If Māori had customary title it’s actually for all of our benefit, as Māori also believe in sustainable management. This could stop the overseas carpetbaggers from stealing our resources without a care for our environment.
Some of those who could get fast-track approvals for sea bed mining or oil drilling have been denied consent all the way through the courts. Those decisions could be overturned by the stroke of a pen and by just one of three ministers.
Our current Government seems to kowtow to those I call the #pillagepeople, and the fast-track bill indicates our Government is happy to go against our interests.
The Hobson’s Pledge ads are there to create racism, fear and uncertainty in people which is not warranted. It worked to persuade many with 3 waters, so now we have huge rates rises we didn’t need to have as our Government has thrown the water issues back to councils. Councils couldn’t afford it in the first place and still can’t, so it comes back on rates bills.
We need to think carefully before we are too easily persuaded by those who can afford to throw money at full-page ads. I’m pretty sure they don’t do this for the good of the community.
Mary-Ann de Kort
Stop with the aspirations
Here we are in what is only the beginning of a global depression and our elephant-sized council is trumpeting rule changes to upgrade the falling knife of CBD commercial properties.
Please stop trumpeting your ridiculous aspirations, Mayor Stoltz. You cannot legislate to halt the economic downturn in CBDs that is worldwide. You simply cannot legislate to force landlords to make improvements which don’t stack up.
Show me a tenant who would be prepared to pay the amount of rent required to cover the costs of the owners if these types of buildings were restored to their former glory, at today’s prices and in the current economic environment.
There is a clear expectation from those in the Beehive that local councils start making some tough spending decisions to ease the pressure on ratepayers, yet here they are trumpeting their aspirations once again. Simply continuing to borrow and putting the financial burden on residents is unsustainable and unfair.
We don’t need an “aspirational” Mayor. We need a realistic Mayor.
Peter Jones
Opportunity for seniors to take action
Re: Government criticised for climate action, August 6 story.
This survey finding was also verified by the multi-thousand-strong March for Nature demonstrations against the Fast-track Approvals Bill on June 8.
Our present Government is not taking climate change seriously enough. This survey has more than two-thirds of Kiwis expecting to be affected by climate hazards, and 80% against development in high-risk areas.
I read here the other day that the council is buying Category 3 homes deemed uninhabitable due to anticipated future flooding and landslide events.
Terrence Loomis in his recent “Long-term planning needed for climate change” column told us he and others have established a group called the Seniors Climate Change Network (Scan), and with Tairāwhiti Community Voice is developing a seniors-led climate adaptation initiative to provide assistance and support services for the elderly and other vulnerable populations. A meeting will be held at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church hall on August 12 from 12.30pm.
It is pleasing that such preparation and preparedness is under way here in our district.
I add here Terry’s reference to the May 29, 2024 Gisborne Herald article with Niwa’s Dr Andrew Tait: “So far in Tairāwhiti we’re not doing nearly enough to reduce emissions and prepare for a worst-case scenario.”
All who believe in human-induced climate change know it is true. This goes for all governments, businesses and individuals worldwide, but it isn’t what the majority of humans wish to know.
I have been repeating this for decades. We are never satisfied with what we have. Easing up on the planet is not on our agenda. Sufficient is never enough.
As Terry says, here is an opportunity for the senior community to show what can be done at the grassroots level to prepare for and adapt to accelerating climate change.
I will attend the meeting on Monday to learn more about this initiative and discover how I can be involved.
I gratefully thank Terry Loomis, Tairāwhiti Community Voice and all involved in organising this wonderful opportunity.
Bob Hughes
Grey St changes bonkers
Re: Public spaces are there for us all to enjoy, August 9 letter.
Clearly some live in a parallel universe. Kids and families were enjoying the skate park and pump track long before Grey St was ruined.
I have cycled there several times since “the change” and none were as relaxing nor safe as the original.
As a cyclist, one now has to regularly navigate wayward pedestrians, illegally parked cars, trees in the live lane, concrete humps, and vehicular traffic which, previously a safe distance away, is now omnipresent.
Travelling into town using the pointlessly short cycle lane requires one to cross traffic twice, with the exit demanding the fending off of busy traffic at the Childers Rd circle, in order to manoeuvre back to the LHS of the road. It’s completely bonkers!
Like so many decisions made by elected and non-elected officials in recent times, what little can be claimed as positive is overwhelmingly swamped by non-positive attributes, and progress continues to move backward.
It’s only a matter of time before there is a serious incident - if there hasn’t been one already!
Iain Boyle
