Next week New Zealanders will elect their local government representatives for the next three years. This is an important democratic right, and yet three in five New Zealanders will probably choose to do just about anything but vote. 

There are many reasons for this. An increasingly credible one is that central government, like an all-encompassing helicopter parent, has smothered local government into insignificance. Voters, not being stupid, can tell. 

This paternalism has resulted in a raft of changes to the Local Government Act since 2008. The most recent of which would allow central government to initiate restructurings of local water and roading assets, instead of leaving it to communities to decide.

Some may defend centralised direction for large infrastructure networks that require economies of scale to be efficient and straddle local authority boundaries. It might be justifiable if central government’s interest ended there, but it does not. 

Take for example the recently announced “national strategy” to tackle dangerous dog attacks in New Zealand. This is problematic for three reasons. First, it seeks to ban dangerous breeds even though there is little evidence to show that this approach works (the Netherlands reversed a ban on pit bulls). 

Second, since the decision is being taken at a national level, this policy will be implemented across all district, city and unitary councils, magnifying the first problem. Had one council passed a similarly poor bylaw the effects would be limited to their jurisdiction.

Third, central government’s intervention in this area muddies local accountability because it creates the opportunity for councils to blame poor local animal control on central government.

Even where Parliament tries to devolve decision-making, central government agencies fail to get the message. Recent changes to local alcohol policy were supposed to allow councils to set their own bar closing times, but the police, in threatening to appeal alcohol licences unless bars agree to strict conditions, is attempting to dictate local policy.

This seems bizarre when set against central government’s constant disappointment with the local government sector. Not a week seems to go by without some official complaining about the capability of local officials. 

If central government wants local officials to act like adults, it needs to stop treating them like children. Who knows, it might actually get people to the ballot box.