Maori wards now - women's wards next? Photo/Getty Images
Maori wards now - women's wards next? Photo/Getty Images
Women's wards next for council
Now that Maori have established the reasons for why they qualify for extra representation on the Western Bay District Council after the meeting on Tuesday, it now justifies that we women can have a ward too. We would possibly be the largest number of ratepayers inthe district (they don't have the statistic for us) but given that we live the longest and, especially in Katikati, many of the village are retired people, we are under-represented on council with only one woman, we are far more discriminated against in NZ than Maori, for example the pay parity issue is being argued now. So, now separate wards are not separatism anymore, the opening is now there for us women to apply for a separate ward on the council too, without being elected! I would like to lead the charge for a women's ward to apply to council, we will just have to spend four days on plying the council with brainwashing musical videos and presentations to win them over, it's that easy. Remember everyone, we will be on the streets very soon with a petition for you to sign regarding no to a Maori ward so we qualify for a poll. C Humphreys Katikati
Roading infrastructure first
I would like to voice my concerns at the priority of building 3000 new houses in the proposed Tauranga West development. It shouldn't be hard to work out that until the roading and highways have been upgraded to cope with the already congested and gridlocked intersections, 3000 new homes means possibly 4500 more cars on roads that already can't cope. Sort out the roading then build the houses. Linda Textor Tauranga
I don't give beggars money. I will buy them a meal, usually breakfast, and about once every two months I will give a bag of groceries to one of them – a box of Weet-Bix, tea, coffee, sugar, long-life milk, a few cans of baked beans or spaghetti, plastic utensils, plus a few other things. R Day Pyes Pa
