The Government’s been making it increasingly clear over time that it doesn’t really give two-hoots about local democracy.  

But, in the last 24 hours, it’s gone next level.  

First up, we’ve got housing minister Chris Bishop, who announced yesterday that he’s going to be given special powers to ride roughshod over council plans if he doesn’t like them.

Essentially, if he thinks a council has a district plan that doesn’t support economic growth and development, or won't do anything to create jobs, then he can come in over the top and say “nah nah nah, you’re not doing that.” 

In fact, from what I’ve been reading, it seems any government minister is going to be able to modify or remove aspects of council plans that they don’t agree with.

Talk about big brother.

But that’s not all.

Chris Bishop also got himself involved in a spat with the Christchurch City Council, saying that the council’s failed attempt to push back on the Government’s housing intensification rules was “nuts”.

He’s saying: “It is an inarguable, and sometimes uncomfortable, fact that local government has been one of the largest barriers to housing growth in New Zealand."

Going on to say: “Christchurch City Council just outright defied its legal obligations.”Signing off with the accusation that the council was “nuts” if it thought it could get away with not doing what the Government wanted it to do. 

Now, even though I didn't have a problem with Chris Bishop declining the council’s request for Christchurch to be treated as a special case and not have to go along with the Government’s housing intensification policy, I think he needs to rein it in a bit. 

But this attack on local democracy doesn’t stop with Chris Bishop. 

Shane Jones is at it, as well. Saying in a speech to local government leaders that regional councils have had their day and he wants to get rid of them. 

“What is the point of regional government?” That's what he said when he stood up at the lectern in Wellington last night.

He seems to think that, with all the changes the Government is making to the Resource Management Act, we won't need regional councils anymore.

Saying: “There is less and less of a justifiable purpose for maintaining regional government.”

Which I do kind of get. Because I know a few people in local government and I have asked them recently where they see the likes of Environment Canterbury going if the Government is going to give the resource management act the heave-ho.

Because that’s what regional councils were set up to do in the first place. To implement the Resource Management Act. There have been a few add ons since then - like running bus services.

And I’ve long been a fan of local government amalgamation. But for a government minister like Shane Jones to stand up and give a speech to local government people and tell them that he wants to ditrch regional councils - that is arrogant.

Just like this plan to let ministers interfere in council plans if they don't like what they see. That’s arrogant too.

But it’s more than just arrogance. It’s an attack on local democracy.

Which, apparently, is something the government values.

When it suits, it would seem. Because, when he was announcing these new powers - which are going to be in force until all the changes to the Resource Management Act have gone through - he admitted it was a significant step. 

"But the RMA’s devolution of ultimate power to local authorities just has not worked.”

Which is code for saying: "Even though we say we’re all into local decision-making, we’re only into it when it suits Wellington". 

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