And another thing … 21 Hamilton questions
1 Why do we need a CBD?
Why are Hamilton ratepayers subsidising developers’ commercial interests to build new CBD buildings when modern cities don’t have CBDs? Is the Tron the city of the future or the city of the past?
2 Why do we need to pay the Hamilton City Council CEO more than the Canadian Prime Minister?
3 Is subsidised free parking a good idea?
It’s costing ratepayers $900,000 – or
$1.8m over two years…$2.7m in lost revenue over three years...you get the picture…someone’s got to pay...why is parking a ratepayers’ cost?
4 Why hasn’t Wintec CEO Mark Flowers given an interview to Stuff?
And why hasn’t the minister of education intervened to say ‘front or go’. Enough public money has been spent on investigations, reinvestigations, reviews, PR and legal advice.
5 And…Do we get our money back? The first Wintec inquiry into Flowers’ conduct cost taxpayers’ big money – given that it failed to be ‘sufficiently robust’ after being reviewed, do taxpayers get a refund from Judith Scott & Associates who clearly didn’t do the job adequately?
6 Why are HR departments advocating bullying through their ongoing inaction?
Bullied hospital staff have committed suicide while employed at Tauranga Hospital and Hamilton City Council. How many more deaths will it take before bullying is recognised as the greatest work place hazard by government and HR departments?
7 Should Fieldays be embarrassed one of its main side businesses is sex?
Hamilton working girls look forward to the cow cocky money each June. Why isn’t there a Sexpo at Claudelands Events Centre (Hamilton’s white elephant) running alongside the Mystery Creek ag-event? It’s easy money – time to pay the bills Hamiltron.
8 When is rugby going to turn professional?
Where Waikato’s professional players can play wherever they like without penalty; where clubs actually get relegated from Super Boom-Boom and international 9 Is there a Bella Vista disaster lurking in Waikato developments?
10 Why is Hamilton still not a university town?
If the University of Waikato vanished tomorrow would anyone notice or care? What ever happened to high profile Capping Week, Orientation, The Students’ Union and student radio?...(..sorry, I know the answer to the last one..)
11 Why did all local MPs/ Mayors back Waikato university’s medical school when none of them had seen the actual project cost, the strategic plan, considered staff/culture/ academic/research gaps at Waikato or talked to either the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association or the New Zealand Resident Doctors’ Association, neither of which supported the idea?
12 Does anyone really know if the city is broke or in surplus? Council doesn’t – nor does the former mayor or deputy mayor. Do you? Do any ratepayers (particularly those on fixed incomes) believe they are getting better services for the extra rates cash taken from their wallets?
13 Why hasn’t Richard O’Brien been knighted?
For services to damn good advice to Hamilton about The Founders Theatre and the arts.
Where are those big event transporter trucks going to park to offload stage effects, lights and PA racks in Victoria Street?
14 Why were the words – ‘‘After consulting with my constituents, the members of my ward whom I represent have said they want…’’ never heard from any elected member as part of council’s 10 year plan discussions?
15 Do you feel safe on Hamilton streets after midnight?
16 Letter to the WT Editor writer Bruce Turner asks what did I expect of the Auckland Blues?
I expect them to be relegated Mr Turner. I expect professional consequences in professional sport and not just amateur era bragging rights.
Consequences Mr Turner. Sporting
17 Where is Nigel Murray? And the missing money?
18 Why did the council gift the stadium and free staff to Sevens Rugby?
19 Did Hamilton’s boy racers learn anything from the Cossey/ Jones manslaughter court case?
20 Is it coincidence the council member with the highest social media profile is grandstanding for on-line voting? Nope. The hustings are already open. Watch for this high profile multiterm member to declare her candidacy for mayor.
21 Should a bylaw be passed limiting council terms to six years? It’s too easy for long term career politicians in Hamilton to blame the ‘previous administration’ for the problems they created only to later promote themselves as the solution for the city’s ills.
Six years is enough.