Forget about all this democracy stuff.
There are short-cuts to getting a place at the local authority decision-making table – or close enough – without having to go through all that messy stuff about winning support from voters.
Nah, nuts to all that. If you are an indigenous person with tribal inclinations you can count on non-Maori decison-makers – if you approach the right ones – being only too anxious to let you in
That’s how Taranaki’s indigenous persons will soon be flexing their iwi muscle with the Taranaki Regional Council
The good people of Taranaki – who have shown a distinct preference for making their indigenous big-wigs earn their council posts the hard way – accordingly have been gazumped.
Alf senses the craven aiding and abetting of Christopher Finlayson may be found in there somewhere.