Ratepayers watchdog group goes into recess

Long-serving watchdog Syd Adie is calling for fresh blood to fight the Dunedin City Council over controversial issues like the Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Mr Adie has been sparring with the council on behalf of ratepayers for 20 years, but finally decided to resign as chairman of the Dunedin Ratepayers and Householders Association last month.

It was his fourth attempt to resign in as many years, having been talked out of doing so at each of the association's previous three annual meetings.

However, a disappointed Mr Adie yesterday confirmed the group had been placed in recess after 15 members who met on Monday night failed to appoint a permanent replacement as chairman.

"There was nobody put their hand up for the chairman's job," he said.

Instead, fellow long-serving council critic Lucas Vorgers (81) had agreed to become "acting chairman" while the group was placed in recess for up to six months until, it was hoped, new members could be recruited, Mr Adie said.

The decision showed the group was in "dire straits", and new - particularly younger - members were needed, he believed.

"We fought big battles over the years for a number of projects, including the stadium. It's up to the public of Dunedin now whether they want the Ratepayers Association to continue."

He blamed "apathy" for the group's decline, fuelled by a perception groups opposed to the council's decisions failed to achieve results.

"You can see the likes of Stop the Stadium have . . . gone right to the courts about the stadium and got nowhere. People say, `well, why hit your head against a brick wall all the time?'," he said.

Mr Adie said he felt "guilty" about stepping back from the role, and still believed the association had a role to play in the city's democratic debate.

He feared the consequences if it did not resurface from its self-imposed recess.

"It's nobody giving a voice to the little man, to the man that's struggling with a family during hard economic times.

"We have been fighting for 20 years for the ratepayers of Dunedin. It's time for them now to say, `I have got to give a hand. I have got to step up to the plate and help out'."

The association had a small, and dwindling, core membership, but a wider support base of about 100 people, Mr Adie said.

The chairman's position, like others within the group, was voluntary.

Mr Vorgers concurred with Mr Adie's comments when contacted, saying he was a committed socialist and believed the public had "a moral obligation" to band together and challenge the council when unhappy.

"Democracy is a great thing, provided you work hard for it. Otherwise, you don't get it."