In a media release, Democracy Northland said,
“Clearly these councillors don't understand a councillor's role is to represent the communities that elected them. The communities they were elected to represent said “No” to 10.9%. They ignored those they say they represent.”
The councillors are Ken Couper (Bream Bay Ward), Scott McKenzie (Hikurangi-Coastal), Deborah Harding (Māori Ward), Nicholas Connop and Carol Peters (Urban Ward).
“No one will understand politics until they understand that politicians are not trying to solve our problems. They are trying to solve their own problems - of which getting elected & re-elected are number 1 and number 2. Whatever is number 3 is far behind.”
– Thomas Sowell
Thomas Sowell is an American economist, writer, and social theorist who currently serves as a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is known for his old-fashioned assessments of economic theories and has authored over 30 books. He is considered one of the greatest African-American thinkers of his generation.
When National announced the motorway extension in 2011, Chris Hipkins mocked the project. He disparagingly called it a "holiday highway" and said the money should be used for projects like Auckland’s city rail link.
He expressed a different view at the official (photo opportunity) opening. There he described it as a “strategic piece of infrastructure" that will deliver "a safer, more resilient and reliable route"!
The story started: “It's been six weeks since Roger Kopoken shifted to the Northland town of Kaikohe from the Philippines to fill a job that'd been advertised for months.”
The business owners said, "[Roger] is perfectly ready to pick up the tools and get stuck in."
Why are there no local people ready to pick up the tools and get stuck in?
To read the 1News item go to https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/06/08/unable-to-find-kiwis-employers-are-hiring-from-overseas/
The council is now drawing on a contingency fund set up to cover operating losses, but most of that funding has been drawn or will be drawn within the next 12 months. In short, the WDC and the Trust will need to turn the losses around. It will be hoping for a recovery in international tourists, but questions are again being asked about its long-term viability and the potential ongoing costs to ratepayers.
Mayor Vince Cocurullo said WDC had been waiting until it moved out of Forum North, to proceed further with any future direction for Forum North.
Talks have been underway with the Forum North Trust. In 2022 the Northern Advocate reported the Trust chairman said Forum North should be a “cultural and education precinct”, that “would revolutionise Northlanders’ theatre experiences”.
Sounds like another ratepayer-subsidised trust in the making.
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
And the tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do – because David Parker, the Revenue Minister, says that’s fair.
