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Press Release
Thursday, 8 May 2025
Whanganui’s ‘citizens' assembly’ is a $20,000 dodge of democratic duty
“Whanganui District Council is making a mockery of local democracy. The council has outsourced its job to 40 unelected, unaccountable, anonymous individuals to do what elected councillors are already paid to do.
Responding to Whanganui District Council’s decision to hold a $20,000 'citizens' assembly’ to decide on the future of outdoor swimming facilities, ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton said:
“Whanganui District Council is making a mockery of local democracy.
“The council has outsourced its job to 40 unelected, unaccountable anonymous individuals, to do what elected councillors are already paid to do.
“Those who self-selected to be part of the selection pool are almost certainly the same people who would have submitted on any consultation anyway. This appears to be nothing more than the council trying to wash their hands of responsibility for decisions they make.
“If Whanganui had ACT councillors, you can bet this nonsense would have been stopped before it started. Councils exist to represent the public, not hide behind unelected panels when the decisions get a little tough.
"We’re looking forward to making our case to ratepayers across New Zealand in the local elections later in the year."