{"id":775,"date":"2025-06-01T06:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T18:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daveforcouncil.nz\/?p=775"},"modified":"2025-06-01T06:00:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T18:00:03","slug":"opinion-yes-lets-not-forget-what-councils-really-do-becs-mackay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exposures.co.nz\/?p=775","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Yes, let\u2019s not forget what councils really do. Becs Mackay"},"content":{"rendered":"

Source<\/a> May 30, 2025 PDF<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: Becs Mackay<\/h3>\n

As we head into local government elections, it’s worth remembering what councils really do \u2014 and why their role in our communities matters so much.<\/p>\n

While the formal inclusion of the four wellbeings \u2014 social, economic, environmental, and cultural \u2014 is relatively recent, councils have long been about more than just roads, pipes, and rubbish.<\/p>\n

That broader holistic and people-centred mandate \u2014 the four wellbeings \u2014 is now on the chopping block. But whether they remain in legislation or not, they still matter. Because they reflect what makes a community a great place to live, play, work, visit, and spend time together.<\/p>\n

Things like safe streets \u2014 for children and elderly alike. Clean drinking water. Vibrant and accessible public spaces that connect and calm us. Places where culture is celebrated, the environment is protected, and the future is planned for \u2014 not just reacted to.<\/p>\n

These things don\u2019t just appear. And they certainly don\u2019t come cheap.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the truth: the communities we\u2019ve enjoyed \u2014 the Whakat\u0101ne that we love \u2014 were built by generations past who thought long-term. Who planned. Who paid. Who made hard decisions with future generations in mind.<\/p>\n

We haven\u2019t done that for decades now.<\/p>\n

For too long, we\u2019ve allowed councils to keep rates artificially low to win short-term popularity and secure ongoing political power. It felt better for our personal bank balances \u2014 and we still got to enjoy the assets that had already been built with us in mind. But ultimately, it left us with ageing pipes, crumbling infrastructure, and rising costs \u2014 all while our community kept growing.<\/p>\n

Now the bill has landed. We\u2019re frustrated \u2014 and no one wants to pay.<\/p>\n

But doing nothing is also no longer an option.<\/p>\n

Yes, we see candidates railing against rates increases \u2014 and yes, they are painful in this cost-of-living crisis. We\u2019re constantly fed the narrative, from central government too, that we need leaders who can run society and communities like a household budget. That we can\u2019t afford things we want and enjoy. That debt is dangerous. And it certainly can be.<\/p>\n

For households. But this isn’t a household. It\u2019s local government.<\/p>\n

And equally \u2014 or perhaps ethically \u2014 we can\u2019t afford to keep borrowing comfort from the future either. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are creating debt. Delayed investment is a cost \u2014 and it\u2019s compounding.<\/p>\n

Yes, life is expensive. Yes, balance is important now. But so is accountability \u2014 to each other, to our children, and to those who\u2019ll inherit what we leave behind.<\/p>\n

So, as we head to the polls, let\u2019s vote with that in mind. Let\u2019s not just look to candidates who brazenly promise to keep things cheap for us personally. Let\u2019s ask who will keep things working but also growing.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s demand courage. Vision. Long-term thinking. A mayor and councillors who are eager to work together for all of us \u2014 motivated not just by managing the now, but by building a strong foundation for the future.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be honest about the challenges, and clear-eyed about the kind of community we want to be. Let\u2019s vote for leaders who can hold this nuance \u2014 honestly, logically, and compassionately.<\/p>\n

Because ultimately, the four wellbeings weren\u2019t just policy. They were a reminder of what really matters.<\/p>\n

And whether they stay in law, they must stay in our decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s demand courage. Vision. Long-term thinking. A mayor and councillors who are eager to work together for all of us \u2014 motivated not just by managing the now, but by building a strong foundation for the future. Let\u2019s be honest about the challenges, and clear-eyed about the kind of community we want to be. Let\u2019s vote for leaders who can hold this nuance \u2014 honestly, logically, and compassionately. Because ultimately, the four wellbeings weren\u2019t just policy. They were a reminder of what really matters. And whether they stay in law, they must stay in our decisions. . . . → Read More: Opinion: Yes, let\u2019s not forget what councils really do. Becs Mackay<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7410,"featured_media":407,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[120,121],"tags":[],"series":[124],"class_list":["post-775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-election-25","category-from-the-press","series-dave-for-council","odd"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/exposures.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/57_plymouth_towcar_front.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/exposures.co.nz\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/exposures.co.nz\/?feed=podcast&podcast_series=dave-for-council","embedCode":"

Opinion: Yes, let\u2019s not forget what councils really do. Becs Mackay<\/a><\/blockquote>