WCAC calls for one Waiouru voice

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 267, 13 December 1988, Page 1

WCAC calls for one Waiouru voice

Colonel Brett Bestic has called for the Waiouru Area Committee to be dissolved and the members to join the town's commnnitv advisorv committee.

At the last Waiouru Community Advisory Committee meeting WCAC Chairman Colonel Bestic suggested the Area Committee be invited to disband and join the Community Advisory Committee.

This suggestion drew strong opposition from the Area Committee chairman, Gordon Mottram, who was at the advisory committee meeting. Chairman Bestic suggested the area committee should disband and the Advisory Committee should be made stronger. He said because of the local government reform Waiouru needs a co-ordinated approach to properly represent the town. Also, there needs to be a body which has some legal status, said the chairman. While neither committee was an

elected body the WCAC has some official

recognition because it was set up at the suggestion of the Mackey Commission, he said. "Our experiment with the Waiouru Area Committee has been

overtaken by events and we would therefore be wiser to invite those same people to revert to where w e were," said Chairman Bestic. He said Waiouru

would then have a community advisory committee which is more representative of the views of the community than its predeTurn page 5

Waiouru chairmen clash

From page 1 cessor because many of the committee had been elected by popular acclaim. He said in that the "experiment" had achieved something. "I'm not ordering it," said Chairman Bestic. "What I'm saying is, it is a matter for discussion." He said Mr Mottram couldn't decide what motions are put before the ( W C A C ) committee. After a discussion on local government reform Chairman Bestic called for further comment on the two committees. A number of committee members supported the chairman's views. Mrs Ball suggested Mr Mottram would be of great value to the WCAC should the WAC disband. "Nobody has the right to usurp the legally appointed members of another committee," said Mr Mottram. He said the WCAC could do no more than make it a recommendation. "I doubt that this WCAC could have actually moved as quickly as the area committee did on that amalgamation meeting issue," said Mr Fitchett. A motion was put to the committee to invite the WAC to dissolve itself and join with the WCAC. "The green machine has moved the motion and the green machine has seconded the motion," said Mr Mottram "And indeed the thought came from the green machine." M r Mottram said the Ru- | apehu District Council ) transition committee meets at very short notice and the WCAC would not be of any use to the transition ; committee because it j (The WCAC) met only ! once a month. Mr Mottram said the ; civilian population' would not be represented by the WCAC. "Some would consider it a separate committee," said Cathy Frater after Major McLeod had said he thought the WAC was a subcommittee of the WCAC. 1 It was at this point in the discussion that Mr Mottram, chairman of the Waiouru Area Committee spoke against the idea, saying that it wasn't the time to disband the WAC. He said his committee shouldn't be "banished with the stroke of a pen". "My point is not who should represent anybody," said Chairman Bestic. "My point is that the WAC has no I more (legal) status than a small group of people standing under a lamp post." He said there was no point having a group with no legal status.

"Your right as the chairman of the WAC to speak on behalf of Waiouru has got no legal basis at all," said Chairman Bestic. H e said that is why he was suggesting that the longer standing committee, which had at least some official recognition should be used to represent the views of Waiouru. "Sir, with respect. I think that is a matter for the (WAC) committee to decide," said Mr Mottram. "I don't think that anybody can order a democratically elected committee to recess other than that committee." Chairman Bestic said the WAC was not going to achieve anything so it should dissolve itself. "Maybe not sir, but I claim the privilege and the right to call my committee together to decided its own fate rather than to have it ordered," said Mr Mottram. Chairman Bestic said the idea behind the WAC was to attract more public participation in the affairs o f Waiouru and that that was now happening. He reminded Mr Mottram that the motion put was that "we invite (stressed) your committee to discuss

the matter and to join into one particular group." He asked M r Mottram to speak to that motion. Mr Mottram then moved an amendment of the motion, that representatives of the WCAC be empowered

to accept invitations to transition committee meetings (for various reasons). After some further discussion the amendment was lost and the o r i g i n a 1 motion was carried.