What have we done to deserve this democracy?

Steve O'Connor is dismayed by the "lack of process" in the way elected officials sometimes choose to operate.It's about the process!

Anne Tolley doesn't seem to get it.

Lorraine Kerr doesn't seem to get it.

The DCC doesn't seem to get it.

Anne Tolley has handled the introduction of national standards appallingly.

She has repeatedly failed to engage with the teaching profession.

She has failed to give credible answers to the education academics, concerned parents or opposition MPs who have questioned her about the national standards.

She is ill-prepared and appears not to even understand her own department's policies or practices around this keystone policy.

Parents, teachers and academics who have poured their lives into education have a strong interest in education policy and assessment practices.

To dismiss their concerns lightly, with a patronising "I know better" attitude, is bound to cause a strong reaction.

To contend teachers are concerned only for their own interests is highly insulting and far from the truth.

A significant number of parents, teachers and academics have expressed genuine concerns at the potential unintended effects of national standards.

The minister has not been able to allay those fears but has rather continued to push ahead with a bloody-minded determination.

It's not a good process.

In the meantime, Lorraine Kerr, from the New Zealand School Trustees Association, has been making statements about school boards' supposed approval of the national standards.

Some of the statements were made before school boards even got to see what the standards were to look like.

Most of the statements were made without consulting the body she is supposed to represent.

When challenged about this by the North East Valley School board, she didn't even have the courtesy to acknowledge the letter.

Instead, Lorraine Kerr has continued to issue thinly veiled threats to boards, saying if they do not comply they are liable to be sacked.

It's not a good process.

Is this the type of leadership we expect? The oft-quoted proverb says, "In a democracy people get the governments they deserve."

What have we done to deserve this?

Will the School Trustees Association hold Ms Kerr to account at its annual conference in Christchurch next weekend?

Will she be asked to explain how her statements were meant to be representative when she failed to consult her membership on such an important issue?

Is Prime Minister John Key happy with the process his minister has followed in implementing the national standards?

His silence about the process suggests he thinks teachers, pupils and parents deserve the minister they have got.

I suppose, ultimately, with our system, the public will decide.

National campaigned on national standards; it claimed a public mandate, and in 15 months or so the public can judge whether the process and the outcome has been good.

However, in just three months' time we have the opportunity as the voting public to make judgements on processes followed a little closer to home.

What have we done to deserve the present council?

Who are they to think they have followed good processes in recent big-budget decisions?

The next council is going to inherit three-quarters of a wonderful new stadium.

I hope they can find something to do with it.

They will also inherit a huge debt burden that will seriously limit any number of socially responsible projects they or the good citizens of Dunedin may wish to advance.

The larger burden the council will inherit, however, is the anger and dismay of many people who have been fed up by the poor consultation and decision-making processes.

The new council must work hard to restore the faith of the ratepayers.

The new council must learn democracy does not begin and end at the ballot box.

Elected members, whether they are parliamentarians, the New Zealand School Trustees Association or the Dunedin City Council, are all elected to represent.

Any election should be just the beginning of the democratic and representative process.

May the wise citizens of this fair land elect representatives with the commitment and ability to consult people, to actively engage, to really listen, to seek out expert opinion, and to pay attention to the professional and the common constituent as well.

Steve O'Connor is a community activist, former Baptist minister, and chairman of North East Valley School board of trustees.