Northlanders among the spectators at a recent Mitre 10 Cup Rugby match at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei. Why are we so complacent about other important matters, asks Steve Smith. Photo / John Stone
Northlanders among the spectators at a recent Mitre 10 Cup Rugby match at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei. Why are we so complacent about other important matters, asks Steve Smith. Photo / John Stone
COMMENT
Northland and its people; from the jewel of New Zealand comes some of the very best souls on the face of this Earth. Stoic in nature, competitive in all of life's various challenges, generous of spirit. It's no surprise that so many people from all over the globe, would liketo call this place their home.
And yet we can be so complacent when it comes to thinking through the essential make-up of what comprises good governance and leadership in local and regional bodies.
What is it we need in our representatives that can build on what we already have? What sort of expectation do we have from them in turning potential (something we as a region have always had) into reality!
Vitality is the key ingredient in any successful community. It is life, passion, dynamism, and drive. Without it there can be no sustainable growth in any segment of our region.
Initiatives such as the redevelopment of the region's heart, the Whangārei CBD, the attraction of new businesses, further development of key infrastructure and most importantly the development of our existing industry and commerce requires huge amounts of energy and some very special skill sets.
Steve Smith, chief executive of NorthChamber. Photo / File
Are they present in the bodies we trust to advance our interests?
How can we get at least the majority of our community's needs delivered in a reasonable time frame?
There are a number of factors, but by far the most important is growth on every level. Growth, however, is not just a measure of more, it's a measure of better!
So, are we going to get growth? To some extent that's inevitable, but is it going to be the growth we really want? Will it add to the wellbeing of the community as a whole? Will the actions we commit to add to community wealth, more opportunity to enjoy our forests, beaches and recreation areas?
Will we be able to build new facilities such as events centres, theatres, tertiary educational centres, techparks, airports and hotels/resorts?
All of these types of projects bring more to our community - jobs and other opportunities, quality entertainment, higher-level education here at home where we can retain and develop our real future, our youth, or are we going to toss a coin and hope for the best?
When you vote next month, think hard about the community you want your kids to thrive in. We all want them to advance beyond what we have achieved, but they still need our help in building an environment that can give them wings to fly.
The Sun will rise again tomorrow regardless of what you do or not do, but wouldn't it be great to have the vitality of our community rise with it.
