Meet the Waipa Council Candidates evening Tuesday 28th of September

Meet the Waipa Council Candidates evening Tuesday 28th of September

It is obvious by the questions asked from the floor that the community is very concerned with the current spending spree of the outgoing Council.

The problem is if the current batch of Councillors are voted off the alternatives are not good.

Outgoing Mayor A. Livingstone is set on his path with Cox and Jull ready to bulldoze any suggestion to slow down the spending and budget over runs.

Peter Lee although he claims to have seen the light this time around, what has he been doing for the last 6 or more years when he had the opportunity.

Leaving Mr Steve Baron, he has the qualifications, he does have a desire to reduce spending and he wants to communicate on major issues through referenda.  Is he the person to take Waipa into the next 10 years or are we missing out on something these outgoing Council members are spending all that money on. I can tell you one thing, Steve Barron is going to save money and get more bang for our dollar. Current spending is out of control as the Waipa Business needs someone to refocus on quality spend and smarter ways of achieving results.

But who would you pick to be on a Barron lead council? It is obvious that the current councillors are not going to support him but who would benefit the ‘team’?

Vern Wilson may not have been exposed to this kind of organisation before but will have the live experience to cope and stand up to be counted. We need one more but the remaining options are either to inexperienced or just not up with the play. This means either Cox or Jull need to stay on to carry on with some of the knowledge. My guess is Jull but would he want to be there without his support system?

Time will tell, just study these people before you make up your mind.

Hamilton super-city finds common ground

As reported in the Waikato Times

All three Waikato District Council mayoral candidates have doubts about the feasibility of an Auckland-style super-city council if it were to be formed in the Waikato.

In answering a question from the floor at a candidates meeting in Te Kowhai on Monday night, Allan Sanson, Clint Baddeley and Frank McInally found common ground.

Mr Sanson said he was totally opposed to the concept.

"There is no benefit whatsoever to our ratepayers," he said. "The city (Hamilton) has a spiralling debt problem."

Frank McInally called it "a geographic impossibility" in the Waikato.

"It is the only thing I agree with Allan on. I strongly oppose it, it would be a nightmare."

Mr Baddeley had more of an open mind, and pointed out there were already shared services between councils, but he was not totally convinced. "The problem is the community has been left out of the super-city process," he said. "I take the view we need to work with our partners in the region."

But his starting point would be to delegate more powers to community boards. "Our communities have to feel like they have a voice that is listened to."

On the issue of Tainui's Waikato River settlement, aimed at restoring the well-being of the river, Mr McInally was the only candidate to express doubts.

Mr Sanson backed the process, saying everybody wanted a clean river.

Mr Baddeley said aspirations to restore the health of the river for future generations were at the forefront of Tainui thinking.

But Mr McInally was concerned too much of the river settlement money would be frittered away on administrative costs

Waipa local body elections

Who would, in their right mind stand for Council? 
Not as if you are paid well, you will not get praised for doing it, in fact you get a lot of abuse when you get it wrong!

This is most probably they way the incumbent councilors are thinking right now, who are we as a community? 


Not so long ago we where far enough away from Hamilton to be a self sufficient rural town with a hart and soul. These days we are a bit of that and a bit a satellite town for Hamilton. Our rural identity is not as strong as it once was, even farmers look around for the best deal and can not always find that in Te Awamutu anymore. The rest look at the bigger world out there and find anything they wish for in Hamilton and beyond. 

Our counselors, apart from Dean Taylor and Hazel Barnes, do little to give us a hart, a hart developed by communication with the rate payers, after all as counselors you are suppose to represent their needs, not your own version of or hobby project. The rate payers are about as connected with the council as a beef farmer with the vegetarian movement. 

An example is the bomb shell when the Museum/Cultural Center plans where reveled. Rate payers shockingly claimed to know nothing about it, council claims it has been on the table for years. Have the past councilors done enough to communicate with the rate payer? .........I think not!

I read the claims for re-election such as, 'I have worked hard and have achieved for the council', I have experience, (in what?) look people we want some evidence of that, anyone can say those empty words. Sorry, if I have just hurt your feelings but to work in a state of disengagement with your voters is just not good enough. Say what you stand for make yourself available to the community and listen to what they are saying. Write some letters to the Courier Editor from time to time to inform rather than to defend. Sure Dean Taylor has got a unfair advantage there but that is why he gets people on side at least you know what he is up to!

Oh and did I mention there is a shrinking job market and people are struggling financially out here?

'LOWER RATES' is a good catch cry!

Te Awamutu Museum

Reading the Courier this week, I noticed a advertisement depicting post office staff in front of the Post Office taken in 1963. This was incidentally as the ad describes the third building for this purpose build on the same site.


It came as a bolt from the sky.

A historical significant building with a rich local historic story to tell. Right in the middle of Te Awamutu, accessible to all people. It has even potential for a museum cafe!.


I believe the building ownership is in the hands of a Maori group in payment for grieves settlement of the historic past. The building has been neglected and has become a negative image for the town ship right on the corner of the very hart of Te Awamutu.


This is getting better all the time, the museum has significant Maori art affects by the dozen and wants to display them at a cost of 15 million dollars in the proposed new building.


Am I missing something here?................can you join the dots?........... I have!!

Hone Harawira (alias John Hadfield ... his true name)

Enjoy Walking Eagle On a recent trip to the U.S.A., Maori Party M.P. Hone Harawira (alias John Hadfield ..... his true name ... his grandfather was a pakeha) was invited to address a  major gathering of the American Indian Nations in Kitimat, B.C. due to his recent examples of how to inflame the Maori Indigenous situation in New Zealand. He spoke for almost an hour.... echoing his racist mother's doomed to fail radical ideas for increasing any First Nation's present standard of living. At the conclusion of his speech, the tribes presented Hone with a plaque inscribed with his new Indian name - "Walking Eagle". The proud Hone then departed with his entourage, waving to the crowd as he left. A news reporter later asked the American Indian chiefs how they came to select the new name given to Hone. They explained that "Walking Eagle" is the name given to a bird so full of shit, it can no longer fly.

The latest from Hone

Osama bin Laden and Hone Harawira

THU, 05 MAY 2011 6:59A.M.

By Dan Satherley

Controversial ex-Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has called Osama bin Laden a freedom fighter, saying the former terrorist mastermind should be "honoured", not "damned", as according to Maori custom.

According to the English subtitles of Maori Television's Native Affairs, Mr Harawira said bin Laden "pursued independence for his people, his family and his tribe", reports the New Zealand Herald.

"I acknowledge him and bid him farewell," said Mr Harawira. "Return to your ancestors who wait for you beyond the veil of death.

"Despite what the media has said, his family, his tribe, his people are in mourning.

"They mourn for the man who fought for the rights, the land and the freedom of his people. We should not damn them in death, but acknowledge the positive aspects of life."

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said utu, or revenge, was a Maori custom, but was uncomfortable at celebrations over bin Laden's death.

"We don't agree with the extent of the celebrations or with anyone celebrating the assassination of anyone and then the person's body being discarded into the sea," he told Te Karere.

Labour's Shane Jones slammed Mr Harawira's comments, saying it was not Maori custom to uncritically honour the dead.

"In the old days, a great enemy - if he wasn't eaten - his bones were used to make musical instruments," he said.

"So this romantic notion that in the old time, Maori spent hours of their time saluting the enemy was not the case.

"Enemies were turned to dust and people rejoiced, because of the suffering they had caused."

Mr Harawira's understanding of Maori culture and history was also rejected by new ACT Party leader Don Brash on last night's Close Up. Dr Brash said the Treaty of Waitangi granted all New Zealand citizens the same rights, an assertion Mr Harawira rejected, saying the Maori version of the treaty guaranteed Maori rights other New Zealanders didn't necessarily have.

