I haven't had a chance to digest the whole recommendation by the
Royal Commission with respect to Auckland's future organisation, but it is already obvious that the structures proposed will be a very long way from being genuinely representative and functionally democractic. As Idiot / Savant
points out , the ten councillors elected at large will almost certainly be elected with a small proportion of the total vote, thanks to First Past the Post. A unified group of 20% could see their entire slate of 10 elected from a field of 50 candidates and the other 80% of voters would get nothing.
I have said in posts months ago, if the new Auckland was not to have at least 35 councilors, elected from wards using a multi-member, preferential system STV, then I would have absolutely no interest whatever in such an amalgamation. It would amount to a take-over of Auckland by the people with money to mount campaigns.
The move to a 4 year term is also completely inappropriate for local government. Every aspect of this proposal reeks of moves to limit democracy and reduce accountability.
Now I need to get my head around the detail.
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