Letters: Information overload in letter

Rotorua Lakes Council building. Photo/File

Reynold Macpherson writes (Letters, May 12) that Rotorua Lakes Council's LTP, or Long Term Plan, "ignores block chain technology, artificial intelligence, and the integration of material, social, digital and organic systems".

Phew! Most of us are concerned about more ordinary things like will the Bath House be repaired.

But to borrow some jargon, what we are seeing is a continuation of his IO in order to promote his chances of becoming mayor. By the way, an IO is an Information Offensive. It sounds like something out of a spy manual.

Macpherson also is continuing his IO in his Facebook page, where he is using that branch of social media on a daily basis, issuing, in my view, misinformation that he hopes will ridicule and embarrass the council.

Recent examples are his comments that the council was about to desecrate the Tree Trust for a mountain bike track and his statement that people will not only lose their investments, but also their lives if the Special Housing Area 1 goes ahead.

Social media can and should be a good thing. But in the hands of some, it can become a very dangerous and misleading tool. Just think of Brexit and Trump. We should all treat the efforts of Macpherson with caution. (Abridged)

John Pakes
Ngongotaha

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I commend Rotorua Lakes Council's call to create an independent panel to review the cause of flooding that overwhelmed the city.

The focus is on flood mitigation and prevention measures.

The panel will need professional skills in terms of infrastructure, engineering solutions, planning, stormwater and matauranga Maori (Maori knowledge).

Might I make two suggestions before the council throws "money down the drain" squandering unnecessarily on its LTP luxury projects?

Firstly, a local, independent drainlayer be appointed to the panel, as they have intimate working knowledge of various flood-prone areas, soil types, existing sizes of stormwater pipes, which areas need stormwater pipes and the roads with inadequate number of culverts.

Secondly, replace deciduous trees on the berm with evergreen trees, to minimise
blockage of stormwater pipes with leaves and review the removal of large overgrown trees, the root systems of which can cause breakage of stormwater pipes.

The council says the community will also be consulted during the review, however listening is the unsung hero of communication, as past staff and ratepayers' requests have historically been largely ignored.

"Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening, when you've preferred to talk".

Let's hope the council's "brainstorm" results in walking the walk, rather than just talking the talk, by actually providing the community with its long-awaited and desperately needed stormwater drainage infrastructure. (Abridged)

Tracey McLeod
Rotorua