10 Reasons why we in New Zealand are so lucky (no thanks to Helen Clark)

September 13, 2010

Ten reasons to be cheerful
By Bernard HickeyNew Zealand has just suffered its biggest corporate collapse since 1989 and its biggest natural disaster since 1931. Both events have the potential to destabilise the economic recovery, but they won't.There are 10 reasons to be cheerful after two weeks of gloom. They are also an antidote for those who say I am a permanent harbinger of doom.1. We are lucky to be next to the luckiest countryNew Zealand is lucky to have the luckiest country on the planet as its largest trading partner and nearest neighbour. Australia's economy just created another 53,100 jobs in August and it continues to benefit from China's apparently insatiable appetite for raw materials.We have our own lucky attributes. Our water-rich land, fisheries and mineral resources are a real asset married to our stable political and legal systems.2. We are in the Asian hemisphereNew Zealand also has plenty of its own strong connections with an economy that is set to overtake America and become the world's largest by 2030. China is now our second largest trading partner and wants more of our knowledge, resources and clean, green attributes. There are challenges that come with that demand, but it's better to be wanted than not.3. Our economy is underwritten by Australian taxpayersWhisper it quietly when you're next visiting the relatives in Australia, but we are lucky that our banking system is owned by Australian shareholders and backed by its government. The core of any economy is its banking system and it is the element most vulnerable in any crisis.Australia's taxpayers and savers proved they would underwrite our banks in October 2008 when they provided a guarantee and pumped in A$20 billion worth of fresh cash.4. We are learning our lessonsNew Zealanders have pulled their heads in after the excesses of the naughty noughties (2000s) and are saving again. A Treasury paper out this week showed household debt to disposable income is falling and consumers are being a lot more careful through this recovery to repay debt or save more before spending more.5. The government is reforming our tax systemHowever slow and limited the reforms are, our government is trying to restructure the economy away from consumption and housing and towards production and exports. The increase in the GST rate, the removal of some of the property tax breaks and the reduction in income taxes from October 1 will start to tilt the economy.6. The hot money has dried upThe Global Financial Crisis and the introduction by the Reserve Bank of its Core Funding Ratio (CFR) have combined to force our banks to find their funding from local Mums and Dads rather than on 'hot' wholesale money markets overseas.All this is helping to stop our foreign debts growing and keep a lid on the housing market. It has also kept our currency remarkably stable in the last year.7. Many of our best are stayingAmbitious and talented technology entrepreneurs such as Sam Morgan and Rod Drury remain here in New Zealand, reinvesting their wealth to build great new businesses such as Xero and the Pacific Fibre cable. They will connect us to the global 'computing cloud' and allow services exporters to overcome the tyranny of distance.8. We are a resourceful, creative and resilient bunchThe earthquake and our reaction since the Global Financial Crisis has been to pull together and to get on with rebuilding with a minimum of social strife and disruption. Not every country has that ability.9. The rest of the world loves usMany New Zealanders underestimate how popular and loved we are elsewhere. We're small enough not to be threatening. We seen as innovative, creative, open and friendly. We shouldn't be complacent, but we can grow and trade and collaborate on the strength of that good vibe.10. Summer is coming.*This article appeared in the Herald on Sunday.

Candidates for Waipa Council and Te Awamutu community board

http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/elections/waipa-district-council#waipa-district-mayor

Makes you wonder what the incumbents have done for the rate payer.

You do get the feeling many do it for their own power trip?

I would like to see other publicly stating what they are standing for.

We have one Mayoral hopeful wanting to reduce rates, well that is a first!

Are the mayors going to exchange blows?

The Auckland Super City mayoral race is getting tetchy with Auckland City Mayor John Banks and North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams accusing each other of personal attacks after they reportedly almost came to blows at a candidates meeting.

Another contender for the mayoralty, Simon Prast, has told the New Zealand Herald he saw Williams leap from his seat and come within millimetres of Banks at a candidates meeting in a Castor Bay church hall on the North Shore on Wednesday night.

Banks has said Williams' behaviour has been unacceptable at joint candidate meetings.

"I am happy to engage in vigourous and robust debate on the issues affecting Auckland. However Mr Williams has been more interested in aggressive personal attacks," said Banks.

Williams said Banks clearly feels threatened when issues concerning Aucklanders are openly and forthrightly discussed, such as bus lanes and water pricing.

"At no time in any of the meetings have I made any personal attacks on him or any other candidates.

"By contrast John Banks last weekend embarked on what is becoming a concerted series of personal attacks on me verging on defamation.

"It appears his transmogrification to the new nicer John Banks is over as he begins to feel the pressure of his chances in the mayoral campaign. It is very apparent that the old Banks is back."

Williams said those attending recent meetings have noted that Banks is now being joined by a group of party supporters who are actively disrupting the meetings for all candidates.

"They are constantly interjecting and haranguing many of the candidates but in particular (Manukau Mayor) Len Brown and myself, using insulting and demeaning personal attacks.

"We saw it at the Auckland Museum debate on Tuesday night and again the following night at the Castor Bay meeting."

By contrast, Williams said, the other candidates do not operate in this fashion and their supporters have all been respectful towards the meeting and candidates.

"It is also disturbing that these same people who are causing this disruption are linked live during the meetings to politically aligned blogsites," he said.

"They want to create disharmony both at the meetings and via the internet. This is dirty politics we are seeing coming from that quarter."

'Grumpy Baby boomerangers' - Ian Cowie at The Telegraph

reports on demographic and financial trends in Britain that threaten to create some tension between the debt-ridden and jobless young and their cashed-up property owning baby boomer parents.

