Matthew Martin: Crucial for city to be the master of its own fate

Rotorua has a lot more going for it than Tauranga, so it's good news people do not want to form a regional "super-council". Photo / File

The people have spoken. Well 400 of them anyway.

Last month, the Rotorua Lakes Council commissioned a survey where 400 residents were asked their thoughts on the possible amalgamation of regional authorities and councils in the Bay of Plenty.

The result was a resounding "no". And I totally agree.

The key findings of the survey found 91 per cent of Rotorua residents want to elect their own mayor and council, with 80 per cent saying it's important to elect their own officials because they look after the needs of Rotorua people specifically.

Of those surveyed, 89 per cent said Rotorua was distinctive and different from other districts and communities in the Bay of Plenty.

Damn right we are, and there are many reasons why.

We are an inland city surrounded by lakes and inundated with geothermal activity.

We are the cultural centre of New Zealand and a tourism destination par excellence.

We have plenty of space for future development and have a sound infrastructure to support any future growth - along with an international capable airport.

Rotorua was once, a long time ago now, accepted as the capital of the Bay of Plenty. We have long since ceded that title to Tauranga - and that's no skin off my nose.

Tauranga needs all the help it can get, and we in Rotorua could not be expected to cover their costs for a myriad of issues we do not directly face here in our little bit of paradise.

Issues such as climate change and rising sea levels, and poor and badly planned infrastructure - just watch what happens when there's a couple of hours of heavy rain.

Tauranga is basically a giant retirement village, with Mt Maunganui and Papamoa tacked on to add a bit of vibrancy.

I've banged on about this before but we also have one of the best rugby stadiums and playing fields in the country, while Tauranga has a glorified stockcar track.

We also have affordable housing and very few traffic jams.

But, I'm also in favour of sharing certain services, as are 61 per cent of those surveyed, with other councils in the region. Things like waste and recycling can easily be co-ordinated with other councils and made much more efficient.

But what I'd really like to see is Rotorua looking after the things that are unique to it, specifically our geothermal resources and our lakes.

I find it confusing, and to some extent contradictory, that the Bay of Plenty Regional Council have control over those resources.

When it comes to those resources I believe we should be the master of own fate because it seems to me we are not using or protecting those resources as well as we could if we did it ourselves.

We are sitting on a largely untapped geothermal goldmine while thousands of our residents shiver during cold winters and the regional council ums and ahs about making any use of it because it says it's too expensive.

It's our city and our future, and I'm glad people want to keep it that way.