Acklin defends dual role after gaining entertainment contract

Right, Mike Stk, get your drift. Country and Western. Nashville. Gore. Each to his own, I guess.

To be fair, my summation of the quality of Cr Acklin's Band's music was somewhat tongue in cheek. 'His' was never going to be 'my' music anyway, short of greatly augmenting his band, and launching into Sibelius, Ravel or Mahler.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, since I count myself very privileged, I was born into a very musical family and had a half-sized violin and bow thrust into my hands at age six. So, how could I ever appreciate Cr Acklin's music; any more than I would expect him to go overboard, about 'mine'?

[Abridged] 

Digger: I've never heard him play either, but I suspect the haircut is a clue

I've never heard Bill Acklin and his band. What kind of music does he play? Is it contemporary or what? I presume he does more than play 'Moon River' and 'I Did It my Way'  to continue winning entertaining contracts.

'Russ and Bev' suggest that Cr Acklin decide whether to be an entertainer or a councillor. Might I respectfully suggest 'neither', but find some other occupation. I have been 'entertained' by Mr Acklin's Band and found myself distinctly underwhelmed by the experience. He is making himself quite a 'name' as a councillor, but not for reasons I would wish to have attributed to me. Maybe, if he sought to concentrate on one thing at a time, he might eventually achieve success at one or the other. Ample opportunity for the 'conflict of interest' issue to solve itself, I would say, because, then, there'd be none. Meanwhile, there's something distinctly 'whiffy' about the existing situation, since, in Cr Acklin's public-life situation, one must not only be 'squeaky-clean', but bolster public confidence by being seen to be 'squeaky-clean' as well. One of the first rules of public life......or at least, used to be, when we had councillors whose integrity could be relied-upon. 

Quite right, russandbev. The Auditor General has published  many papers on conflicts of interest - both real and perceived - and warns about them. The system/legislation has allowed for such interests 'to be declared'. That is the rub. It allows conflicts of interest to continue and doesn't get involved if the person(s) involved choose not to step aside. There is the possibility of legal challenge, but that is costly for many to initiate and only the lawyers benefit in the end. That is where sustained public pressure and the role of the media come in. If not, blatant conflicts of interest continue and we are all poorer off as a result. Except the beneficiaries of course.

Readers should be aware that "obtaining Office of Auditor General" endorsement doesn't mean a thing.  This office has proved to be completely useless.  All it seems to be concerned with is to ensure a practice that has been followed is somehow documented - it has said on many ocassions that it doesn't pass judgement on the actual decisions made.  Perhaps it is time for Acklin to pursue being an entertainer rather than being a councillor and these conflicts wouldn't arise.

Cr Acklin has made his assessment: he sees nothing wrong with being a Council member and taking money for commercial services at the same time.

Voters of Dunedin can make their assessment of the same situation in 2 years time.  I can't - I never voted for Cr Acklin and never would. 

The NZ Masters Games is held in Dunedin every 2 years. Cr Acklin has won the entertainment contract on the last 6 occasions. Are we then to assume that Cr Acklin has been, and continues to be, the number one entertainer in Dunedin  for the past 12 years? I think that the good people at Tui can best answer that question.