Brian Rogers Rogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz

Well folks, we get so caught up in the global misinformation crisis, a pandemic, humanitarian crises and rumours of warmongering that we've lost sight of how serious things have REALLY got. I am of course, talking about extinction.

We're at risk of losing forever our most precious words that have already lost their meaning.

This week it was that sacred word ‘democracy' which was killed off like a fatted calf on the altar of private interest and mutual back patting.

‘It's just plain wrong!' thundered those who still think democracy is how we do things. A couple of these people – a past mayor and Tauranga's MP – appear to have been left off the invite list for the carefully orchestrated announcement last week that Tauranga is going to be parked in the naughty corner for another two years while its past behaviour is sorted out. Those who were invited to the announcement seem to have been mostly ardent supporters.

'You're not going to invite the ex to the wedding are you?” says one who was gleefully celebrating the announcement.

The wise fools amongst us who still think we can save democracy should be asking whether the list of the blessed invited also matches the list of those receiving funds from the city coffers in Tauranga's Long Term Plan?

A rare stag

Why aren't there sirens and alarm bells going off across the country as we all slide off the crumbling cliff of self-government into the abyss of dictatorship, one asks?

And for those who may have forgotten – what exactly did this nearly extinct word mean? Oh yes – glorious democracy is a system of government by the whole population through elected representatives. Sadly, it's become an elusive rare stag still sometimes spotted in the hinterlands of Western Bay of Plenty, but the roar season is upon us so it's bound to be in Mahuta's sights.

What happened to those residents amongst us who diligently pay our rates also being allowed to choose who makes our spending decisions? We're not stupid. We know how to buy our own loo paper and we're learning to sort our own food scraps and waste.

The bin of shame

Speaking of which, for those who felt they have been encouraged to become alcoholics with blue waste bins supplied by council to put emptied bottles into, don't worry! You no longer need to drink yourself silly to fill up what in some streets is called ‘the bin of shame', as council is unable to collect them for a few weeks. Surely though there's a better solution than it all going to landfill? Oh yes, you can take it yourself to the one remaining refuse station, lining up with other cars throbbing emissions into the atmosphere. A better solution though, as fuel prices seem to be wobbling around, is build an ethanol engine and empty your alcohol into that.

Words don't just risk extinction, there's also daylight robbery going on.

Did anyone notice the word ‘local' has been stolen out of ‘local government'?

This was demonstrated very well by a Facebook pic showing Minister Mahuta flanked by Labour List MPs Angie Warren-Clark and Jan Tinetti at Friday's Tauranga loss-of-democracy announcement. It was strangely reminiscent of Katy Perry's left shark incident.

'I've been lobbied by social services, business leaders, the average ratepayer, mana whenua, the wider business community – pretty much asking to keep the Commissioners for three more years,” writes Angie, seemingly unaware of the irony.

Central Government has well and truly kicked the ‘local' out of our ‘Local Government'.

‘Give it back!' cry those who understand that democracy and election period cycles go a long way in preventing or certainly limiting the risk of corruption and self-interest leading to influencing decision-makers for personal gain.

Some worry about elected council representatives being every day ordinary citizens who have never operated a business let alone understand a corporate budget sheet. Is the whole model flawed? Do our elected representatives need degrees in governance, finance, arts and business management? I think we're all agreed that anyone wanting to tilt their cap at becoming mayor is well-advised to do an apprenticeship first as a councillor, so they learn the ropes and how to lead a team of people who have differing views.

A mix

Those we choose to represent us may be inexperienced at spending millions of our rates dollars but that doesn't mean we turf them out. Even at home, we get to decide how much we're going to spend out of our household income on food, power and fuel. And if we need help, then we can get budget advice. Why don't we have a mix of elected representatives who know what we want, what we really, really want? And also a couple of appointed commissioners who have helpful experience in governance? And Simon Bridges could be available?

Sadly, we don't get to make a decision over who represents us until 2024.

Goodbye democracy, old friend, we will miss you.