Nick Mills: A Crown observer is the right call - but a sad one - Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

OPINION

Yesterday afternoon just after lunch an email landed in my inbox from Simeon Brown.

I looked out my window after four or five beautiful days in Wellington and saw clouds coming in from all directions.

And that's exactly how I felt reading this email from Simeon Brown. It felt like a dark day.

Brown was announcing he was appointing a Crown observer to Wellington City Council.

We all know what led to this point. Mammoth rates rises, the debacle that was the Reading Cinema deal, councillors arguing, leaking, walking out of meetings, and then the airport shares vote which was the last straw.

It was all too much for local government minister Simeon.

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