Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Debt mustn't stifle leadership: Dillon

By John Cousins
Bay of Plenty Times·
8 May, 2015 01:18 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Mary Dillon is a former councillor. Photo / File

Mary Dillon is a former councillor. Photo / File

The Tauranga City Council has been urged not to "stifle innovation and intelligent long-term thinking" with its focus on debt reduction.

Outspoken former councillor Mary Dillon said there was a disconnect between the council and the community and she urged the council to take advantage of the $62 million reduction in debt when Route K became a state highway.

"You need to think about the whole city and how you distribute rates," Mrs Dillon said yesterday.

The council's 10-year plan contained no investments in community development projects for the entire southeastern side of the city, including Welcome Bay and Ohauiti, she said.

She supported the Welcome Bay Community Centre's submission on the 2015-25 plan. The centre has asked the council to fix drainage problems that made Owens Park unusable. The 2.5-hectare park was behind the Welcome Bay Primary School.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mrs Dillon said the council was wrapped in debt and it needed to change the mantle it had put on its shoulders and think about the wellbeing of Tauranga.

"Its mantra should be innovative, inspiring leadership."

Growth and the management of debt had been an issue for the city since the 1980s and needed to be carefully managed, Mrs Dillon said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"But it should not stifle innovation and intelligent long-term thinking."

She asked the council to think more carefully about the proposal not to fund solutions for some flood-prone properties. There seemed to be a real inequity that there would not be enough money for people who had waited patiently for years, she said.

"Most people are unaware of your thinking on stormwater."

On the issue of the future of the civic block since toxic mould was discovered last year in many areas of the building, she urged councillors to consider all the issues surrounding the building.

Discover more

$1m-plus projects boost Tauranga

05 May 10:00 PM

Local historic house seek $200,000 from council

06 May 01:56 AM

Popular Bay wedding venue loses funding

06 May 07:15 PM

Special report: Does Tauranga need a museum?

07 May 12:04 AM

Mrs Dillon questioned whether a better long-term option was a complete redesign and rebuild, including looking at Willow St and Masonic Park - in line with the city-centre strategy.

She opposed Cliff Rd being the proposed museum's site, saying Tauranga's real history was the confluence of the land and water and the museum should be in the downtown, where it would attract more visitors.

The council will decide on her submissions next month.

Welcome Bay's objectives for Owens Park
•Reinstate as a neighbourhood reserve and usable community area
•Rehabilitate the Waioraka Stream as a sustainable ecosystem
Explore potential for community assets such as a community garden
•Develop walkway/cycleway to Tye Park

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty TimesUpdated

Second venomous sea snake washes ashore in Coromandel

12 Jul 06:00 AM
Sport

'My moment': NZ-born boxer becomes first Māori to be crowned undisputed world champ

12 Jul 03:58 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Puchner makes history with silver at U23 canoe slalom world titles

12 Jul 03:37 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Second venomous sea snake washes ashore in Coromandel

Second venomous sea snake washes ashore in Coromandel

12 Jul 06:00 AM

These snakes are highly venomous – the public and pets should keep clear.

'My moment': NZ-born boxer becomes first Māori to be crowned undisputed world champ

'My moment': NZ-born boxer becomes first Māori to be crowned undisputed world champ

12 Jul 03:58 AM
Puchner makes history with silver at U23 canoe slalom world titles

Puchner makes history with silver at U23 canoe slalom world titles

12 Jul 03:37 AM
One taken to Tauranga Hospital after SH29 crash

One taken to Tauranga Hospital after SH29 crash

12 Jul 02:27 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP