Far North views sought ahead of 2025 local body elections

Far North democracy advocate John Kenderdine at his stall at Kaitāia’s Saturday morning market gathering questions and views from the public for candidates at next year’s local body elections

The local body elections may be 11 months away but Kaitāia man John Kenderdine is already getting a good handle on what voters want from those standing for the Far North District Council next October.

Kenderdine last year sought questions from voters to put to candidates standing in October’s general election. Now, with local body elections due by the end of October next year, he has already spent several weeks seeking the views of voters.

Ahead of the last year’s general election, Kenderdine sought questions from the public for politicians from a desk at the Kaitāia Saturday markets and at Commerce St’s Kawhe Hub on weekdays. More than 60 questions were submitted, with many later posed at meet-the-candidate events in the Far North.

Kenderdine said with rates rising every year and council debt continuing to grow, he’d been back at the markets for several weeks garnering the views of the public ahead of the election.

He said the market table would seek feedback from the public as to what they wanted and expected from their elected representatives.

‘’I will be at the market this coming Saturday and hopefully every Saturday between now and the 2025 elections.’’

Kenderdine said the drama of the recent US elections seemed to be indicative of what was happening worldwide.

‘’Democracy is ceasing to exist or at least is in serious trouble. Most people I talk to have little faith that the people they have voted for will ever listen to them or represent their interests,’’ he said.

‘’I continually hear people complaining about this government, or that government, or this council, or that council – my questions are: where is the contact/connection between the representatives and those represented? And how can we effectively work together for the common good?

‘’I am continually told that it’s a waste of time trying to get an answer – nobody is listening, or they are continually getting fobbed off until they finally get tired of it all and give up.’’

Kenderdine said he had received plenty of feedback, questions and comments and would be sending copies of them to all councillors.

‘’I have been impressed by the interest this activity has inspired, and the passion expressed by the community. Thank you to all who have participated so far,’’ he said.

Feedback received included:

What’s the reason for the higher water and land rates; stop spraying gallons of spray all over the place, $13 million on the (Sweetwaters) aquifer, I think about now it’s obvious who you hired to get water for the district does not have a clue to what they are doing, when will we see Far North Holdings’ accounts, why are rates so high and council salaries so high?

Others included: Fix the bloody roads, cones on our road, coming up 3 years, what do our rates actually get us, why does council bring in external (from our rohe) providers when local (rate paying) providers can do the same work (to a better standard) significantly cheaper?