Three candidates are standing for the vacant seat in the Maketū-Te Puke ward, from left, Anthony Wihapi, Bernard Holmes, and Laura Rae.
Voting in the byelection to fill the vacant seat on the Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Maketū-Te Puke ward opens this week.
Three people have put their hands up for the seat – Bernard Holmes, Laura Rae, and Tony Wihapi.
We asked them to answer questions on pertinent issues and to let us know a little bit about themselves.
Voting is by post and closes at midday on July 18.
Bernard Holmes
What is the single most important issue facing the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 2024 and why?
Rates affordability. Whenever we enter a period of recession with higher than anticipated inflation, councils across the country are faced with difficult financial decisions in regard to maintaining the rates at current levels or increasing them to cover the monies already spent on increased external costs plus anticipated charges going forward. Meanwhile, incomes are being squeezed and people are being laid off as industries adjust to the new reality. As a council, we must minimise increases in rates during these periods to ease cost pressures on all ratepayers.
There is often traffic congestion on the approaches to Te Puke. Do you have any ideas as to how this could be relieved?
The approaches to the TEL expressway are equipped with electronic signposts. At the Paengaroa end a message stating the travel times for the direct route to Te Puke against the time taken to travel the motorway and back along State Highway 2 to Te Puke, would allow drivers to make a decision prior to joining the end of the tailback at Rangiuru. There are various other solutions but none that are compatible with keeping rates in check. When the Rangiuru Business Park and Pāpāmoa motorway interchanges are complete and operating, a full evaluation of the options may be undertaken.
What is the single most important piece of infrastructure needed in the eastern part of the Western Bay District and why?
The Te Puke wastewater treatment facility upgrade. Already budgeted for at $73 million this will allow Te Puke to expand when better financial conditions prevail. This will give a wider ratepayer base and developer contributions which will help pay for the expanded facility. Further to expanding the treatment plant, consideration should be given to a complete review of the sewerage system to pinpoint areas requiring upgrade. This will allow an apportionment of costs to developers based on hard data. Councils are the last point of call, if it goes wrong, they have to pick up the pieces, let’s minimise this risk.
What other facilities are needed in the eastern part of the district and how could they be paid for?
Beyond a shortfall in funding for the completion of the Pukehina Surf Club – a facility I support – the only other concerns that have been mentioned are:
Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you are standing in this byelection.
I, Bernard Holmes, am standing as a candidate in the Te Puke-Maketū Ward for the seat left vacant by the untimely death of Richard Crawford.
I’m a retired civil engineer with a broad experience in water supply, sewerage, building, roads, stormwater and drainage projects. This [is] knowledge and experience that I hope I can use to the benefit of the community.
Infrastructure deficit across the country is a problem that will increasingly be pushed on to local authorities to resolve. A balance between service delivery and funding will be required to ensure that rates are affordable and future generations are not overburdened.
Laura Rae
What is the single most important issue facing the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 2024 and why?
The unsustainable rates increase imposed on many who are struggling to survive in the current times, one that indefinitely will only continue to increase. It may be time to put a hold on all nice-to-have things and focus only on what we need to have and upgrades to critical infrastructure to avoid paying more in the future. It’s time to head back to basics and focus on making right what we already have before promising anything new.
There is often traffic congestion on the approaches to Te Puke. Do you have any ideas as to how this could be relieved ?
Most of Te Puke’s traffic issues are seasonal, there are multiple options that could alleviate traffic, particularly from the eastern end coming in. No 1, Te Matai and Rangiuru roads clearly are the issue with the number of cars that funnel out at the shift change times uncontrolled. I can think of three things which obviously would need to be agreed upon first and tested by traffic experts. Finding a way to bypass all three of those roads to exit out in a different area altogether or put timed traffic lights at the intersections of these roads that could be used only during peak season. Or finally encourage or require packhouses to think more around accommodating for the workers they require. With backpacker-style living nearby bringing less traffic onto the roads. Lastly, traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossings could help that can be turn on again during peak hours only.
What is the single most important piece of infrastructure needed in the eastern part of the western bay district and why?
