The government has called a press conference for tomorrow to announce the future of Environment Canterbury - and word is that they will be extending Canterbury's dictatorship:
Government-appointed commissioners have been in charge of the council since councillors were sacked early in 2010 by then environment minister Nick Smith and local government minister Rodney Hide.I guess National's farmer-cronies haven't stolen all the water yet.Legislation passed at the time included a commitment that regional councillors would be elected again in October 2013 at the latest.
The Press understands that tomorrow's announcement could include that elections will not take place next year.
That might mean the commissioners will have their terms extended.
As Eugenie Sage points out, this is a matter of basic democracy. The present dictatorship is taxation without representation. Worse, it is government without a voice. And that is simply wrong. It is wrong in Fiji, and it is wrong in Canterbury. It is time National restored democracy in Canterbury, and gave Cantabrians back control over their own resources and rates.
