Local Lobby Groups Mooted

When I first came to live in Timaru in the 70’s there were a number of lobby groups. It seemed that every kind of industry had their own lobby group. Retailers, manufactures, transport operators, motor vehicle dealers, finance & banking, ratepayers accountants & solicitors etc
Everyone had a lobby group and they were all supported by the main lobby group which was the Chamber of Commerce. The role of the Chamber of Commerce in those days was to lobby central and local government on issues that affected their members and the community at large.
Things have since changed and most of the lobby groups have either died a natural death or are no longer active. The Chamber of Commerce is still going but it no longer lobbies the district councils because many of its leaders are appointed by the district council.
On the news media side it seems radio is no longer active in gathering news because it gets most of its news from the local newspaper or television. The television boys are only interested in national news and without any competition cosmopolitan daily newspapers now have the opportunity to take sides on any debate as we have seen in recent weeks over a proposed Aquatic Centre for Timaru.
 I would suggest this one sided debate is happening in most rural towns of New Zealand where certain councillors are getting alongside their local newspaper and getting them to influence the public to their way of thinking.
When this happens what we finish up with is a small group of people running the town to suit their own personal needs and wants.

It is for this reason that I have decided to put the call out to all rural towns in New Zealand and invite them to join me in an effort to form a number of Council lobby groups in each town.
The job of each lobby group would not be to dictate but to make sure that the citizens of their town are treated fairly and that councils and their subsidiary organisations together with the news media work in harmony together with the public.
Anyone who has something to offer this idea would they please contact me.
Phone (03) 686 1271    email: ron@timarudirectory.co.nz