Forum North (top) and the RSA site where the Whangārei District Council plans to build its new multimillion-dollar civic centre. Photo / File
Forum North (top) and the RSA site where the Whangārei District Council plans to build its new multimillion-dollar civic centre. Photo / File
COMMENT
Over the next month NorthChamber will be asking (on your behalf), a series of questions designed to help profile each of our district council candidates and assist you in your voting decision.
Here are a few points for you to consider:
1. As an employee, do you feel that yourjob is safe in a less confident business environment?
2. As a business owner, how can district council support growth of your business?
3. As a retiree, what are you likely to invest in, now that bank interest rates provide you virtually no return on your savings? Would you value the opportunity to invest in local key projects?
4. Should GST be invested back into the region it was collected, rather than all flowing back to central government?
Steve Smith is chief executive of NorthChamber, also known as Northland Chamber of Commerce. Photo / John Stone
5. Do you agree that infrastructure such as State Highway 1 is vital to the development and commercial wellbeing of the North?
6. How important is it to the North that we are able to develop and retain our upcoming generation of business leaders and skilled workforce?
8. What types of business should be "attracted" to the district?
9. Describe your ideal council representative?
10. What do you most dislike about the current council?
We hope these simple questions can broaden the scope of your thinking and help you to make informed decisions on who exactly should be in our new council and why.
Should you feel inclined we would encourage you to mail your thoughts and questions to us via www.northchamber.co.nz
Good luck in getting those boxes ticked and helping the growth and wellbeing of the region.
NorthChamber - here to help Northland businesses
Business and especially small businesses in Northland are deserving of support across the spectrum of skill sets needed for success.
Our participation in the Regional Business Programme sees us recruit mentors and match them with businesses looking to build knowledge, capability and capacity.
In addition, we excel in assisting like-minded businesses come together and benefit from shared experiences (networking Business After 5 events) and celebrate success (Westpac Northland Business Excellence Awards).
Our involvement in the big picture, such as national/regional infrastructure (the Auckland Northland corridor and Northland CBD redevelopment project), advocacy with both district, provincial and national bodies is aimed at ease of business, something that is generally not able to be affected by the individual, but with our depth of key relationships, is something we can deliver.
In summary we are here to build stronger businesses and in doing so effect stronger communities both now and in the future.
Our advice, is simply this, you do not have to attempt the journey alone, in fact we strongly advise against this. We are here to support each and every stage of development and in doing so multiply the likelihood of your enterprise being both sustainable and fiscally worthwhile.
