Sounds like we're clucked

We've already attempted one post-modernist deconstruction of the Diva's ramblings, taking apart his speech to the Council retreat. So let's go back a bit further, to 14 April 2003, when he had yet to rise to the heady heights of the Wanganui Mayoralty and was awaiting his rehabilitation after that unfortunate and trivial little crucifixion in Wellington and Hawkes Bay.

...it assumes that Wanganui wants to continue with its credit card lifestyle. That it wants to have the same sort of amenities as a Palmerston North or a Hamilton. And that we refuse to cough up any increase in rates.

In other words, that $60 million will only occur if every spendthrift's wish list is granted - like refurbishment and extensions to the Museum, the Art Gallery and the library. Like an Olympic-size Splash Centre. Like... and there the list runs out. Even assuming all the aforementioned four don't happen, it's still one hell of a debt burden.

Back then, an "Olympic-sized Splash Centre" was the wish of "spendthrifts". So can someone explain why he became chief cheerleader and pom pom girl for the Splash Centre extension and did all he could to persuade the great unwashed to vote for it in droves? Could it be that, like any blatant populist, now people have opted for the Splash extension with no real understanding of the costs, the Diva will deliver, come Hell or high water... well, not high enough to actually dive into, but high enough to float a few votes.

Council staff will be warmed to their cockles by the next paragraph, though:

...there seem only two options. Cutting Council spending or raising rates. Now given that the latter would be a surefire way to hasten the retirement of Chas and his colleagues, that leaves only the razor option... And what of staffing at the district council itself? At which point, some very human costs attend the consequences.

So no staff cuts then, Dr Warburton. The Diva couldn't face the very human costs. So what is the answer, Mickey?

There is one other option. Asset sales. I see that Rob Vinsen lost his Council seat at the last election for having the temerity to question the sale of the Council's pensioner housing but... the man had a point. Ditto the forests after their initial harvesting. Maybe even before - depending upon the likely market price.

So debt is the real the problem and asset sales are an option to reduce that debt. Let's make a note of that, Watchers, and read on:

Which is why I'm a bit bemused by the Council's most recent attempt at "community consultation". All these talkshops seemed to achieve was more things to add to the shopping list - better roads, more security cameras, better sporting facilities, parking wardens in bikinis... oh no, that was mine. Don't know how it snuck in there.

Presumably the implication here is that those people who were "consulted" - that is, who turned up for the 60-odd meetings, listened carefully to an outline of the situation and had a chance to debate it before giving a considered opinion - were stupid or greedy or both.

But not to worry, SuperLaws has the solution: Let all the people have their say via direct dumbocracy with no obligation to so much as read a single paragraph of information or discuss the issue with the other people who live in your house let alone your community, and reason will surely prevail:

Which is why I favour 'direct democracy' on such things

So presumably the people, having put their hand up for a bigger swimming pool, will now be asked just which pesky assets are to be included in the fire sale. Strangely, though, such important questions are missing from the latest tick-the-boxes "consultation" exercise - despite this trivial little clause in Vision's pre-election rates and finance policy:

6. Asset Sales - Vision’s democracy policy ensures that the Wanganui public has the final say – by referendum – on all "issues of significance". That includes asset sales. No assets will be sold by the council without the prior consent of the Wanganui people.

Meanwhile, over in the debt register, levels keep climbing.

Meanwhile, it seems Deputy Dotty hasn't caught up with the plan. Again. For on page 2 of the Chron (but not, strangely, on the website) is a story headlined "Borrow on big projects: McKinnon":

Wanganui District Council may head to the bank to fund the city waterfront and Splash centre upgrades.

Deputy Mayor Dot McKinnon told Monday's full council meeting she would like to suggest funding shortfalls for the waterfront makeover by borrowing.

She said the public had signalled that the project was a priority in the 2005 referendum and rather than putting stages other than initial work on hold, the council could borrow...

The Diva responded by saying that perhaps the Council could borrow, then repay the loans (plus interest) from the asset fire sale, which incidentally seems to be going much more slowly than expected when confident predictions were made about the handover a very large buckets of cash to the Splast Centre people.

We doubt Dotty's heard of Reserve Bank Governor Allan Bollard, let alone taken cognisance of his recent comments, but we'd be surprised if the Diva hasn't:

Bollard blasts banks, borrowers

Money lenders and the property industry got a rocket from the Reserve Bank today when Governor Alan Bollard intensified his warnings about the damage New Zealanders' big borrowing habits is doing to the economy.

Choosing unusually strong words, he said the kiwi dollar had become exceptionally and in some cases unjustifiably high...

"The larger banks' shareholder interests, which are intrinsically linked to the health of the New Zealand economy, will not be achieved if they promote loans to people who cannot afford them," Dr Bollard said.

The promise of populist projects is a great way to win elections, but not such an effective way to govern. What's that fluttering noise? Could it be the sound of chickens coming home to roost? Oh no, wait... not chickens, ducks. They're the ones with the bills, after all.

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