Speaker: Waitara and the perils of public advocacy
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Since writing this, the sum demanded has been confirmed as $$22,598.40.
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Posting this link without comment:
http://www.trc.govt.nz/councillors-and-management/ -
Vote these men out. It is not that easy.
True - they appear to be cloning them.
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st ephen, in reply to
You're not only more restrained but also quicker.
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Abbie, in reply to
You ain't wrong there!
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Hmmm...conflicted and vested interest anyone?
Had a bit of a battle against the Waikato Regional Council a few years ago...scrutinising the background of elected 'representatives' proved to be a depressing and dehumansing process.
I was following this wee battle and cheering the protagonists.
It would stick in my craw to pay the costs....but...?
Thank you for bringing this here...
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I look forward to the Taxpayer Onion's strident denunciation of public money wasted by local government attempts to spite-fuck (and financially cripple) critics though the courts. Courts, needs I add, that already have significant backlogs.
Won't hold my breath waiting, though.
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There was a group formed, back in the day, in Hamilton to protest the aerial spraying of Foray 48b for the Asian Gypsy Moth.
They fought long and hard...and lost.
Got hit with the costs.
I read a Hansard excerpt that basically said "they asked for it."
I really have to concentrate on other stuff right now...but will try and find it later.
This type of punitive action against citizens is a national shame...and is happening way too often. I don't know what it would take to a) make the wider community aware that it is happening, and b) stop the fuckers from doing this.
Craig is right....this is spite.
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The real danger of what the TRC has done is to ensure that citizens will not make submissions to consents again where costs are threatened.
How common is it for any New Zealand agency to charge for requests under either the the OIA or the LGOIMA?
In other countries (eg Australia) I’ve seen agencies state standard charges for anyone wishing to request anything, but I’m not familiar with it in New Zealand.
Fundamentally I think government agencies should be responding by default, and that charges should only ever be issued if there’s clearly going to be a high cost to the point that it might otherwise be declined due to the substantial collation or research clause, if applied to an agency that could be considered to be handling its records properly.
$461 doesn’t sound at all like substantial collation or research. If it’s not a simple blocking tactic, it sounds more like the agency hasn’t allocated anything for responding to basic requests for information as required under law.
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I will kick the fund of I will donate 61 dollars that's a start .Fiona Robbie and Andrea don't deserve that it's a disgrace that this happened . To a democratic society where is the government on this , they are also responsible for what's happened. They should have put a stop to this case never should have gone to court watch out little people you all nead to think about who you vote in these government bodies this is a old man s retirement home and they scratch each other's back look out people. Cheers Trev
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Sacha, in reply to
Thank you Trevor.
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Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
I will kick the fund of I will donate 61 dollars
We’ll donate $50.00.Where to? Do they want to appeal.? We can help there too.
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Abbie, in reply to
Yes please! All help gratefully received. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/supportthewaitara3/ The case was already lost on appeal - on the same technicality. So legal avenues have been exhausted. Which is why public opinion has become so important instead, to send a message.
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Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
Our democracy is being eroded and this is a very good example of it. I hope more people come on board in support. We all have to keep shouting and lack of money can not be a reason to shut people down. As a mate often says " Go hard ".
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Hebe,
Great piece Abbie. It is wrong, so wrong.
Add this to the gutting of Ecan and the Christchurch CBD debacle and suspension of democracy and I despair at the course New Zealand democracy is on.
We need some form of constitution because our governing bodies, local and national, can no longer be trusted to behave within the spirit of the law as well as the letter. New Zealanders have been used to a rather benign paternalism in their elected officials. However, with the advent of the TPPA, this country's citizens and our democracy and its conventions need some form of legal protection.
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Speaking of lack of accountability, Ombudsman Bev Wakem is offering up a free pass for govt to continue abusing the OIA - as they have admitted doing.
But no, she reckons it's those damn journos and their pesky questions that are the real problem. Thankfully this waste of space is about to exit stage left but what a gutless parting performance.
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Abbie, in reply to
"She said chief executives might take an objective view of whether information should be released "if the approach to them was not like a rottweiler on heat. Frankly it's the relationship you establish with the chief executive." GOOD GRIEF!
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izogi, in reply to
Has anyone found an actual published report that can be read? I can't see anything obvious on the Ombudsman's website.
I can see the 7 page project summary, but that's from before it started.
As recently as October 23rd there was also this survey of requesters and government workers, presumably for contributing to this report, but those surveys closed a month ago. On the side if the surveys were held so recently, it seems an untypically short timeframe for producing a report of this nature, if it matches what I was expecting.
It'd be interesting to see some survey result data and compare it with the conclusions in the resulting report. Did she get a whole lot of government workers responding about how they've been pulled from their jobs to answer media fishing expeditions, but very few responses from the public who mightn't even have heard about the survey?
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izogi, in reply to
Has anyone found an actual published report that can be read? I can’t see anything obvious on the Ombudsman’s website.
To answer my own question, Jane Patterson's analysis from this morning indicates that it's about to be released.
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It's not directly on this story but this, from this evening, seems very significant re government departments and charging for OIA requests:
Official Information Act request charges for media in spotlight
The Reserve Bank has invoiced Fairfax for an OIA request, and other departments are expected to follow.
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There's also now a followup to the above story, penned by deputy governor of the Reserve Bank in the DomPost.
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a chance for some public advocacy in Chch
Save City Care
Keep Our Assets Picket
at Christchurch City Council Building,
Worcester Boulevard Entrance,
This Wednesday, January 20th, 12 noon -1.30 p.m.
Today! -
The vindictive Taranaki Regional Council is spending hundreds of thousands chasing this small debt. Serious threat to democracy.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/297910/council-spends-$270k-chasing-$25k-debt
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Now made the stuff website. This is so wrong. Vindictive regional council wages war on the people and the democratic processes. Taranaki people should vote this Regional Council out.
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Ian Dalziel, in reply to
This is so wrong. Vindictive regional council wages war on the people and the democratic processes
Totally illogical behaviour – these people are attempting to pay off their Draconian obligation yet:
Council director of corporate services Mike Nield said on 13 November 2015 legal representatives for the three individuals were advised the trio owed $25,138.12 in total.
“As soon as all debts are cleared the bankruptcy proceedings will stop,” he said.If they bankrupt these people the council will get nothing further – Wonder if their (TRC) Aussie Bankers BNZ are behind the push – but throwing good money after bad speaks of Little Man syndrome – may their Dogma be run over by their Karma.
I also note that David MacLeod is also a ‘mover and shaker’ with Fonterra among other interests
David MacLeod was elected to the Fonterra Board in 2011 and is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the Co-operative Relations Committee. David also serves on the boards of Port Taranaki Limited and A.J. Greaves Electrical Limited. He is Chairman of the Taranaki Regional Council. David lives near Hawera in South Taranaki and is a director of P.K.W. Farms GP Limited, one of Fonterra’s largest shareholders, and is a shareholder of Far South Farms Limited, which owns a dairy farm in Southland.
My bolding/emphasis
- hence his interest in continuing to ‘muddy the waters’?
– massive conflict of interest I’d have thought?But hey it’s the modern way under a National Government – Gaming the system!
see: https://www.fonterra.com/nz/en/about/our+governance/board+of+directors/david+macleod
and
http://www.trc.govt.nz/assets/Publications/state-of-the-environment-monitoring/pkw08.PDF
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