Keen to play councillor role in meeting district’s challenges

STANDING FOR WAIPAOA: Charlie Reynolds is to run for the Waiapoa ward at the local body elections. Tairawhiti is fighting an almost daily battle to exist as a region, he says. Picture by Paul Rickard

Former Federated Farmers provincial president Charlie Reynolds has put his name forward for the Waipaoa ward in the local body elections.

He wants to play a part in helping the community meet its challenges.

“To see and act on those challenges is becoming more vital than ever.”

Mr Reynolds said roading infrastructure was key to allowing children, families, important employees and expensive agricultural products safe passage through the district.

“Accountability: What are our rates are being spent on? Is it going to benefit the area or is it a feel-good expense?

“Environmental issues: We all want the same outcome, however, the real world practicality of implementing policies is the key to it all.”

Mr Reynolds said Tairawhiti was having to fight almost a daily battle to exist as a region.

“From the utter determination of the large cities to make the entire East Coast one giant forest so they can pollute as much as they please to the lunacy of the anti-food brigade who are making out that New Zealand farmers are the world’s worst polluters . . . even though we can put lamb into Wales and milk into Ireland with a carbon footprint less than the Welsh sheep and Irish diary farmers supplying their own country.

“Why are environmentalists not protesting those farmers? Demanding that they plant Irish fields and the Welsh hills in pine trees.

“We have politicians who say mass plantations will create huge jobs and investment.

“Love it or loathe it, forestry is a major player in the area and a cash flow source for the industrial sector,” Mr Reynolds said.

“We must work together to solve and fix the issues that central government created 30 years ago.

“The recent downturn in log prices and the port debacle have really hurt many of the harvest crews out there, with weekly targets cut back and four-day weeks imposed.

“Like sheep and beef farming, day costs still apply if you’re working or not.”

Forestry regulations had to ensure trees could be cut profitably without destroying families and farmland that neighboured them, he said.

“The massive push from Wellington around ‘carbon markets’, combined with bad harvest regulations, could well mean that forests are not cut as it’s financially better to just sell credits.

“What jobs would be created for this region from carbon farming alone?

“I do not see many F150s and Ferraris driving the streets of Kawerau.”

Nominations close for Gisborne District Council and Hauora Tairawhiti at midday tomorrow. As the deadline quickly approaches, the Tawhiti-Uawa ward remains uncontested as it did in the 2016 election. This potentially means residents in that ward will not get a candidate vote, only a vote for mayor. The council encourages anyone thinking about standing to lodge their completed papers now. There will be no exceptions for late or incorrect nominations. Up to last night, eight nominations had been received for the seven elected positions on the board of Hauora Tairawhiti.