Labour Party politics in local government : a case study of the Christchurch City Council

Abstract

The average citizen in New Zealand is confused by our local government- structure and this has led, in no small degree, to lack of knowledge of and interest in local government according to the Minister of Local Government, Henry May, in the foreword of the layman's guide to the Local Government Act 1974. Similarly, relatively little is known about the presence and role of political parties in this sphere of government and this, perhaps, has resulted in the public being led to believe that local government is a truly non-political level. The aim of this study is to shed some light on this sphere of political activity. This study primarily focuses on the Labour Party in Christchurch, looking at its origin, development, and decision-making on the Christchurch City Council. Emerging from this structural-functional analysis is a discussion of the politics of the Christchurch City Council and the role of the party system in local government.