dysfunction.
He's just written his second report. His first report seems
sort of sympathetic to my eye anyway. Ah, yes, they
were a mess, but they were decent sort of people,

(00:20):
that sort of thing. His second report seems to suggest
not a lot is getting better. Some counselors have continued,
he writes, their criticism of each other, and officers are
suspected of leaking information. He also says the community is
that it's wits end his words, not mine, wits end
over infrastructure, although most of that comes from the same complainers.

(00:41):
He's also noted since his first report, there's been several
incidences that have given rise to concerns about the organization's
ability to function. Now the question I have has given
the place is still to be found wanting what next.
So you might remember the minister at the time, Simming
and Brown put this bloke in as the least and
truser as opposed to a full commissioner or set of commissioners.

(01:03):
So far, so bad. So is he going to do
anything about any of this? Or is poor old Lindsay
set to write reports for the rest of his life.
In the report, though, I found a nugget of gold.
He recommends a review of the Local Government Act in
relation to the qualification for and capability to hold office. Yes, yes, yes, yes, please,

(01:24):
Let's actually treat these jobs as jobs, as opposed to
devils or fascinations or fiftoms. Let's actually require people, to
God forbid, have some skills. Now, the idea you can
just put your name for it for a job of
such responsibility is absurd, beyond belief, of course. And when
any idiot can have a crack, guess what you get,
Wellington is what you get. So let's get a bit

(01:45):
of professionalism, and then let's put a bit of hift
behind the job. Let's get some talent in the room.
If that recommendation is acted on, and I have no
doubt it won't be, because why would you fix anything
when you get ignore it? But if that was run with,
Lindsey would deserve, if not a knighthood, certainly keys to
a vastly better run City. For more from the mic
Asking Breakfast, listen live to News Talk set B from

(02:06):
six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio