31% NOT YET CONVINCED

The Business Council for Sustainable Development has surveyed views on the Super City with some interesting results. Overall 31% surveyed opposed the plan and  27% supported it, but significantly another 31% were "neutral". That could be taken as "don't care" but a more positive reading could be "not yet convinced". That certainly is the response I am getting on the street and since I have been dropping fliers around Ponsonby I am hearing feedback along those lines. THERE IS STILL NO REAL DISCUSSION IN THE MEDIA ABOUT THE SHAPE OF THE CITY. The only hint I have seen of a Rodney Hide reason for councillors being voted at large is to allow a "political"element in the mix. Well he is right about the intention - Brisbane works because the process is politicised - political parties are political parties and not coy euphemisms like Citizens and Ratepayers and City Vision - but he is wrong about the means. At large will simply provide for capture by faction. The electorate model will do what he wants but do it more effectively and more democratically. A better debate about the electoral process might have an impact on that critical 31%.