He looks at the notion that many youngsters can't afford to leave home and are sat steaming and resentful in their bedrooms. A small number are even hoping their parents kark it and pass on the dosh...sheesh.

The growing financial plight of younger adults is building tensions between the generations that may create some ugly scenes in homes across the country in years ahead. Santander – the Spanish bank that bought Abbey, Alliance & Leicester among others – surveyed 2,000 people to come to the conclusion that student debt and shortage of jobs for young people has created a generation of what it calls “baby boomerangers”.
These are adult children aged over 18 unable to leave their parents’ home who seem to be slouching on sofas across the land, resenting Mum and Dad’s good fortune. More than four in 10 of the families affected see no hope of these young adults flapping their wings and finding a home of their own any time in the foreseeable future.
Reza Atta-Zadeh, a director of Santander, says: “The term ‘flying the nest’ could soon be made redundant as the credit crunch and rising cost of living is altering the structure of Britain’s families.” The most disturbing research published today, suggests that one in five young adults admits to “looking forward” to a receiving an inheritance.
More than one in 10 said they were relying on these future inheritances to pay off debts or provide a deposit on their first home. A ghoulish 3 per cent of the 1,300 people questioned by the website MyVoucherCodes said they would rather have the money than keep their parents alive

Does Te Awamutu’s new retail development affect main street businesses?

Worldwide evidence suggest this is the case. America has lead the Mall phenomena and are already re-inventing the malls as the next trend is being developed by the ever cycle of keeping the shopping experience fresh and exciting.

So the simple answer is yes, Te Awamutu city centre retailers are wise to be concerned and sit up. What is the difference between the new shopping centres and the traditional town centre shops? The obvious differences are national branded shops with slick marketing and displays, utilise every opportunity to maximise profit.

Shadow of former selves

According to James Bacos, an American retail expert at a German branch of Mercer Management Consulting, it took two decades for the centres to recover but only as a shadow of their formers selves, reduced to specialty shops, boutiques and restaurants.

History tells us that the chamber of commerce is ineffective as an association to band retailers together only a handful of retail outlets have the foresight and recognise this but are unable to come up with anything to combat the competition.

The need to increase marketing requires a larger budget, but a lot of smaller shops don’t want to foot the bill, nor want to put in the extra effort. Most bought a business as a lifestyle investment and would never have contemplated the energy needed to run in this new competitive market.  

Winning formula

‘Price, range and quality’ is the winning formula of shopping malls and is hard to beat.

There are no features in the main CBD to bring in either tourists or outside shoppers.

Parking is one major consideration as we all know and want to drive to the shop.

The novelty factor may in time develop permanent habits. Main street retailers should have been working hard to maintain their share of the retailing dollar. And with the current economic climate the competition just got harder.

Some Rspca back ground

http://rspcanotwhattheyseem.blogspot.com/

Te Awamutu SPCA breakdown

Looking back over the Te Awamutu history until the disbanding of the Te Awamutu SPCA committee removing them and taking over the control of the facility by the RSPCA national office under direction of Charles Cadwallader. The reason for doing this in the first place was, as has been stated publicly by Charles Cadwallader in different public statements, the facility was under managed. Under managing their consent, over population by a fantastic number, (including animals from volunteers who would bring their own animals to the centre). Bob Kerridge does in his office in Auckland all the time. After all these are animal lovers and they own animals themselves, and enjoy their company. Further there where claims of under manageging the cleanliness of the facility with faeces and flies in the facility. Further claims of under managing the long term tenancies of animals and generally breaking the Animal welfare Act by acting as animal inspectors and making financial alliance’s with interested parties.

Now we have had some time to reflect on these things let analyse these and get the facts straight.

