If it’s not working, change it or fix it
Hamilton City Council must ‘‘grow some horns right now’’ – change what isn’t working and make it work.
Council is losing its mayor and experienced councillors. My involvement with council includes experience on all of its committees. Publicly known to speak out, keeping a sharp eye on the finances coupled with 40 years in business in Hamilton. I understand hard work, enthusiasm, innovation and practical solutions. Hamilton Grey Power’s 50+ president. I listen and I care.
Yorkshire by birth, from two weeks old I grew up in Eire, Southern Ireland, the eldest of four. One day Mum said the IRA and the shenanigans are getting too close to home. Dad made the decision to bring the family to New Zealand.
Coming to Hamilton was the best thing we ever did! The family all loved the small close knit community, then 67,000 people. Friends were easily made, we relished the freedom of leaving our windows and doors open, milk money on the doorstep a novelty. Halcyon days, it was 1964. I was 13.
I briefly attended Hamilton Boys High, at 15 I left to be apprentice to my father, Ken. I qualified as a cabinet maker seven years later. Ken retired 30 years ago. Now in his 95th year and never short of advice for his political family.
Our motto in business: be bold, never be afraid to change what isn’t working and make it work. To this day our business diversified many times.
If you elect me I’d support real change including: parking free in the CBD; a new Founders Theatre regionally funded; children’s destination playgrounds; saying NO to water meters or sale of assets; smaller buses across non-peak hours; ‘‘unique art projects’’ like the Sapper Moore Jones statue; a senior housing policy; championing your issues; and keeping rates down to a minimum.
Parking free in the CBD could be achieved at no extra cost to ratepayers. City businesses from Victoria Street north to south currently pay an extra rate for projects to boost city activities – if it’s not working – scrap it. Put the $750,000 into free parking. Parking wardens would still manage time limits and the usual monitoring for infringements. Let’s make it work better.
Support smaller buses running around our city off-peak. We don’t have a say but we should. It’s not working – let’s make it work.
Stop throwing millions of ratepayer dollars at Garden Place. I voted against the last lot of spending and I still feel the same. It hasn’t made a scrap of difference. Sure the landscaping in Victoria Street looks nice and it has slowed the traffic down. Let’s build on this – let’s make it work.
Address anti-social behaviour with homelessness a priority. No more sheltering in doorways, visitors to our city should not be greeted by beggars. Working with government-funded social agencies, council must create some comfort for our homeless in daytime hours. After being kicked out of the night shelter where do the homeless go? Let’s get real, what we are doing isn’t working – let’s make it work.
Creating workable and enforceable bylaws to address out of control liquor licensing hours are another priority. If police are to curb late night drunkenness, relieve emergency department hospital staff of the same endless, repetitive, bad behaviour we must make changes now! We all know it’s not working – let’s make it work.
No to waters meters. Fix leaks first, we lose 10 per cent-plus. Retro-fitting meters at $25 million would see rates increase year after year with the interest alone. Waikato Regional Council administers the allocation of water, it advised the Waikato River is fully allocated yet Auckland want more. Should Hamilton pay? That won’t work for me or you.
Growth in the northeast and soaring property values have meant large rate increases with little to show for it. Eastside’s contribution in rates is significant, council has to recognise this. I’d advocate for more facilities on the eastside, such as the fantastic children’s destination playgrounds. I was a founding member of the committee along with Mayor Julie Hardaker to start that process off.
My goal while on council was always affordability and sustainable growth. While I support growth, of note infrastructure costs are not totally covered by development levies. Be careful about altering the current debt ratios, ratepayers may be left to pick up the difference which won’t work for any of us.
We all miss Founders Theatre. I believe a regionally funded model is realistic. Suitable for the philharmonic, international acts and seeing our own New Zealand and Russian ballet companies come back to Hamilton – wouldn’t that be wonderful.
Hamilton’s future must be planned for, like our forefathers did. Without land protected for water, sewerage and roads, Hamilton would be far different today.
Right now council must show leadership, grapple with hard decisions, kick anti-social behaviour to touch. Change what isn’t working and make it work.
I’m listening and I care. Together let’s put the ‘‘heart’’ back into Hamilton.