Last month we learned that Thames-Coromandel Mayor (and former National Party MP) Sandra Goudie is a climate change denier. In the wake of that revelation, Stuff has done some followup work on councils which (like Thames-Coromandel) have failed to sign the Local Government Leaders' Climate Change Declaration. The good news is that some of them have now done so. But there's a number of holdouts, who seem to be climate change deniers (or desperately trying to hide the fact):
Several New Zealand mayors are still reluctant to say they agree with the scientific consensus that human activities have an impact on climate change.
[...]
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said he believed that human industry had an impact on climate, but that it was overstated.
"Some of it has been exaggerated - I'm not sure about sea level rises and all that. I don't think people need to get too alarmed."
[...]
Central Hawkes Bay Mayor Alex Walker was also somewhat sceptical. "There is some evidence to suggest that [humans have an impact on climate change], but it's hard to pinpoint."
West Coast Regional Council Chair Andrew Robb refused to speak to Stuff.
...and so on. There's a table in the article showing everyone's response (or lack thereof), but spot the similarity: overwhelmingly dead white males.
Again: we have local body elections in October. If you live in one of these districts, and you don't want your home to burn down, flood, or fall into the sea, then I suggest you take the opportunity to get a better mayor.
