Triumphant...

Monday, February 20, 2012
10:33 AM

Wilson Kadinga (letters, February 9) correctly takes me to task for comparing Budleigh’s Longboat referendum to a Zimbabwean election.

Indeed, all over the world there is clear recognition of minimum levels of voter turnout that are required for a referendum’s results to be deemed meaningful and valid.

A minimum turnout of 60 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively, were required, for example, in other beacons of democracy - South Sudan (2011) and China (2004) - for the vote to be declared valid.

So, I join with the people’s republic of Budleigh and Deputy Mayor Richards in celebrating a “triumph for democracy” in bashing a businessman’s livelihood based on voter turnout of 35 per cent.

Kevin Tyrrell

via email.