WHEN IT SUITS.

I value democracy above most things. For all its faults it seems to be the only system of government that places individual rights above the rights of the police, courts, the church, politicians and other powerful groups. I could argue about the relative merits of social democracy and liberal democracy but not today. What is on my mind today is democracy's failures, and my own double standards when I rejoice in those failures.
For instance, the introduction of MMP. It came in after successive Labour and National governments got carried away with unbridled power. I was delighted with my enhanced ability to participate in the process of democracy, by using my vote to curb these two swaggering old foes. But at the back of my mind was the niggling thought that this victory was threatened by the promised review of MMP. Promise or not, it never happened. Possibly because The House of Representatives began to look genuinely representative, the notion of seriously re examining it was quietly put away.
More recently the ‘smacking referendum,’ which I wanted to fail, proved embarrassingly successful. Again I found myself on the side of expedient politicians who ignored democracy’s call. We may argue about the place of leadership in guiding democracy, and we do, anything to make us feel better. But our words leave a lasting taste of vinegar.
Then we have super-sized Auckland, a project which had little concern for the views of its citizens. It was the views of appointed super citizens that came down like Moses with the blueprint. This august body wanted Maori representation on the super council regardless of the fact that Maori voters don’t seem to care one way or the other. The government said no, leaving the super citizens to ponder the feeling of citizen powerlessness.
I grit my teeth in admitting that I agree with the government yet again on this issue. But I’m left with the feeling that someone’s been shafted.