1. Do you believe HBRC is ‘tough enough on enforcing environmental protections against councils and businesses?

HBRC should start by looking in its own backyard. I live down the road from an unconsented hardfill operation right next to a river mouth, it’s full of roading waste from Higgins and, buried deep beneath it, remnants of Napier Hospital. In some places, it’s built up to 12 metres high.

This hardfill site unconsented and unmonitored by HBRC acted like a dam during Cyclone Gabrielle turning it into a deadly blockage that made the flooding worse. That’s not just failure, its negligence. The cyclone washed old roading into the ocean, another environmental failure on HBRC’s watch. They’re tasked to protect our region, not turn a blind eye. HBRC has known about this site for years yet only issued abatement notices after the disaster. That’s shutting the barn door after the horse has bolted.

We can’t expect accountability from others when the Council fails to act on its own responsibilities.

This is just one example, so no, I don’t believe HBRC are effective enough in
managing and enforcing environmental protections against councils and businesses.

2. How should HBRC approach the $600 million flood control challenge? What
is ‘safe enough’?

HBRC shouldn’t be allowed to throw money at the problem just to cover for their poor decisions. Safety isn’t about big spending; it’s about sound judgment. Our region was measured by an “intolerable risk to life” matrix, yet this was based on blanket flood mapping. Some Category 3 properties never even flooded, yet these homes were bought with our money and then demolished. A catastrophic outcome for all, due to poor decision making.

The elephant in the room? This wasn’t a flash flood. We had time to evacuate; the true intolerable risk to life was HBRC’s failure to warn it’s residents.
One option, called 2P, would’ve allowed people to stay and build up, like using poles or raised platforms. But a staff member from HBRC said outright, “We don’t like 2P.” Is that what’s guiding safety decisions? Personal preference? These are the same people now making the calls on how $600 million gets spent. That’s not acceptable.

3. Should HBRC sell Napier Port shares to help fund flood protection?

Absolutely not. That would be throwing away a generational asset to fund bad decisions. For example, there’s $14 million about to be wasted building a stop bank proposed in my own community, but the unconsented hardfill mountain next door remains and is still growing, which will negate any effort made. Can we honestly trust this Council to manage or invest major funds responsibly? No way. Napier Port generates value for our region. Selling it would be like selling the farm to fix the fence.

4. Do you support the Ngaruroro or Ruataniwha Dam projects? Should HBRC
help fund construction

Sadly, politics killed the Ruataniwha Dam and with it, the prosperity it could’ve delivered for Central Hawke’s Bay. When people around the table come with agendas instead of solutions, everyone loses.

I support both dams being fully explored and developed. It’s time the Council made decisions that benefit all people, the economy and the environment equally. Right now, that balance is way off.

Spending $3 million to ensure the Ngaruroro dam is feasible is not excessive.
Imagine the cost if construction began and had to stop halfway through due to poor planning. That’s real waste.

5. Do you believe HBRC is doing enough to develop potential reductions in the regions water demand? What possibilities of this sort do you see?

HBRC has made solid progress in supporting smarter water use in farming and horticulture, which is vital for our region. Initiatives that promote efficiency and innovation in land-based industries are encouraging to see.

But when it comes to overall water demand, I believe more can still be done,
especially at the residential level. Reducing water use shouldn’t just fall on
businesses or growers. We all have a role to play.

If you’ve ever stayed somewhere solely relying on rainwater tanks, what happens to your behaviour? Not a drop is wasted, because once it’s gone, you either wait for rain or pay to refill it. That experience changes behaviours and how you think about water. It’s the kind of mindset we need to encourage more widely.

I would support water meters, but only if it’s an even playing field. No special deals, no hidden subsidies, just a fair system where those who waste water carry the cost, not responsible users. Behavioural change is important, but so is accountability and equity.

6. Do you believe HBRC is doing too much or too little with respect to adapting and/or mitigating climate change impacts in the region?

HBRC declared a climate emergency in 2019, but when Cyclone Gabrielle hit in 2023, there was no warning and no real readiness. Emergency should mean urgency- not empty words. After the cyclone, a review made 44 recommendations, yet here we are, over two years later, no safer than before.

According to the rhetoric behind the climate change warning we are going to get more severe weather events, and they will be worse, yet we don’t see anyone who declared it making us any safer, or was it meant just for others to be active participants. Declaring a climate emergency was just political postering. Real leadership is about taking action, not just frivolous announcements and slogans. HBRC’s approach to their own declaration of climate emergency has been passive at best. 

I hear “emergency”, and think “we must act”, but it’s been radio silence from them since announcing it. 

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

All of my answers are my personal views, you’ll always get that from me, popular or not.

I don’t support any fixed wards. Representation should reflect capability, not
allocation. Māori wards are undemocratic and were introduced without any public mandate. There is a referendum this election, and I’ll fully support whatever the people decide.

8. Do we need five councils, or do you support amalgamation, in any form?

If our elected officials truly put the region first, amalgamation would be a no-brainer.

Right now, councils don’t talk to each other. Ratepayers get caught in the middle, which of course includes homeowners and renters alike. Shared services are talked about but not delivered. Each council is too busy protecting its turf, and their jobs, instead of focusing on progress and what’s best for the people they serve.

Imagine how much stronger the Hawke’s Bay could be if we worked together as one region with one vision. Economic growth and environmental outcomes both improve when we stop duplicating effort and start collaborating.

And yes, that would lower rates.

9. Do you support Councils appointing an independent “Hawke’s Bay Auditor-General” to monitor council spending and programme performance?

It’s obvious our councils are overspending, the $14 million stop bank that won’t protect us is just one example. The flawed buy-out process another bad decision with millions wasted.

I’m deeply sceptical when I hear the word “independent.” Who pays them? Who appoints them? That’s what really determines how independent someone is. Before we create another high-paying watchdog role, let’s ask why we’re already paying massive fees to LGNZ. And let’s hold the people we’ve already hired, Council CEOs and Chairs properly accountable.

Rate capping is one way to rein in waste. The real question isn’t whether we need a new watchdog, what we should be asking is; Why is our current leadership not doing their job and why is there so much distrust and apathy towards council right now. Before looking outside for solutions, we need to look inward to assess current capability and rectify current spending.