What will Waipu/Whangarei look like in 30 or 50 years?

What will Waipu/Whangarei look like in 30 or 50 years?
Are we putting in place the necessary infrastructure to resource that future?

While we might be experiencing a downturn in the economy at present, there is no doubt in most people’s minds that our district will at some future stage continue to grow and develop.  The Whangarei [...]

Co-operating for economic growth in Whangarei District

This week I spoke to my submission to the Annual Plan process for the Whangarei District Council.  Here are some of the key points I raised as a member of the Whangarei tourism Trust, the Northland Tourism Development Group, Bream Bay Tourism Group, and owner operator of a commercial accommodation Waihoihoi Lodge in Waipu.
I am [...]

We can’t cut rates without cutting services

Its time to make submissions to the Whangarei District Council annual plan. We discussed this at Waipu Residents and Ratepayers last night, and although all of us would like to pay less rates, and have more money in our pockets, we all agreed that it is critical for Waipu and Bream Bay that current plans [...]

Hundertwasser in Whangarei – asking good questions….

In the Northern Advocate 19 March 2008, Ann Shaw, a former Whangarei Councillor wrote an interesting letter to the editor raising issues about the prosposed Hundertwasser Building at the Town Basin in Whangarei.
Nothing but a Multi-Coloured Elephant: You asked for comments from Whangarei folks, here is mine. Where is the feasibility study, business [...]

New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement

Public comment is invited on a new national policy statement which will guide councils on how to manage development along New Zealand’s coastline. The New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement will guide the management of the coastal environment under the Resource Management Act. Council planning and resource consent decisions must adhere to the policies [...]

Three cheers for Waipu and for democracy

What a great community Waipu is – people are always ready to give a hand, organise an event, attend a meeting or write a submission. Thanks to all of those who wrote a submission regarding the proposed Hanover development on the Waipu River mouth. Regardless of whether that submission was for or against [...]

$9.5 million Hundertwasser Centre proposed for Whangarei Town Basin

“Whangarei mayor Stan Semenoff has announced plans to establish an international-standard Hundertwasser arts centre at Whangarei’s Town Basin.
Deputy mayor Kahu Sutherland and council CEO Mark Simpson have this week returned from negotiations in Vienna where they gained the full support of the Hundertwasser Foundation for the proposal…”
Follow this link to read the full story
WOW – [...]

Will Binding Referenda be on the agenda of the new Council?

Just before voting finished, someone emailed me and asked me about what my position was on binding referenda.
This was my reply:
1. The idea of them has arisen because many people feel alienated by the the present processes of having their voices heard in the democratic process.
2. I believe that this is a real issue [...]

Coastal Representation now missing on Whangarei District Council

One of the results of the recent WDC Elections, is that neither the Tutukaka Coast or Bream Bay Coastal areas have any representation on the new Council. In the past Robin Leiffering has being a strong advocate for coastal issues and with her retirement along with boundary changes and local voting patterns, the result [...]

Back in Waipu at last

I have been in China for two weeks and out of touch with my blog – for some reason I could not access it in China (?censorship). I have kept in touch with the Northern Advocate online, so have watched some of the election games with interest.
Last Saturday I was at the Waipu Hall [...]