Source: Taxpayers Union
23 APRIL 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says the re-election of Wairoa mayor Craig Little, occurring while he hid the fact $50,000 had been spent on an investigation and payout relating to sexual harassment allegations against him by a staff member, demonstrates the need for recall elections in local government.Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “New Zealand ranks low in international democracy measures of accountability, with no ability for voters to recall politicians at either the central or local government level. Local ratepayers cannot even demand polls or referenda on local issues, without a Parliamentary or council blessing.”“The re-election of Craig Little, like the re-election of Len Brown in 2013, is tarnished by a dirty little secret voters weren’t told about. It should be within their right to re-hold the poll.”“The mayors of our two largest cities have corruption investigations hanging over them. The Wairoa mayor is now disgraced. It’s not good enough that we must wait years until the next election to boot out lame ducks in office. Recall elections are the way most of the world handle this problem and it’s time they were introduced here.”
