Political representation on the New Auckland Council: Has amalgamation led to greater diversity?

Political representation on the New Auckland Council: Has amalgamation led to greater diversity?

This paper explores the diversity of local government electoral candidates and elected members, in Auckland – one of the world’s most diverse cities (Chen 2015: 56) – following the 2010 amalgamation. It responds to questions raised over the democratic gaps created by enlarged wards, a lack of divers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian journal of public administration Vol. 77; no. 2; pp. 331 - 351
Main Authors: Webster, Karen Lesley, Fa'apoi, Emiliana
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Oxford Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-06-2018
Subjects:
Amalgamation
Candidates
Cities
diversity
Dominance
elected members
Elections
Ethnicity
Gender
Governance
Government relations
Human rights
Local government
Local population
Māori (New Zealand people)
Multiculturalism & pluralism
Political campaigns
Political representation
Public administration
reform
representation
Representative government and representation
Shared governance
NEW ZEALAND
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Summary:This paper explores the diversity of local government electoral candidates and elected members, in Auckland – one of the world’s most diverse cities (Chen 2015: 56) – following the 2010 amalgamation. It responds to questions raised over the democratic gaps created by enlarged wards, a lack of diverse representation, and higher elected member ratios. The research asks the question – who stood and who was elected in the election following the Auckland 2010 reforms, and how does this compare with the city’s diverse population. Pitkin’s (1967) concept of descriptive representation provides the foundation for a comparison of the gender, age, and ethnicity of local population, local government candidates, and elected members, to ascertain descriptive representation. The human rights framework provides a theoretical foundation to examine the diversity of representation. Preliminary findings support the view that under the shared governance model, electoral candidates are becoming more ethnically and gender diverse at the local level; while at the regional level, the dominance of the archetypal councillor as European, middle-aged and male, prevails.
Bibliography:AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Vol. 77, No. 2, Jun 2018, 331-351
Informit, Melbourne (Vic)
The authors whose names are listed above have no affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent‐licensing arrangements), or non‐financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
Conflict of Interest
ISSN:0313-6647
1467-8500
DOI:10.1111/1467-8500.12259