Autumn is a time of harvest, a time to prepare for winter, and a time of colour.
It’s a time to put aside, prepare and appreciate the small things, especially when there are dark clouds on the horizon.
Because there are dark clouds, or rather, storms on their way.
The Coalition Government running rough-shod over community concerns is something we’ve come to know well here in Ōtepoti Dunedin.
Whether breaking promises and cutting funding for the hospital; cutting pay equity – affecting female-dominated workforces in social services such as education, healthcare and social work; killing the critical 2024 land and water plan that had achieved such broad consensus; or cutting funding for public transport and energy hardship programmes that are so needed here.
This Coalition has shown its true intent towards us in Ōtepoti Dunedin.
So much for local decision making.
Right now, the council is working on the annual plan, which must be signed off by the end of June.
Alongside this, the Dunedin City Council and the Otago Regional Council are simultaneously working through sweeping reforms to the Resource Management Act, emergency management and the rates cap restrictions, on top of managing Three Waters reforms.
You’d think that was already a hefty load to try to manage, but now the Government has decided they know what is best for us and has told councils to develop amalgamation plans within three months, or else.
Amalgamation to create a unitary council or super city might have benefits, we just don’t know and won’t get any time to discuss this as a community before the government steps in to force amalgamation.
Remember, this is coming from a National Party that campaigned on "localism" and promised to return power to communities. It’s just another broken promise.
As our spokesperson for local government Mike Davidson says, "The National Party continue to blame others rather than tackle the biggest issues councils and our communities actually face: ageing infrastructure, affordability driven by a lack of alternative funding tools, rising inequality and the increasing impact of climate-driven weather events".
We live in a special place where we have direct access to our local government representatives. The small things matter – like our local libraries, bus shelters and public transport, and free eco-design consultation available to residents.
The bigger things, like the South Dunedin Future Programme, which is a joint programme between Dunedin City Council and Otago Regional Council to find ways to respond to climate change, show that councils are already successfully collaborating where it makes sense.
What doesn’t make sense is the government imposing something on us that we’ve had no opportunity to discuss, debate or decide on.
The government’s arrogance running rough-shod over our local concerns is there for all to see. So as autumn eases into winter, it is valuable to remember that just as the seasons change, so too do governments and November the 7 is not far away.
