A deeply alarming precedent within our democracy has just been set in the Far North, and it is something every New Zealander should know about.
Late last week, an elected councillor was removed from a council committee by a majority of her peers because they didn’t like her views, her tough questioning, and her challenges that might upset local iwi.
Davina Smolders is an elected councillor on the Far North District Council. She has been fearlessly outspoken about how the council operates as well as the aggressive intrusion of Māori activism within the council.