There seems to be a lot of lamenting about the current government, inequality in wealth distribution and the fact nothing is being done in New Zealand about climate change.
Well if you live in Auckland, I hope you’ve taken the opportunity to do something about it this week and have tracked down and mailed your AECT voting papers.
Mine were hiding under a pile unpaid bills and an AECT dividend that needs to be cashed in. While I love having the dividend, I also wonder why I can’t just pay less during the year. This way I feel I pay too much, have to wait for a check, keep it handy for when I’m near a post office and then have to queue to get it cashed up.
I digress. Having found the papers and done a bit of research online, I find that the C&R group get voted in year after year because the dividend gets paid out just before the election, and no-one can be bothered to vote. Not to mention the fact they’re flouting the law to buy votes. I thought people only did that in countries where voting was recorded by putting your hand in a paint jar?
So why vote? I’m one of those people who (aside from needing your vote to be elected) feels that if you don’t vote, you accept the status quo. Only 7.3% of Auckland has voted this year in these elections, down from 13.25% last year. While democracy is flawed it is one of the tools we have to express what we expect from those that govern us.
If “it’s time for a change” was good enough for Helen Clark, then can I suggest that it might be time for a change for directors who have been collecting fees in the role since 2005?
This is also our opportunity to say that if Director fees of +$345,000 are divied amongst 5 people, we’d like to see time spent on the job. And I don’t mean turning up to a meeting every few months. I’m talking – diversifying the portfolio so it doesn’t just rely on Vector as it’s primary holdings and investing in clean energy solutions for the future. Don’t we want people who have some initiative and can help us develop energy resilience in the face of rising energy costs and limited availability of current energy sources?
Voting closes Friday so you either need to get it in the mail Tuesday, or at the very latest Wednesday. Any problems call the Returning Office on 09 973 5212 or 0800 922 822. Special votes and voting in person can be done at Level 2 198 Federal Street Auckland normal business hours until 5pm Friday 30 October 2015.
As a citizen and ratepayer, I will be voting City Vision for a group whose politics and intentions I understand, who think it’s important to keep power prices down, build energy resilience and keep things in public ownership. Given that City Vision were on average 5,000 votes behind at the last election, I think with a minimal amount of effort, sharing it across our networks, I’m confident we can give it a go. If you’re on facebook, invite friends to the voting event or share it on community pages.
Shirin Brown is a teacher, film-maker and playwright and currently teaches in digital media and film theory at AUT. She was elected to the Waiheke Local Board in 2013 and has always felt it is important to speak out against injustice and for the rights of women and minorities. Her early memories include standing outside the South African embassy in London, protesting against the poll tax and demanding that the US stop their covert actions in Nicaragua.
