Cr Shackel defended

Press, 17 June 1988, Page 5

Cr Shackel defended

The deputy chairman of the Waimairi District Council, Cr Brian Shackel, had the freedom and the right to express his individual views on amalgamation without being asked to resign his position, said the chairman of the Local Government Commission, Mr Brian Elwood. “This is what a democracy is all about — heaven forbid if he is not entitled to a point of view.”

Mr Elwood said that Cr Shackel had travelled overseas and viewed the

local government options and had returned with the "guts and courage” to say what he thought. Councillors should be encouraged to express individual views on local government reform even if these were at odds with the policy of their council. “I do not think anybody should be penalised for having a personal viewpoint — the job of the commission is to weigh up all the submissions.” Mr Elwood said that the expression of points of

view by Waimairi councillors would not be seen as a weakening of the position of the council. Councillors throughout New Zealand frequently held views that conflicted with that of their council. The Waimairi District Chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray, said she was angry at Mr Elwood’s reported statement that “Waimairi’s decision and actions will not make one iota of difference to reform in Christchurch.” Although Mr Elwood said the comments re-

ferred to the decision to seek Cr Shackel’s resignation, Mrs Murray said the public would interpret it as meaning Waimairi’s submissions on reorganisation would not affect reform. “Mr Elwood’s saying in Christchurch that it will not make one iota of difference is a disgrace — if we had known that was the case we would not have spent all that time coming up with a proposal. “It is an insult to democracy.”