Et tu, Sue?

It's hardly news to most Watchers that Vision councillor Sue Pepperell now works and lives in Wellington. Indeed, her address and telephone number are readily available via the online White Pages and the matter has been widely reported, including via a press release from Tearaway, the magazine she formerly edited, which heralded:

...a much stronger presence in the important Wellington scene, as "Sue has some excellent connections there, especially with government departments".

It's even been mentioned in the Chron which - given they're the last to know anything - means eveyone in Wanganui must know it by now. When GK Taylor headed off to pastures new, there was a strategically timed by-election. But what's to happen this time? Taylor's appointment to a position with the Halberg Trust was trumpeted by Michael Laws as soon as it happened. But we still await official word of Sue Pepperell's big move.

Now, as we learned during the debate as to whether, and when, Taylor would resign the law is silent on whether a councillor must live within free-calling distance of the town they represent. So:

1. The last triennial election was held on 9 October 2004.
2. The next one is therefore scheduled for late 2007.
3. The Local Electoral Act Section 117 (1) clearly says that if a vacancy occurs more than 12 months before the next scheduled election, then "the vacancy must be filled by an election under this Act".

Therefore, if the Diva can continue to avoid officially acknowledging Sue's move until after October he gets away without having to hold an election to replace her. Given that GK Taylor's resignation - months after he'd actually left Wanganui - was clearly stage-managed to deliver maximum political advantage to Michael Laws, it's likely that this situation will be too.

If he can avoid any demand for a by-election till 12 months (or less) before the next election, then Council can decide to either appoint "a person named in the resolution who is qualified to be elected as a member" (i.e. anyone they choose) or simply leave the position vacant.

The last thing Michael Laws wants is an outspoken critic elected to Council. Better to hide the facts and then leave the role unfilled till the election, thus setting himself up to boast (falsely) that he's "saved money" by cutting councillor numbers even earlier than was planned.

But isn't this one of those "important questions" which Vision pledged to put to the "will of the people"? After all, what's more important than our democratic representation?

Meanwhile, the Mayor's concern over declining police numbers seems to have faded. In his 13 December 2004 column he revealed:

Each fortnight, local Police Inspector Sam Hoyle and I update each other on the issues on our respective watches... It was during one of these briefings that the issue of Police numbers came up – and how Wanganui had lost six front-line cops because of demands elsewhere.

Inspector Hoyle, it seems, was sent to Wellington on a three month course and has decided not to return. So we're one very senior policeman short!! Yet not a word from Guyton Street - no protest, no farewell, nothing.

There's only one thing for it citizens. Time to get out that spotlight, point it at the clouds, and pray for the return of... MayorMan!!

Meanwhile, who could this thoughtful article in the Sunday Times be talking about? (read it before you click the link):

Neither quite left, nor quite right, he is a typical macho... leader, whose charisma is meant to stand for the empowerment of his people, mostly poor[er] than the urban elite.

[His is a] new type of authoritarianism... built on a mixture of showbusiness, intimidation, paranoia, huge wealth, and public handouts... The ideal is democracy by referendum, stripped of messy party politics or independent courts.

[He] as well as his [councillors], appear on television to denounce journalists who dare to criticise the revolution.

That [he] is applauded by many people... is not necessarily a sign of democracy; many revolutionary leaders are popular, at least in the beginning of their rule, before their promises have ended in misery and bloodshed.

No, not our Mickey, but Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. And not our Sunday Times but the UK version. But the parallels are spooky.

We all know Mickey went to Ecuador for some excreable TV programme or other. That's just across the Colombian border from Venezuela - a short llama ride away, in fact.

Could it be he met Chavez in a mud hut somewhere, schooled him up on populist authoritarianism Laws-style, and sent him off to Venezuela?

If so, we owe the world an apology...

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