Michael Fowler commented at the Mayoral Forum recently that there seemed to be very little interest in the local body elections on our campus. Looking at the candidates, and the nature of City Council politics, it's not hard to imagine why.

The Council itself is an amorphous mass which seems to function in approximately the same way regardless of who sits on it. One notable exception is Michael Fowler who seems to spend most of his time building pies in the sky, and all in the name of atmosphere. The new Town Hall is God s gift to the Wellington people so we are led to believe.

Salient doesn't think so. The atmosphere of the city will not suddenly improve by simply building a great monolith where no-one can see it. It will cost us many millions, and other aspects of funding are dubious to say the least. So far money has come from sources like the South Korean Embassy (remember the current U.S. bribes scandle concerning South Koreans), and also from [unclear: gnjpm] like Adnan Kashoggi from the Middle East.

Hospital Board

This is the most important of the local body elections because the Hospital Board is in charge of public health care and facilities in the whole of the Wellington area (this goes right up to Levin), The Hospital Board controls the pursestrings and seeing that it is based in Wellington much of the money seems to go to Wellington Public Hospital. Small hospitals in outlying districts, especially maternity hospitals are gradually being closed down.

Basically, the Board is a pack of amateurs trying to do a job that requires much administrative skill.

Although Citizens' candidates claim to be apolitical' this is plainly not the case. Dr. Nicholson a prominent Board member, for example, once stood for the Island Bay electorate on the National Party ticket.

Harbour Board

This Board is also fairly important, as it makes decisions like land reclamation and altering the shape of the harbour.

The Labour ticket has promised to attempt to keep nuclear warships out of the harbour and also to establish docks around the Kaiwharawhara area instead of developing further into the central Wellington area.

—David Murray.