Malcolm Whitaker

With the one public candidates’ meeting that I spoke at, there are definitely some misconceptions. My open mic colleague, Dave Stewart, keeps talking about lobbying the Government for local councils to retain the GST on rates. I agree 100 percent. The reality is that local government have done this for years. Without success. So, it’s like flogging a dead horse. Also, all businesses are able to claim back the GST on their rates. The Department of Conservation and multiple-owned Māori land are, not rated, so we lose out there.

As I mentioned at the “Ballot “meeting, which only had candidates attending and a handful of voters present along with seven people watching online, we have already received $90 million for the Ōpōtiki breakwater development and $16 million more to prop up the mussel processing factory.

Tūhoe received money to be distributed to hapū for upkeep on their marae. The proposed Whakatāne harbour project also received millions towards its development. The point is, this money comes from taxes collected.

Another vexing question was about a retirement village. Some people I have spoken to suggested Rugby Park, which I disagree with. Green fields are so important to retain. I have watched rugby there, touch tournaments, and last year the large kapa haka festival – all great events.

I did suggest, Julian’s Berry farm as a possible retirement village. Too wet, someone uttered. Not when it’s filled in, built up and well drained. The roadside drain runs down to the Kopeopeo drain and would be easy to connect to.

Otherwise, is there land down Keepa Road where it could be built.….?

Future economic development – that will be through farming and horticulture, unless we build a solar farm as proposed by Victor Luca. At least he persuaded council to put in solar panels on the main council building. A solar farm will generate power and a possible enticement for industry to establish here.

I did mention that the Ngāti Awa farm would make an ideal site for solar and windpower generation. It would provide a great income for the iwi. I also still believe the airport is another solar farm site. Power from there could be used by glasshouse growers, go into the grid and power homes in Coastlands.

With produce being flown to Auckland, and then overseas, the council would not need to spend enormous amounts of money on a feasibility study. Just ask the Edgecumbe and Waiotahe solar farms management team about the viability. They may even be willing to build the infrastructure.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council candidates are warning us of amalgamation – a loss in revenue which subsidises our rates by 33 percent for the Eastern Bay – if there is a selldown of port shares, which last time delivered $200 million into the infrastructure fund.

Ōpōtiki received $30 million which it needed to construct harbour groins. Whakatāne received nothing as we had no projects that needed funding. Splitting up the regional council may not be in our best, interests. It belongs to the people of the Western Bay and Tauranga. The other original owner was Waikato Regional Council, which foolishly sold its shares many years ago.

Also, we must remember that the Three River Schemes, in the Eastern Bay receive 20 percent of their yearly capital costs from the council coffers.

Will central government amalgamate regional with local councils? This has not worked when we look at Gisborne, which is a unitary council. The mess and the wood which washes up on those golden beaches is because of the environment group in the council not monitoring forestry operations stringently enough.

We were given the Whakatāne and Ōhiwa harbours, which is seeing its funds dwindle after supporting the marina and the money tossed into the tidal pool at The Heads. Some of this money could be used to reduce river rates. This annoys me because the amount the council was committing, was not in the draft long-term plan, otherwise, there would have been an avalanche of submissions to the plan. That money should be used only for port activities. I have often asked Whakatāne’s councillors for figures of yearly costs and income received, to be displayed in the financial section of the annual plan. “They are there, but buried in the financial reporting,” is the reply I have received. This is not good enough.

If the council could find a developer for the old Wally Sutherland site, this would swell the coffers. I believe that the council cannot keep buying businesses that fall empty. Why? It takes staff time to manage these dormant properties plus enormous upkeep such as earthquake strengthening and maintenance.

Unfortunately, the Local Government Act of 2002 allowed local government to invest in economic development. Doing so has caused less prudent councils to incur higher debt. The Helen Clark government also advised councils to spend their depreciation, which should have been retained to offset the replacement of infrastructure. That is why the council now needs to borrow enormous sums for projects. And please do not say our debt is similar to other councils.

I know a lot of people will have already voted. If you have not, please do so. If you don’t, you cannot moan about the council.