Region 'most neglected'

MESSAGE FOR PARLIAMENT: Kaikohe Association chairman Steve Sangster with Northland MP Winston Peters. PICTURE/DEBBIE BEADLE.

Northland MP and NZ First leader Winston Peters told a Kaikohe Business Association meeting last week the Government and foreign banks "don't care a rat's derriere" about what is happening up here in Northland".

Mr Peters was invited along to the Kaikohe Business Association meeting on Tuesday night to hear the ideas and aspirations the business people of Kaikohe would like him to present to Parliament on their behalf.

Mr Peters started with a brief outline on how he sees things to start with. He said Northland - and New Zealand - were in a crisis because of the foreign banks.

The wealth was being exported but the revenue was not been put back into the area, he said.

As an example of what was needed, Mr Peters cited a representative from Mainfreight saying rail was needed and road users could pay for it.

"If someone from Mainfreight can see the wisdom of this, why would the CEO from Northpoint say we don't need a rail or railway? Northland shouldn't put up with this. Northpoint will be the only place in the world that will not have a railway to it."

Mr Peters also said roading neglect in the province is massive.

"We need to decide if we are going to turn the province around or accept it," he said. "Northland is being neglected more than any other province in New Zealand."

He added tourism and educational facilities would be a huge goal to achieve in Kaikohe and would make a massive change in the town

Business association chairman Steve Sangster said Kaikohe had been working on improving the appearance of the town to encourage people to stop, shop, eat and spend.

"We have been pressing the Far North District Council for three years to change their bylaws to comply with the Freedom Camping Act 2011. At present the Motorhome Association will not designate the town or the region as a motor home-friendly region, which is a huge source of income for the region. Whangarei is the only designated region in Northland at present," Mr Sangster said.

"We have also been pressing the Far North District Council for three years to change the cycle trail to bring tourists into the town instead of a 500m strip behind the industrial area of town. We would like people to be brought into town once again to stop and shop but the FNDC is not making a sensible decision on this to encourage visitors into the CBD and increase the economic activity in the town."

Meanwhile, Mr Sangster said Kaikohe had double the national unemployment rate: "Youth are leaving the area and are lost to the region because there is no employment."

On a positive, he said Northland College has had $14 million promised to it to build the new college, which will start next year.

Top Energy plans for expansion and the promise of an industrial park with cheap energy was also very exciting, Mr Sangster said.

"But if we have an energy park, we don't have a decent transport system - I think we need an inland port to send products further afield.

"We want the railway to get the trucks off our roads."