1. NCC plans to spend $701 million through to 2034 to improve water infrastructure. Is this appropriate and who should pay?

Yes, we absolutely need to invest in our water infrastructure , but ratepayers can’t be expected to foot the entire $701 million bill on their own. That’s just not sustainable.

Households could be paying over $2,500 a year for water services by 2051. With the right funding model (regional collaboration as a start) that figure could be closer to $1,200. That’s a massive difference, and it matters. I always maintained I would support a regional model if it stacked up for Napier; appreciating we are in a better financial position than our partner councils. Looking at the data, the regional model is the way to go. Plus, its important to acknowledge that the status quo is no longer an option.

2. Does Napier need a new aquatic centre? If so, where?

We need more water space, but I’m not convinced a brand-new aquatic centre is the only answer. We’ve invested in fixing the current pool in Onekawa, both the building maintenance, flooring and pool surface, which should give it a few more years yet. So I’m happy to prioritise fixing what we have, before investing in major standalone builds.

This is the subject of the soon to be Napier’s Citizen’s assembly. So, I’ll be interested in what comes out of that. I’ve always supported the new Pool being in Onekawa, if the ground is safe to build on, and I’m not completely convinced the current data (of which most is before my time incidentally) is as thorough as it could be.

3. Do you support NCC continuing to dump partially treated wastewater into Hawke Bay?

Napier’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) at Awatoto operates under a resource consent that permits discharge of treated effluent through a marine outfall into Hawke Bay. I think the word “dump” is misleading.

Waste passes through the WWTP includes screens, grit removal, biological trickling filter and UV disinfection, before it heads out through a cultural passage over stones intended as a symbolic cleansing step before the outfall effluent is discharged, with dilution designed to mitigate impacts.

During extreme weather, especially post Cyclone Gabrielle flooding, the system does get overwhelmed and partially treated wastewater gets released into the bay. That is why we invested in two additional cells (to make three) for storage and once the third cell is fully operational, during a current overflow event of 300 L/s as measured and recorded over the past three years, there will be a designed 30.5 hours of storage, which should mitigate some of those issues.

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

• Speed reductions in areas where they don’t make sense. I did agree with reductions in urban sprawl areas and school zones.
• The lack of clarity and urgency in stormwater planning post-2020 flood. Effected communities still have doubts to the work already done actually helping in an event.
• Overuse of judder bars as a traffic-calming measure. This is frustrating for most road users. However, the health and safety rules council are bound by and it’s a last resort to a Police issue.

5. Do you support building homes in these two areas – Riverbend Road, Ahuriri Station?

Yes, provided it’s well-planned, resilient, and supported by infrastructure. Napier needs housing options, but not at the cost of repeat flood risks or disconnected urban sprawl. I’m also concerned about firtile soil too. These projects will not get consent if the developers can not demonstrate adequate mitigation of these known issues.

6. Should residential water metering be introduced in Napier?

Napier ratepayers time and time again have told us they want chlorine-free. To even get close providing a network to enable this (if Taumata Aorowai – the water regulator even accepts the water plan), overseas modelling suggests leaks need to be between 10 and 15%. From memory, Napier are around 22%. I support metering to understand usage and leaks. I believe taking our community with us through education is essential before any charging occurs; I am aware most users in councils areas where water meters are used to charge, receive substantial savings. Data also shows these users also conserve water which is essential in our current climate. Under the current Water Done Well legislation, it talks about sustainable revenue models; peeling back the layers suggests water meters. If they are mandated by central government, then that is what it is. As I say, it should be part of a bigger conversation about fairness and water security locally.

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

I supported their introduction and I personally support retaining them. However, I don’t publicly disclose how I vote in ANY referendum, just as I wouldn’t ask anyone else to. That privacy is a democratic right.

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

No. Blanket caps risk forcing councils to cut core services or delay vital infrastructure. Decisions are best made locally, not by one size fits-all legislation. Also a quick Google of : “Government tax revenue vs rates revenue nz” shows the picture why Central Government are cherry picking with their targeted campaign against Local government.

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

It’s been looked at before and the “A word” is a dirty word for most of Napier Ratepayers who’ve been here long enough to remember. I would suggest the people who feel it’s the golden goose, look into the different debt and rates other councils have; then they might change their minds. However, I do support having conversations if it benefits the Napier Ratepayer in the long run, I do support shared services in the form of a Local Water Entity as per LWDW first. We don’t need full amalgamation to get better value. There is a common misconception that there would be less councillors thus less money spent. That’s up to the remuneration authority, and if there were to be less councillors in a larger council, that money would simply be divided between those new councillors. Local representation that is accessible is important, because once it’s gone, it may never come back.

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

No. It would just add another layer of bureaucracy. Under the recommendations of the Ombudsman, NCC is more transparent than ever. All out meetings are either livestreamed or recorded via audio, our meetings and workshops are public (unless there is a reason under the act to be in publicly excluded), and officers have done an outstanding job with better reporting across the board. There has always been accountability through council meetings, Annual Plans, Long-Term Plans, and external audit reviews. Instead of creating more oversight roles, we need to make better use of the systems we already have and some of that lies with the community and their want and ability to engage. I would support civics education!