Having retired

Next Saturday New Zealanders will cast their votes in the general election. While the polls have National and Labour in a close contest, a little closer to home, reporter Rachael Comer has discovered what the region’s older and younger residents hope whoe

The environment is a hot topic for residents at Timaru’s Margaret Wilson Complex.

Some residents there say one of their biggest concerns about the future is the state of the region’s water, its land and the impact burgeoning tourism is having.

Jim Burnett, Pat Burgess, Helen Scott, Izy Knierum and Elizabeth Stevenson all have differing views on what is important leading up to Saturday’s general election, but all agree they want to leave this earth in a better state than it is now.

They are all hoping for a Government which will put more emphasis on creating healthy waterways and think something needs to be done to curb the effects of tourism on one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand - the Mackenzie Country.

Scott, 87, said many South Canterbury residents saw the Mackenzie as ‘‘another Queenstown’’.

‘‘It’s such a shame as it’s a beautiful part of the country,’’ she said. Stevenson, 76, agreed. ‘‘I think it’s important that we make sure all these scenic stops are not ruined.’’

Burgess, 85, said measures needed to be put in place to control the impact of tourists on these environments.

‘‘We bring in Tom, Dick and Harry and they cause Helen Havoc - something needs to be done.’’

Burnett, 69, said Tekapo was ‘‘screaming out for infrastructure’’.

‘‘We need to charge a tax to tourists for being there in the first place.

‘‘They’re the ones causing the overflow and they should be taking it out on them [the tourists] in the first place.’’

Burgess said older residents saw what their parents had gone without to buy in and build up in the Mackenzie District and it would be a shame to see it ‘‘good for nothing’’.

Pay equity was also important for the group, and they wondered what effect inequality had on families in the region.

Scott said she felt it must have an impact on families as ‘‘nothing is getting cheaper’’.

Parents and young children were also on the mind of Burgess, who was concerned about a lack of state housing.

‘‘It makes me cross when I see state housing that is vacant,’’ she said.

‘‘The Government should be utilising it. The homes shouldn’t be left to go rotten.’’

Stevenson also felt strongly about the issue.

‘‘The powers that be should certainly make the most use of them here.’’

Burnett said housing in general was a major issue and the group agreed it was something they worried about for the future of their children and grandchildren.

‘‘The Government needs to think ahead a bit with housing and affordability,’’ Scott added.

They all felt Timaru was ‘‘going ahead’’ because of the town’s port and its location was handy for tourism, and saw a bright future for the region.

However, the empty shops in the main streets of Timaru and Waimate were a concern, Burgess said.

‘‘I go through Timaru and see empty shops and I wonder why,’’ she said.

She said an incentive for small business owners in towns like