Guy Burns, Deputy Chair of the Paraparaumu Raumati Community Board says he is concerned that Kapiti Coast District Council has doubled its number of Public Relations staff in the last 5 years.
(https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/399918/councils-public-relations-spending-jumps-latest-figures-show)
“Public Relations staff are perceived as spin-doctors; whose job is to manipulate public opinion away from the cold truth of reality. They can be a barrier between the public’s access to truth and transparency.
“We face rapidly rising rates, sky rocketing staff numbers and an appalling high debt burden. The very fact that our Council has doubled its number of PR staff, in a short time, is extremely worrying. KCDC should be improving its website access to Council documents so people can form their own opinions on the information available; rather than relying on spin-doctor’s manipulation of the facts.
This is my view and not of the Raumati Paraparaumu Community Board as a whole.
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