First some historical facts, Te Awamutu SPCA has been around for 30 or more years and as with all volunteer community organisations gone through highs and lows as members came and went and with strong leadership came with real commitment and some of the true animal heroes are still on the scene. At one point the group was almost defunct after the RSPCA disbanded the committee and one must remember this organisation was a back yard operation. But when the group was close to falling over and the RSPCA was about to become the recipient of all the cash in the kitty (including a bequest), a local vet stepped in and called to wider Te Awamutu community to take action or loose a badly needed service that truly looked after the animals in need of a second chance and life. this was the start of what was until recently the Te Awamutu SPCA Animal Heaven. The steering group started again with energy that has not been seen before and from this back yard operation the plan to do it properly was formed and Fundraising and building began.
[Image]
A design for a 35 dogs and 100 cat facility was worked on and eventually build. Along the way when in the out skirts of town the facility was connected to all and every dog barking for miles. This resulted in the overnight housing to be noise proofed and ultimately a reduction in dogs allowed to be cared for, down to only 20, almost halve the original required size for this town. The Council has a 5 dog facility and started to rely on this for dogs the Dog Control staff decided should get another chance. So the need to turn dogs over faster was created with a very active re-homing focused operation. With this close working relationship between Waipa district council staff animal welfare worked great. This was until Council had to swap Cambridge dog control oficers between Te Awamutu and Cambridge. The person had a price on her head for her aggressively catching and killing of “stay dogs”. Even if they were on their own section she would price them of and hurdle them in her van before residents knew of the plight of their beloved pet. She herself owns 8 dogs and after the Waipa Dsistrict Council passed a by law to restrict ownership of dogs to maximum 5 with permit she had to move out to a neighbouring council to get around this by law.
You can see where this is going and yes on her insistence she organised through the RSPCA enforcement inspectors (ex-policemen) to raid the Te Awamutu facility to get rid ones and for all this animal mad committee that has a no-kill policy and hides dogs from her that she wants to kill to satisfy her mental quota. And when a green new Environment Team Leader was place in charge of the council dog enforcement department earlier this year she saw her chance and her dream finally came true.
[Image]After decimating the successful working committee and place a volunteer in charge the Te Awamutu SPCA has slowly lost all its gains. No money to pay mortgage or power. Phone is about to be cut of after the RSPCA run up massive bills ringing all over the world. No advertising and consequently no animals re-homed. Waipa animal control officer after putting down eight of the SPCA and peoples privately owned dogs is using this facility as if it where its own. A recent introduction of a Parvo infected dog to the facility and the consequence re-homing to a volunteer high lights the incompetence of those involved. This virus is now on all the animals that come through the facility. All dogs used to go into a holding situation and get checked by a vet before it was allowed to join other animals let alone get let out for re-homing.   

                                        

                                                                          The Parvo virus

                                

Sadly all the expertise has been lost amateurs with good intentions are making a hash of it and the RSPCA has run away trying to find anything on past members to make out they knew all along what they were doing. It now appears they had no grounds to do the raid and if anything they have done more damage to the lives of Waipa's abandoned animals than anyone before. So we had the best of people and systems but some people in powerful positions combined with ignorance and self-interest have managed to embarrass themselves to the point they cannot admit to the truth and now have to stick to their original story and in the process we are left with badly treated local hero's, dead animals and no future for the others or future animals in need.

WHAT A MESS!

Update: http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6571372/Troubled-SPCA-branch-is-put-out-of-its-misery

Te Awamutu Museum/Cultural Centre

Te Awamutu District Council is hell bend on pushing through the proposed new Museum/Cultural Centre. It is true a committee have done all the right things, planning communication, and having flagged this possibility in the Council books. But lets take a step back, If you like myself get turned off by “boring subjects” you can be excused to turn off by this kind of process. And dreams are free, in comparison if you want your dream to come true and want the community pay for this that is an entire new proposition. Look Councillors and Committee members you now have got our full attention. Please rewind as this is going to take a bit more than “it is to late”. Lets first of all recognise the fact that we are in possibly the worst financial situation due to banks over inflating property prices crash. And secondly the Council by what seems their right to increase rates annually regardless of the outside world realities. And thirdly a lot of people are struggling due to the shrinking employment market and rate payers are put in a unfortunate position of having to cash in their assets to live. Now lets pick up this grandiose project again, it is not going to happen. Possibly the timing of the forthcoming elections is perfect for the community to have a say and to veto this grand scheme. What I can not figure out is why have the drivers of this project not picked up on the communities angst? Is it because they are all retired or semi retired seniors that have had a opportunity for a good life and used their time well to make substantial incomes. And that they may very well be isolated from the reality of the current financial climate and can’t figure out what they are all getting so excited about. After all the process is being followed and this will be a great asset to the wider community. I was wondering that 1/3 of the funds where going to be rates funded (my assets), the other 1/3 asset sales (our assets), and the last third by donations, (our assets). Yep this will be a interesting few months and no local bodies are not boring any more and yes we are hanging on every word that comes from council…they have been a bit quite lately!

Look at these children, introducing the grandkids. Henry on the left Pinky behind and little me me me on the left!

Kick start

This could be a interresting start of things to come!