Mike's Minute: The move of the week from the Govt

I think this was the move of the week. 

Housing Minister Chris Bishop dropped the bombshell on local body operators that the Government has decided to give him the power to intervene around housing in local body decision making. 

Mind you, we could argue scrapping the calamitous Census was a good move, and indeed I'm a massive fan of reporting inflation data on a monthly basis, which sort of makes us look like a first world country. These are all good decisions. 

But as regards councils and housing, in the broader interests of this small country finally getting its fiscal act together, this move cannot come soon enough. 

The simple truth is we are over councilled. We have ludicrous numbers of local do-gooders in a vast array of fiefdoms making decisions that may, or may not, make any sense locally, far less incorporating themselves into the bigger national picture. 

Part of the problem is too often councils have not been up to much. Too many councils are littered with acrimony and in-fighting, progress is stalled, or watered down, or major work is ignored in favour of more headline grabbing material that makes the local representatives look good. 

Not all of course, but too many. 

From Tauranga, to Wellington, to Christchurch, to Invercargill; the infighting and dysfunction has become legendary. 

What you can say about central Government that you can't say about local Government is most of us took part in the democratic process and as a result this Government, rightly or wrongly, has a mandate to get on and do stuff. 

Mainly, stuff that got cocked up by the previous Government. 

If there has been a constant theme of this current Government, even from its broad-based supporters, it is that they haven't done as much as they might have. 

They have plans and ideas and announcements and KPIs. What they don't have is a vast array of results. 

They don't have tangible things that have been changed leading to us quite clearly being better off. 

With the Bishop announcement it would appear that message and the lack of traction is finally hitting home, and they have sat around the Cabinet table and worked out they have about a year left to put some major runs on the board so that election time is about delivery and not more promises. 

The country basically is too small for this many councils and committees. A lot of decisions have major national economic implications and as such, central Government has, or should have, a say. 

They will hate it of course. They will gnash and wail and moan about local democracy. But guess what? Big picture economic success is more important. 

The big picture, generally, is more important. The national story is more important. 

Christchurch learned this last week over their intensification scrap, which lasted years and cost them millions, that this Government is serious and on a central vs local head-to-head, only one side is coming out on top. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This move of the week. I reckon Housing Minister Chris

(00:02):
Bishop dropped the bombshell on local body operators yesterday that
the government's decided to give them the power to intervene
in local body decision making run housing. Mind you, we
could argue scrapping the calamitous census was a good move,
or indeed, I'm a MASSI fan of reporting inflation data
on a monthly basis, sort of making us look like
a first world country. All good decisions, I would have thought.
But as regards counsels and housing in the broader interests

(00:24):
of the small country finally getting its fiscal act together,
this move cannot come soon enough. Simple truth is we're
over counseled. We have ludicrous numbers of local do good
as and vast array of fivedoms making decisions that may
or may not make any sense locally, far less incorporating
themselves into the bigger national picture. Part of the problem
is too often counsels have not been up to much.
Too many councils a little with acriminy in infighting, progresses

(00:46):
stalled or watered down, or major workers ignored in favor
of more headline grabbing material that makes the local representatives
look good, not all, of course, but too many. Taro
at a Wellington Christ Dutch to Invercargol. The infighting and
dysfunction now legendary. What you can say about central government
that you can't say about local government is most of
us took part in the democratic process, ie we voted,

(01:07):
and as a result, this government, rightly or wrongly, has
a mandate to get on and do stuff, mainly stuff
that got cocked up by the previous government. If there's
been a constant theme of this current government, even from
its broad based supporters, it's that they haven't done as
much as they might have. They've got plans and ideas
and announcements and KPIs what they don't have is a
vast array of results, tangible things that have been changed,

(01:30):
leading us to quite clearly being better off. It would
appear with the bishop announcement that message and lack of
traction is finally hitting home and they set around the
cabinet table and worked out that they've been in well,
they've got about a year left, I reckon to put
some major runs on the board so that election time
is about delivery and not promises. The country basically is
too small for this many councils and committees. A lot

(01:51):
of decisions have major national economic implications, of course, and
as such central government has or should have a say,
or they'll hate it. Of course, they'll nation whale and
known about local democracy. But guess what big picture economic
success is more important. The big picture generally is more important.
The national story is more important. Christ Church learned that
last week over their intensification scrap which lasted years cost

(02:13):
them millions, that this government is serious and on a
central v local head to head, only one side is
coming out on top. For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast,
listen live to News Talks at B from six am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio