Democracy is a very precious principal in a free world and anyone who tries to water it down in any way is playing a contentious and unpopular game.

For the last 50 plus years in Katikati we have elected local people to represent us. Prior to 1989 this local group was called a community council, which I was on from 1977-1989.

The government made some changes: the Katikati County Council became the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the KKCC became the Katikati Community Board. During Tony Dauphin's chairmanship it changed to a ward board to better represent rural people. Now two out of four members are rural people!

Council recently proposed some race-based representation, along with four other councils, but all were soundly defeated by an indignant public.

Council then supported Local Government NZ to ask government to make that compulsory. NZ First has given an assurance there will be no race-based legislation in this trimester.

Now we are told council is proposing to form selected committees. The detail is currently lacking, but is it a back door way to achieve racially chosen people? What number will be on the committee? What is the criteria for selection? Have you the support of the people in this move? Where does democracy fit in all this?

N Mayo, Katikati (Abridged).