Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Editorial: Time for genuine dialogue

Reon Suddaby - Deputy Editor
Whanganui Chronicle·
20 Mar, 2012 08:37 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article

When you consider the sensitivity surrounding the proposed regional women's health service plan, it's easy to see how concerns have arisen around the timing of two public meetings planned to inform the public about the proposal.

Under the proposal, up to half of Wanganui mothers may have to travel to Palmerston North to give birth.

Wanganui District councillor Jack Bullock is critical of the timing, and has seemingly found allies in fellow councillors Clive Solomon and Ray Stevens.

The two meetings are to be held in the Central Baptist Church Hall in Wicksteed St at 5.30pm on March 26 and 2pm on March 28.

Mr Bullock takes the view that the meeting times will stop a lot of people attending because they would either be working or finishing work.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He's right.

For many workers, the days of the 5pm finish are long gone.

Another sticking point appears to be whether the two meetings together comprise "consultation".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mr Bullock claims they do not, while health board head Julie Patterson's rebuttal is that aside from the two public meetings, there have also been meetings arranged with stakeholders and other community groups to explain the proposal.

Regardless of how consultative the health board has been, history tells us that when it comes to gaining feedback on contentious issues with a widespread impact, like maternity services, public meetings are almost always the medium which gets the most buy-in.

While there's clearly a huge amount of community concern around the proposed changes, many people will simply not be able to make it to the meetings, as they are currently arranged, to have their say.

Mr Stevens has suggested more public meetings, advertising, and letterbox drops of flyers outlining the proposal and its likely effects.

As seen with the current promotions spree designed to educate the public on the upcoming change to give-way rules, letterbox flyers can be an effective way of getting the message out.

But nothing beats face-to-face communication and the chance for instant feedback - and that's why the public meeting times need to be pushed back.

Consultation is all well and good, but only if it's effective consultation.

Feedback: editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

'Considerable safety risk': Freedom camping banned on Whanganui River Road

03 Oct 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Retirees step up: Volunteers aid conservation work

03 Oct 04:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Mid-century mosaic receives 21st century restoration

03 Oct 04:00 PM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

'Considerable safety risk': Freedom camping banned on Whanganui River Road
Whanganui Chronicle

'Considerable safety risk': Freedom camping banned on Whanganui River Road

An accommodation provider says some campers are leaving trash and human waste behind.

03 Oct 05:00 PM
Retirees step up: Volunteers aid conservation work
Whanganui Chronicle

Retirees step up: Volunteers aid conservation work

03 Oct 04:00 PM
Mid-century mosaic receives 21st century restoration
Whanganui Chronicle

Mid-century mosaic receives 21st century restoration

03 Oct 04:00 PM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP