By-election winner hits the ground running

Bill Subritzky has firm views on the power of a united front. Photo / Peter Jackson

The winner of the Whatuwhiwhi sub-division by-election won't be sworn in as a member of Te Hiku Community Board until October 6, but he already has a very clear view of how he intends to do his job.

Awanui businessman Bill Subritzky (Awanui Progressive and Ratepayers' Association) won the by-election, called after the resignation of the late Lawrie Atkinson, with 341 votes, ahead of Eddie Bellas (298) and Whetu Rutene (277).

Boyd Rupapera, who tried, unsuccessfully, to withdraw before the election received 16 votes.

The 933 votes cast equated to a turnout of 39.4 per cent.

Subritzky said on Friday that unity was a key factor for success.

"There are a lot of splinter groups, all working in isolation," he said.

"We all need to be on the same page, working together. If we can do that we will start solving some of our problems."

He knew first-hand how effective that could be. The ratepayers' association had sat down with the Far North District Council in 2007 to make a case for the association taking responsibility for Unahi wharf. It officially assumed a management role in 2013, and in July this year Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced funding of $1 million to upgrade it.

(Built in 1926, as part of Awanui's development as a transport hub, allowing large vessels to serve the town and surrounding area, the wharf currently services about 12 in-shore fishing boats, but there are plans to replace the existing structure to accommodate heavier craft and build a new pontoon and gangway at the end of the boat ramp to accommodate recreational boaties).

"You have to know what's happening, quickly, so you can respond appropriately, and base projects on facts," he said.

"It's no good saying you heard it through Fred who had it from Ted."

One of the priorities was the SH10 entrance to Awanui and the intersection with SH1. The speed vehicles approaching the intersection from the east was a longstanding issue, but the NZTA had been unresponsive in the past because of a dearth of accident statistics.

Crossing SH10 in the vicinity of Subritzky's shop and the café on the other side was not for the faint-hearted, he said, and there had been countless near misses, on a daily basis, on the intersection itself.

There would not be room to build a roundabout, but other measures, such as the planting at the entrance to Ahipara, would undoubtedly slow traffic significantly.

"Whatever the issues are, we have to take ownership of them, not just make noise and hope someone will listen," Subritzky said.

"That's what we did at Unahi. We did our research, we showed what the advantages were, and then we presented a case.

"We need ideas, not flights of fancy, and we need to keep pushing. That's the way to get what any community needs. We need a forum where everyone can work together, not fighting our own little battles. That's the motivation."

He had learned a great deal from his predecessor, Lawrie Atkinson, he added, not least the need for and value of perseverance.

"He showed us how to get there, and that this isn't a part-time job," he said.