Special thanks must also go to members of our RSA, Vernei Mullen of the Rotorua Lakes Council, the Rotorua District World War One committee, guest speakers Ngahi Bidois, Leith Comer and Shanayla Barrett, padres Tom Poata and Eamon Kennedy, Rolly Rolston, Te Kei Merito, Rick Thame, the City of Rotorua Highland Pipe Band, our cadet forces, our "backroom boys" led by Alan Bines, Te Arawa Maori Returned Services league representatives Bryce Morrison and Sam Smith, and bugler Ken Douglas.
WILLIAM McDONALD
President, Rotorua RSA
Starting the day with a long black and a crisp copy of the Rotorua Daily Post is always a great way to ease into the work day.
Which is why yesterday it seemed even better, as after seeing the cover of the Post proclaiming "117 new state homes", with a photo of Todd McClay outside a new Salvation Army transitional house, I thought to myself, "Great! Maybe after nine years of reducing the number of state homes in Rotorua and generally ignoring the homelessness issue, McClay has finally woken up!"
However I was left disappointed.
The reason? Well, the article did not mention anything about a plan for new state homes, the article was simply full of statements which in my view clearly show how clueless the National Government are when it comes to delivering for Rotorua.
Statements like "we're aiming to have" and "this is a statement of intent" mean nothing at all, and they certainly don't constitute a concise plan of action.
This announcement coming two days after TV3 reported on The Hui, that Rotorua has the second highest level of homelessness in the country also calls into question the authenticity of the announcement.
Sure the 'announcement' claimed they're "encouraging private social housing providers to help" but this will be cold comfort to those sleeping in their cars and under the eaves in the Government Gardens. These people needed a government which planned for the future, not a government which waits to encourage an ambulance to show up at the bottom of the cliff.
[ABRIDGED]
RYAN GRAY
Rotorua
Democracy lacking
It struck me as par for the course to read Te Taru White, the Chairman of the Te Tatau O Te Arawa Board's comments regarding the so-called progress with the partnership with council (Rotorua Daily Post, April 25).
His positive comments regarding the four board members' integration etc on to the council committee meetings were to be expected.
However, there remain many people who would treat his comments with scepticism. After sitting around the council table with the Te Arawa members last year it did not take long to realise that they are clearly there to represent the interests of Te Arawa, and certainly not the ratepayers of Rotorua.
The four Te Arawa members are all smart, lovely people in their own right, but quite simply do not meet the criteria of being democratically elected on to council by all of the ratepayers of Rotorua. Furthermore, I could point out that one of these four appointees of Te Arawa did actually stand for council last year, but whilst coming 26th out of 35 candidates, is still currently sitting around the council table today. How ironical is that?
This growing issue of race-based appointments to democratically elected bodies will in fact become a major issue with the forthcoming general election in September. Following the National Government's acquiescence to the Maori Party demands over the RMA Reforms, the likelihood of increased iwi participation in council's role in certain governance areas may change substantially. It is my guess that as a result of National selling the country down the river, there is one party that will benefit from such an appalling decision, and that party is NZ First.
MIKE McVICKER
Rotorua
Back to front
John Pakes (Letters, April 24) in my opinion gets the views of the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers (RDRR) back to front.
He claimed that RDRR considers it is unfair "for a residential home owner to make a commercial gain from his property." Not true. The RDRR is strongly pro-business. Many of our members have or have had successful businesses. We see business development as the lifeblood of prosperity in our community.
What is unfair is that some residents and ratepayers have been suffering for well over a year from council's unresolved problems around short-term rentals. Council has procrastinated over its obsolete and unenforced regulations for B&Bs, just like they did with Lumbercube.
The other claim is just silly fiction; that the RDRR wants to "restrict the number of beds that will be available to accommodate visitors" and will mean a downturn. The opposite is nearer the truth.
[ABRIDGED]
NEILL KENNEDY
Rotorua
Interesting rebuttal
An interesting rebuttal from Mr Macpherson to Mr Gray's criticism of RDRR's press release regarding council's annual plan (Letters, April 25).
Firstly, council retained its credit rating because it was seen to (and is) addressing debt reduction - inherited, by the way - and secondly, higher interest rates being forecast is hardly terrifying; it's relative to all sectors.
[ABRIDGED]
MIKE BYRNE
Rotorua
