BayBuzz - Be in the know

ISSUE IN BRIEF:

Much too often, here’s how public business gets done in Hawke’s Bay:

• Behind closed doors, in “seminars” and “councillor briefings”
• Without meaningful public consultation
• Without release of pertinent information, presented in digestible form
• Without common sense
• Overly responsive to a small group of insiders, who always seem to know what’s going on and how to get their way
• Without serious scrutiny from the outside

In addition, while “policy” is set by our elected representatives, “implementation” of that policy, as well as control over the information that should guide policy-making, lies in the hands of the professional staff of our councils and boards. And their legions of consultants and lawyers.

And of course, on a day-to-day basis, it is the “implementation” of policy by staffers, who might – or might not – realize or care that they work for the ratepayers, that can cause citizens the most heartburn. If anything, the council staffs are in fact shielded from public accountability, owing their survival only to their respective CEOs.

In response, the most fundamental maxim of BayBuzz is that sunlight is the best disinfectant!

It is simply amazing how differently public officials – both elected and non-elected ones – behave when they know the spotlight is upon them!

Surely there will be genuine differences of opinion about policy direction, priorities and public services in our democratic process. We can all tolerate those differences when they are debated with transparency on a level playing field.

And that’s what BayBuzz aims to facilitate.

Resources:

Here are direct links to some of the people making decisions about the direction of Hawke’s Bay:

Hastings District Council
Mayor Lawrence Yule
Napier City Council
Mayor Barbara Arnott
Napier Councillor Bill Dalton
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Hawke’s Bay District Health Board
MP Craig Foss
Craig Foss Blog
MP Chris Tremain
MP Rick Barker
MP Russell Fairbrother

What You Can Do:

Be a volunteer “reporter” for BayBuzz.

If something going on in our local councils smells fishy to you, contact BayBuzz.

If the bureaucracy is ignoring you or giving you the run-around on an important matter, contact BayBuzz.

If your community organization or neighborhood group wants to raise the profile of an issue or challenge a policy or practice of your local body, contact BayBuzz.

If you have followed closely and researched a local issue, let us know of your special expertise … contact BayBuzz.

Photo/Video Gallery:

Coming soon.