All eyes on new government
Businesses lack skilled employees and the Waikato Chamber of Commerce firmly believes immigration initiatives can solve that problem.
Waikato Chamber of Commerce chief executive William Durning said the chamber had encouraged the new Labour-led Government to avoid making knee-jerk decisions on immigration rules.
He said stopping immigration would be bad for business and the economy, and the chamber wanted to work with the government on other options.
He said education still plays a key part in gaining more qualified employees, but free tertiary education may not be the ultimate solution.
‘‘So if I use an analogy where you go into a shop to buy some fruit and you really want pears, but all they have is apples there’s a mismatch.’’
The chamber was excited by the government’s focus on regional development and was encouraged by the desire to build new homes.
Western Community Centre manager Neil Tolan said addressing the homelessness problem in Hamilton was at the top of his list for the new government.
‘‘I think there had been a lot of talk around addressing homelessness. That’s something we have noticed, and it has come out to the suburbs.’’
Tolan has had people come into the centre looking for houses, with no luck.
‘‘They’ll spend just hours on Trade Me trying to look for houses. These are people who are actually working, so that’s been a real difficulty.’’
Tolan said he would also be looking to see community policing return to Hamilton.
‘‘That’s a big one, that’s something I’m really hoping is going to happen,’’ Tolan said. ‘‘And that’s a promise that Labour had made and we’re going to be watching to see if that does eventuate.’’
Sport Waikato chief executive Matthew Cooper was worried about the health of the community.
‘‘We have seen a decrease in activity and an increase in obesity. I want this government to focus on the health and well being of the community and that investment must be at grass roots level and aimed at community sports.’’
-Emelyn McHardy is a Wintec journalism student