Letters: Vote for candidates who promise to address poverty

Dr Suzanne Gower (left) and Jean-Paul Gaston address a Strategy, Policy, and Finance committee meeting at the Rotorua Lakes Council. Photo / File

A report presented by Rotorua Lakes Council's social development advisor, Dr Suzanne Gower (News, May 17), outlining Rotorua's "wicked' deprivation issues, makes for shocking reading.

Census data from 2013 reveals that almost one half of Rotorua's population live in circumstances mirroring New Zealand's most deprived areas.

Indications are that six years on, the situation has changed little, if at all. In the year to March 2018, Rotorua police responded to 4238 family harm call-outs, involving 4200 children.

Fortunately, Local Government law changes will now coerce the council to prioritise these issues which it formerly stated were the responsibility of central Government.

In this year's local body elections, my vote will be cast for candidates who promise to genuinely address and strive to change these shocking statistics. (Abridged)

Jackie Evans
Rotorua

What a nightmare

In response to Alfred Hoyle's (Letters, May 17) "Rotorua's strategic planning is appalling".

Surely we won't end up like Tauranga.

What a nightmare.

The huge problems facing our country will never be solved unless the Government cuts back on immigration. (Abridged)

Yvonne Kilmore
Pukehangi

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