1. HDC has struggled over balancing land for housing/industrial development versus protecting productive soils in the district. Do you believe the right decisions are being made?

We are required by government to ensure sufficient land is made available for housing and industry. As a former orchardist I understand the need to protect productive soils but there also needs to be balance between competing uses. We need to lift our economic performance from near bottom and both residential and industrial uses create the skilled well paying jobs that will make a difference and make Hawke’s Bay an attractive place to live. I believe the Middle Road triangle should have been included in the Future Development Strategy. It is not used for cropping or horticulture which it would surely have been if the land had been suitable for primary industry, plus developments in Te Aute and Iona Roads raises the risk of reverse sensitivity issues. Remember also that the buyout in Pakowhai, the Esk Valley and elsewhere now has the potential to return land to productive use. Only land that is safe from flooding and other hazards should be used for Housing and Industry.

2. HDC plans to spend $80 million over the next three years to improve water infrastructure? Is this appropriate and who should pay?

This question is now somewhat academic as the three largest territorial councils have agreed to hand over responsibility for managing water assets to a new regional Council Controlled Organisation (CCO). My view is improving water infrastructure is a core council responsibility and should have been retained as either a Council controlled Business Unit or a Hastings water services controlled CCO (WSCCO). I am also concerned that a single regional organisation might pave the way to privatising water assets.

3. Name 2-3 specific HDC projects, policies or spends over the past three years with which you personally disagree.

I am opposed to increasing debt and have voted against many spending proposals. Council debt has increased in recent years from about $50 million to nearly $500 million and is forecast to top $800 million in the near future. Some of the proposals I have voted against includes the appointment of paid but unelected student councillors, $1 million repaving of civic square, $1 million to support a new laneway in the CBD and a multimillion project to encourage mid city housing.

4. Should residential water metering be introduced in the Hastings District?

Possibly a decision to introduce water metering is inevitable as a result of the establishment of a Regional water CCO, which I opposed. Whilst there are claims this will reduce water consumption the cost will be in the many millions. In my opinion the money would be better used to reduce leaks in the reticulation system which are thought to account for 20% or more of the water put into the system.

5. Do you believe councils’ rates should be ‘capped’ by legislation?

I think HDC rates have become unaffordable for many. Certainly Cyclone Gabriel has contributed significantly to cost increases but something does need to be done to control rates. Rates capping is one option but another might be to give citizens more power on spending decisions especially on nice to have non essential projects. Typically submissions number perhaps 1% of ratepayers or residents and a polling system such as was apparently employed by Wanganui some years ago would more accurately guide council on spending proposals.

6. Do you personally support retaining Māori seats at your council table?

Maori are 29% of the population and clearly should be represented however I did not vote in favour of Maori Wards when the decision was initially made. My observation is that a Maori Ward has resulted in about the same number of councillors that identify as Maori as previously. I also believe Maori wards have distorted the geographical representation that is the basis of the ward system that applies to the balance of voters. The frequency and nature of questions at meetings over the past three years concerning consultation with Mana Whenua or traditional tribal leadership suggests there has been a suttle change in the decision making process. However as a committed believer of democracy I will uphold the outcome of the upcoming referendum what ever the result.

7. Does Hawke’s Bay need five councils, or do you support amalgamation, in any form?

The Local Waters Done Well decision has effectively reduced the breadth and scale of the existing council operations yet will effectively create another level of local government. The claim that bigger is more efficient is not proven by comparisons with Hamilton, Tauranga and Dunedin all of which are about the size of Napier and Hastings combined. However some rationalisation now seems appropriate and a first step might be to combine HDC and HBRC as both are responsible for much of the same geographic area.

Amalgamating with Napier also brings some risks such as price harmonisation or cross subsidisation in areas where Hastings has already invested heavily, such as the $200 million spent on drinking water and the huge costs of cyclone remediation. Amalgamating with Napier may also further expose Hastings ratepayers to the cost of increased risks from natural hazards such as floods, rising sea levels, erosion and tsunami.

8. Would you support Councils appointing an independent “Hawke’s Bay Auditor General” to monitor councils’ spending and programme performance?

I would need to see evidence of this producing better outcomes to justify the expense but something does need to be done to reign in local government spending, debt, interest costs and rates especially the urban areas.