Panepane Point

Recent media coverage of WBoPDC's proposal to gift the land at Panepane Point to a group of five hapū has downplayed how far Council have progressed with this proposal, and how serious the consequences could be if the proposal is approved.

In an article in the Katikati Advertiser Mayor Webber wrote, "Council will harvest 82ha of mature pines and retain the income estimated at $22 million." He omitted to mention the beneficiaries of the proposed gift want the land planted in native trees and that will cost an estimated $2.4 million.

Submissions on this proposal opened after your August edition went to print and closed on Monday 1st August. It may be that Lizard News will not be published before then, which demonstrates the limited time available for consultation.

Despite this, we would be pleased if you could publish a Katikati - Waihī Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association article attached to this email which we believe is a more factual description of the proposal, than those provided by Council's media advisory or Mr Webber's statements (edited).

Keith Hay, Katikati.

Editor: The email above was received on Saturday 22nd August, the day after we finished designing the majority of pages for our September edition. It was accompanied by a 1,187 word article. I draw the attention of contributors to our request for letters to be limited to 200 words, and articles to 300 words.

Our monthly deadline is printed on the inside back cover, on the puzzle and tide chart page each month. Our deadline for the September edition was Tuesday 18th August.

On the day we went to press, Council provided us with replacement artwork for a previously booked space, in order to advertise three community information days where questions could be asked about this proposal, along with website and phone contact options.