Mangawhai Strikers NOT bludgers!

This is an example of the signs that have appeared on many Mangawhai properties since the Rates Strike commenced against the actions of Kaipara District Council. You can see other pictures here.

Yesterday, probably in the dead of night (someone heard the dogs barking long and hard around 2:00 in the morning), someone went round and stuck "BLUDGER" stickers on top of these signs. Interesting. Problem is most strikers have arranged to bank their rates in separate accounts - ready to pay their rates - when the issues get sorted. No-one's keen on underwriting unlawful loans and fraud and suchlike.....

ffAnyways - turns out the "BLUDGER" stickers can be peeled off without too much harm done. Takes off some of the red ink below. Sign of being blooded I guess. A real campaign. Hard to work out what the motive of the "BLUDGER" sticker people is though. Perhaps they hope more and more people will drop out of the strike. Two groups might have that interest: real estate market people who might be worried about property price drops (though the jury is out about whether that's happening or not); and maybe the bosses of Kaipara District Council. (But they wouldn't stoop that low would they....?)

Some strikers have decided to display their new "BLUDGER" sticker as a sort of badge of honour. Sort of wounded in action bandage....

For a while there was some thought given to preparing a sticker that would repair the damage done by the "BLUDGER" sticker. This was one of the ideas that was considered.

They're a creative lot those organising the resident's campaign. But for the moment the decision is to leave the battle-scarred signs as they are. As for the ratepayers and residents themselves - the "BLUDGER" sticker has just made them all the more determined to see this particular battle through to the finish.