Tuesday's vote on the Te Arawa partnership proposal saw an 8-5 majority in favour of the proposal. This should now draw the curtain on the debate and begin normal transmission once again for Rotorua. But will it?
Whatever your view on the proposal, the very public debate that followed it
was an unwanted distraction to business in Rotorua. At a time when business confidence is on the increase and our local economy is starting to chug in the right direction, while still in need of investment, the debate was like hanging a huge "closed for business" sign at our front door.
Accusations of racism, apartheid and heaven forbid Hitler's Nazi crusade are not good advertisements to investing in or doing business here in Rotorua. It is also a very big turn off for the huge number of multi-cultural tourists who visit here every day.
I have been very vocal on this aspect throughout the entire process as there are a number of organisations, the Rotorua Lakes Council included, who have done some fantastic work in attracting businesses to come and invest here in Rotorua.
Over recent months I have had a number of conversations with businesses outside of our city who have asked at some point of the conversation "what is going on in Rotorua"?
