Together we are stronger, Tairāwhiti

Mayor Rehette Stoltz

Opinion

I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your whānau a blessed, peaceful (and sunny!) Christmas. I do hope that you will have some time off to rest and recharge your battery for 2024.

No one can deny that 2023 has been one of our toughest years ever. A lot of people are hurting and relationships have been tested, but I am confident that as a region, we have the knowledge, passion and vision to build back a brighter future for us all.

As a region, we have our work cut out for us and we should prepare for five to 10 years of intense recovery ahead as we address complex issues affecting our infrastructure, our environment and ultimately the lives of every single person calling Tairāwhiti home.

Looking towards 2024 and our shared future — I am optimistic that we are on the right track to walk alongside our community as we collectively embrace this recovery journey. We have a new Government and new relationships to build.

In order for us to succeed, we need to speak with one Tairāwhiti voice. We need a new way of thinking and working together, and just tinkering around the edges won’t cut it.

Council have proactively worked alongside our business and iwi partners to sign the Kotahitanga agreement in July to make sure we are all on the same recovery page and work towards the same goals, whilst respecting that each organisation will have their own responsibilities and accountabilities.

A lot of work has already happened behind the scenes this year and we will be meeting with our iwi partners and others in late January to be ready to present our region to the new Government.

I see opportunities in new relationships and we need great partners locally and nationally to propel us forward.

I am extremely proud of our Civil Defence team and the hapū leads across the region who have guided us through a horrendous year weather-wise. They are a well-oiled machine and are hailed nationwide as a Civil Defence gold standard for their service to our community.

I want to acknowledge every Council worker as well as our contractors who have worked through tough conditions to try to fix our fragile roads and bridges in the continuous wet weather, getting our communities connected again.

I also want to thank our partners, our businesses, our community groups and every member of our community for their patience, support and for supporting each other during this testing year. I am so very proud to be part of this generous community.

Even if we disagree sometimes, I am sure you will support my broad vision for our place. I want us to build a region where we are all connected. Where your access to health care, your business, your national market and your family is secure. Where our children can swim in our rivers and enjoy the ocean. Where you can make a decent living, live in a warm home and where we create sustainable jobs for our kids to come back home to.

Together we are stronger. Let’s unite around everything that we agree on and build our place back. Let’s respectfully discuss where we struggle to see each other’s point of view, and show our children that we value their future and that we are prepared to put our differences aside to make decisions for our region that would make them proud.

Together we can build a Tairāwhiti which would make our children and moko proud.

I pray that 2024 will be kind to us and our region.