Things are hotting up in the letters section of the Southland Times.
Pauline McIntosh has expressed her anger at the $700 000 'gift' the dairy farmers were granted by the council of Environment Southland, money from the SouthPort dividend that would otherwise have been shared amongst all ratepayers to lower their rates. Pauline points the finger at the two councillors she says should have opposed the special treatment for dairy farmers, as they were voted on to represent the sizable city population, not the farming community.
One of those councillors, Neville Cook, responded by claiming that Mrs McIntosh shouldn't have known who voted for the big subsidy, and that it wasn't $700 000 anyway, and that all councillors were happy with SouthPorts profits. Interesting claims, but designed to mislead readers, you might suspect.
Rex Kane has joined the fray, championing the councillors who were for the proposal to ease the financial burden a differential might cause the dairy farmers (not all of the council supported the $700 000 'support', in fact several opposed the gift stridently), but you'll not be surprised to learn that Rex is a dairy farmer. Rex says Pauline's comments might hurt her chances of election. Pauline is showing, in my view, a keenness to open up councilor's behaviour to the view of the public and that's a good thing.
Of course, that means the 'big boys' will swing in to try to stop her, but that's par for the course in any playground.
6 comments:
I imagine huge fat goons on swings! "Say kid, you better straighten up and play nice, or something bad might happen to your dolly there....."
They snigger, stomp on a little boys sandcastle and resume swinging :-)
Jay I come from tough Soild Southland pioner background ..bring it on I say :) !
Why was the money given to dairy farmers? And how? Were they free to spend it how they liked?
Jordan - your imagination! It's a wonderful thing!
They are not necessarily fat though. Paunchy, perhaps, but not necessarily fat. Some are petite, like Chihuahuas. Snappy but.
Pualine takes on the Establishment.
There's a film in it.
Wildcrafty - why indeed. Pauline has sniffed out a rort, perhaps. Dairy farmers? needing financial support from the regional council? No wonder she's hot on their trail.
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