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	About Us	Contact Details
	Our mission is to undertake timely, relevant, and robust research on local government, provide checks and balances to local government in New Zealand, and make it easier for residents to have their voices heard. Despite the obvious benefits to disaffected or disadvantaged people, this site is much more than just a way to "keep Councils honest". There is very little known about the mechanics of local government in this country, so Council Watch serves as a clearing house for community-based research and trends. The site also has special sealed sections specifically for residents' groups and for journalists, to promote collegiality and oneness amongst these bastions of social justice. Council officers and elected members are encouraged to use this site as well. However they only will have access to the non-password protected pages.	The Chairperson Draco Foundation (NZ) Charitable Trust 6 Bancroft Terrace Wellington 6037 info@civilsociety.org.nz

Our People

Monique Watson

Mike MacLeod

Jim Candiliotis

Jarrod Coburn

Anne Hunt

Investigator / Communications Advisor

Strategic Planning

Development Manager

Council Engagement Advisor

Webmaster / Research Assistant

Columnist:

"The Trojan Horse"

Contact Monique HERE.

Monique is passionate about communities and social justice. She holds a Degree in Journalism from Massey University and is also experienced in business management and auditing.

Monique currently leads our investigative projects, developing case studies on issues pertaining to particular Councils and their communities.

Outside of Council Watch Monique has a passion for early childhood education and PAFT.

Monique now works for the group from her home in San Fransisco, USA.

You can view our current investigations here.

Contact Mike HERE.

Mike is a management consultant who specialises in the local government sector. Originally from England, he is the former general manager of Wairoa Health Services and has worked for both Gisborne District Council and Wellington City Council.

Mike is Chair of the Draco Foundation (NZ) Charitable Trust, the organisation that operates Council Watch and the New Zealand National Residents Association Database.

His role with Council Watch involves developing community outreach and education programmes and building relationships with funders.

He currently works in the community and voluntary sector in Sydney, Australia.

Contact Jim HERE.

Jim currently holds the Chair of the Federation of Wellington Residents' and Progressive Associations (FWPRA). A long-time community advocate, Jim also serves on his local progressive association and is actively involved in the promotion of democracy.

He is a member of the Johnsonville Licensing Charitable Trust, the North Wellington Resilience Trust, and a founding member of Wellington North Community Patrol.

Jim has served on the New Zealand Fishing Industry Board, and is a current member of the Wellington City Council Community Panel.

Jim lives in Newlands, Wellington, with his wife and six children.

Contact Jarrod HERE.

Jarrod is a former Executive Director of the New Zealand Resilience Trust, an organisation dedicated to improving community self-awareness and capability through research, education, training, and leadership.

His passions are building self-reliant communities, adult education, and disaster preparedness.

Jarrod was the convenor for the Northern Wellington Festival and the Residents 2010 Conference, provides paramedical support for the NZRC Ambulance Service, and has in the past worked as Development Manager for the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, Project Manager for river and boating safety at Water Safety New Zealand, and was a senior advisor at Wellington City Council.

Contact Anne HERE.

Anne is a sitting Councillor elected onto Horowhenua District Council in 2004. She worked as a journalist covering council meetings from 1977 until 1997.

She is also well versed in human rights and the legal system: her involvement in legal proceedings eventually led to a significant Court of Appeal judgment upholding the principles of free speech and open justice.

Anne is the author of several books including The Foxton Murder and Broken Silence and is currently working towards publication of a book on local government entitled Tentacles of Power.

Read Anne's column "The Trojan Horse" here.

Our Volunteers

We have a growing network of people around the country who share the Council Watch spirit. These are all good people, concerned about their local community, and keen to see strong local democracy in their area.

So... think you might want to be a part of the Council Watch team?

If you are a member of a residents' association then we want to hear from you.
Or if you are a keen writer who wants to contribute to this site then we want to hear from you.
Or if you are a local government employee we want to hear from you.
Or if you are a Justice of the Peace and are interested in becoming a Local Government Advocate in your area we want to hear from you.
And finally, if you are in possession of ANY documents from a local body, and would be willing to donate copies to our online database, then we want to hear from you!

This is a website for and by the people... so if you can help in any way then we want to hear from you. Find out more by going to the Support Council Watch section (see below).


	The Draco Foundation
	Council Watch is an initiative funded through the Draco Foundation, a non-governmental organisation with the sole aim to raise awareness of- and involvement in the democratic process amongst the citizens, organisations, and communities of New Zealand. In doing so the Draco Foundation undertakes research and engages in public debate on the results, and provides training and education to communities. The Draco Foundation is committed to transparency in all its dealings; equity and fairness in the treatment all people and organisations; and integrity, honesty and credibility in all transactions. Why 'Draco'? The Foundation is named after Draco, the first lawgiver of ancient Athens. His contribution to democracy was considerable, as he replaced oral laws (known only to a special class, arbitrarily applied and interpreted) with written laws; thus made known to all literate citizens, who could make appeal to the rulers of Athens for injustices. Isn't he something to do with the term 'draconian'? Yes, in fact Draco's legal code was very stringent. However the Draco Foundation does not advocate for draconian laws. Rather it supports the application of the law equally to all citizens and organisations: including agents of the Government - in the true spirit of Draco's approach to justice.