Sir Graeme Avery
Hawke's Bay now needs a move to 'think regionally, act locally' within the framework of a single unified development vision for the region.
When my wife and I first moved to the Bay in mid 1999, I recognised the undoubted potential of the region (and still do), but could not see how that could possibly be maximised by the different, and at times, factional thinking of the local authorities.
Five councils for a population of around 150,000 people just did not make sense, even taking into account the region's large land area.
Sixteen years on it still does not make sense. But now we have a valuable opportunity to make a change.
Amalgamation is all about establishing a unified vision for the greater growth of the Hawke's Bay region. I do not "buy" the current approach of growing the region through disparate thinking and plans at a local rather than regional level.
A single vision developed from a common unity of purpose to maximise social and economic potential of the region is what is desperately needed. It is shocking to see our statistics - we are sitting at or close to the bottom of just about every social and economic indicator, in stark contrast with the idea of a region blessed with so many fine natural attributes - climate, growing conditions, the sheer beauty of this place.
Hawke's Bay now needs a move to "think regionally, act locally" within the framework of a single unified development vision for the region.
The region has much unrealised potential, which it cannot unlock due to its current local authority structure.
While the structure has served the territorial constituents reasonably well in the past, the whole region is much bigger than the sum of its component parts, and the future requires different thinking and new ideas. Tinkering with the past will not be good enough to develop as a sustainable, competitive region.
Those in local government office, who have served the Bay so well in the past even with an insufficient structure, now need to pass the baton to a new unified body to best drive the region forward. A single body, representing all local territorial interests, will invigorate the region with the new and different thinking that it will attract.
The current local areas of Wairoa, Napier, Hastings and Central Hawke's Bay will not lose their identity. They will remain an integral part of new and enlarged regional development but will grow locally much better as part of an overall stronger regional structure, which undoubtedly will arise from a unified vision and new energy for Hawke's Bay.
The intrinsic strength of the cities and towns in Hawke's Bay will remain, but the people within them will better prosper through enhanced growth and prosperity of the region as a whole, facilitating improved education, health, recreational, cultural and economic vitality plus sustainable infrastructure across the whole region. An enhanced outcome for all.
I think it would be wonderful too, to see the two cities of Napier and Hastings embrace a new "twin cities" nomenclature of Napier-Hastings, joining great counterparts in other places in the world such as Minneapolis-St Paul and Dallas-Fort Worth in the US.
Not two cities, but the twin city of Napier-Hastings, also sharing a common unity of purpose and unified vision for the Hawke's Bay region. Perhaps this will be a step too far for many. But it's logical to me, as a staunch regionalist, as another step in the evolution of this special part of the world.
I implore people to set aside outdated parochial interests and support the YES vote for amalgamation - to establish a common unity of purpose and single vision, in turn maximising development for the region. Let us grow together. Let us collectively make a better Hawke's Bay.
Sir Graeme Avery is president and CEO of Sileni Estates.
Viewpoints on the Hawke's Bay amalgamation debate can be submitted for consideration and will be used as long as no council resources, money, time or expertise are used in their preparation. This is a requirement of the Local Government Act 2002.