I’d like to change the question slightly here and say the most important thing that we need is for the community to rebuild their trust with the council and restore the relationship that has been damaged over many years. It’s time to re-engage and believe that your voice matters and give constant feedback when required. My overview from being involved for the last four years is we hear from the same people time and time again; hence we don’t see a lot of change or the things that we want because the ones who did bother submitted loud and clear in the opposite direction. Improvements to roading, stormwater management, wastewater management, and housing to reflect growth are other examples of things we need to place high end focus on. So, it’s not really about paying more to get more, it’s about using what we currently pay and tailoring it to actually benefit us especially when we wish to have so much control of things.
What other facilities are needed in the eastern part of the district and how could they be funded?
One of the most critical things we need to do is take what we already do and do it to the best of our ability. How can we keep promising anything new and improved when the very basics that we manage are not maintained very well at all? One step in that direction would be to bring in our own to do our own. People who have a great sense of pride in the community they live in and go above and beyond the details of a contract because they care about what they do and where they do it, because it’s in their backyard. There is indeed money to be saved or used in a better manner and would not necessarily need to increase from what is already rated for.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you are standing in this byelection?
I genuinely care about both people and place. I bring many skills forward such as an overview of council’s current processes as well as existing relationships with key staff members. I have an excellent memory and a real passion to communicate in somewhat of a simpler, easier-to-understand way, their process to our wider community via many different avenues, in order for you to participate so together we can achieve the best possible outcomes for all. I also stand for balance of gender, and age. We need a wider range of voices if we want any change. So, I decided to be that change.
Anthony Wihapi
What is the single most important issue facing the Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 2024 and why?
The true worth of any civilised society can be measured according to how it deals with its most weak, vulnerable and susceptible. I believe that most councillors are totally ignorant of the levels of poverty and homelessness within our district. Therefore I believe the single most important issue is the imbalance of decision-making power in favour of the other wards over Maketū-Te Puke due to its almost stand-alone existence. It is a minority in the council and the Tauranga-related wards seem to have a domination and influence which well exceeds their importance. This situation must addressed.
There is often traffic congestion on the approaches to Te Puke. Do you have any ideas as to how this could be relieved?
We have inherited a traffic management system. I would seek to reintroduce two lanes in Te Puke township and one traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossing with parallel parking. The roundabouts are excellent. These pedestrian crossings were introduced to slow the traffic. It has achieved this objective very well but has caused a 7km backlog in the evenings from 4.30pm to 6pm. Unfortunately, the $400 million Eastern Arterial route has had no real impact on Te Puke’s traffic congestion. The congestion is merely an indication of growth of the horticultural and kiwifruit Industries which should now be levied to meet these additional costs.
What is the single most important piece of infrastructure needed in the eastern part of Western Bay District and why?
Without doubt, it is the Te Puke township Waiāri effluent disposal sewerage scheme. Its direct discharge of treated effluent directly into the Waiāri Stream and thereby into the Kaituna River is totally offensive to tangata whenua. Alternative land-based sewage disposal systems must be developed as a priority in keeping with modern environmental standards and to meet Treaty of Waitangi obligations. Te Puke is already receiving effluent from neighbouring Tauranga, which seems ironic when its own systems are totally undeveloped. Te Puke is also distributing its own water resources to Tauranga, again from the Waiāri Stream which is also seen as totally offensive to tangata whenua – Te Arawa.
What other facilities are needed in the eastern part of the district and how could they be paid for?
I believe that we are quite well-serviced with sports and recreational reserves in the Maketū-Te Puke ward. I believe that we need to support these reserves much more and to support the sports clubs associated with these important and critical social facilities bearing in mind the important social function that they perform. I believe the community halls in Maketū-Te Puke ward have been well looked after. I would like to see improved support for our marae in Maketū-Te Puke ward to improve basic facilities equivalent to the support provided to our community halls.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and why you are standing in this byelection?
Initially I didn’t know why I chose to stand. I felt a responsibility to do so. My respect and regard for Richard Crawford and to continue his legacy were important factors. The coalition Government’s decision to repeal Māori constituencies and wards was another factor. However, the most important reason was to try to ensure Māori representation around the Western Bay District Council table. Standing in a general ward means that I must firstly represent the whole of the Maketū-Te Puke ward constituency and then the interests of Te Arawa ki tai hapū and iwi as well as the interests of Māori from the rest of the Western Bay District. An awesome responsibility.
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