Tony Bonne Whakatane Mayor

In the Whakatane District, we currently have the strange situation of having two community board by-elections underway, just three months after the 2013 triennial local government elections.

The reason for this is there were not enough nominations to fill the available places on the Ohope Beach Community Board and the Murupara subdivision of the Murupara Community Board.

Nominations were called for these vacancies and we now have five people standing for two places on the Ohope board and two candidates for one place on the Murupara board. Full marks to all of those candidates for stepping up to represent their communities, but it's a pity we didn't have people of their calibre standing for election in last year's poll, which would have avoided the extra cost of these by-elections.

At January 30, almost half-way through the postal voting period, just one-quarter of the voting papers issued had been returned. Coupled with the relatively low turnout in last year's election, that raises a question as to whether apathy rules when it comes to local government.

During the next three years, we'll be undertaking a review of our current representation system. Should we keep 10 council-elected members and one Mayor? Should we keep our wards – Whakatane-Ohope (five councillors), Rangitaiki (three councillors), Taneatua-Waimana (one councillor) and Galatea-Murupara (one councillor)? Do we need five community boards and the 30 additional representatives they create?

Given the local government reforms the National Government is introducing, we may face an even bigger question: Do we want to get gobbled up by a Bay of Plenty-wide super-council?

My personal view is that less-populated districts like Whakatane, Opotiki and Kawerau would not benefit from such a structure and that there are better ways of making local government more efficient. Eastern Bay councils are already collaborating in the provision of a number of common services; and this process will undoubtedly gather momentum.

My challenge to the community is to start thinking about the sort of local government we want in the future, because if apathy continues to rule, chances are we will all be worse off.

Naku noa na,

Tony Bonne,

Mayor, Whakatane District.