More and more people are living in big cities, and the countryside will mostly continue to depopulate. So part of this article will set the city an ambitious target for growth.
It is our hope that this will set off a discussion (not a debate) - not just about the target itself, but also about the steps along the way.
The leadership of Whanganui must look carefully at how the city can improve its economic competitiveness. What have we got that gives opportunities for growth, and what must we do to achieve those growth opportunities?
Perhaps some of this thinking is under way with the mayor appointing a group called Whanganui and Partners? However, our fear is that district councillors seem to have been seriously distracted, either by the missing "H" or the largely self-inflicted disaster of a sewage plant.
It also seems that councillors may be handicapped by an administrative staff which is either ineffectual or incapable of carrying out their decisions. A "cost-plus mentality" is a symptom of this problem.
There are obviously capable people working in the council offices but, to be brutally honest, we sense a dysfunctional relationship among councillors, senior council staff and the "movers and shakers" in Whanganui.
So with only love and concern for the city many of us were born in, we present a challenge to take this city forward.
A Visionary Target
Our vision is to set a population target of 60,000 by 2025 for Whanganui city.
Why set a target like this?
1. Firstly, it is just a target and can be subject to review as time goes on. But by setting a difficult but not impossible target, we will be incentivised to put in place the necessary steps to achieve this result. It will focus our thoughts and planning.
2. There is evidence that larger cities deliver great economic wealth to residents. If gross domestic product is the measure, the gross family income of those in larger cities like Auckland is substantially greater than average Whanganui families.
However, most of us are grateful we do not live in Auckland, and any vision for Whanganui must not repeat the mistakes of over-population and mis-allocation of resources there.
3. Assuming we adopt a target of a 60,000 population by 2025, assistance from central government is likely to be targeted to individual companies and programmes. We are fortunate to have Chester Borrows as a senior MP in the government with access to the decision-makers.
Having said that, the National Government needs to make clear its policies for provincial cities like Whanganui. We know the Government strongly supports agriculture, but there is more to be done to build provincial centres - a strong push to an independent polytech based in Whanganui comes to mind.
4. It is said that with 34 per cent of voters living in Auckland, we have little chance of winning a share of wider government resources. But there are 66 per cent of voters who do not live in greater Auckland. So, in terms of voting influence, the power is outside Auckland, were we to get ourselves together.
Whanganui has plenty of natural assets and infrastructure to cope with a population in excess of 60,000, remembering that this target is 10 years away.
5. One benefit of growing our population is that the per-capita costs of "running" the city reduce as the population grows. Potentially, this means rates reductions as we have high domestic rates compared with larger cities. Also, there are potential benefits like improved services largely because much central government funding - for hospitals, schools, roading - is allocated on factors such as size of the population.
6. There can be social benefits, too. Many young people and upwardly mobile couples find the social scene in Whanganui lacking. A dynamic social scene helps keeps them here and start families. Whanganui is a great for raising families compared with mega-cities as a real work/life balance is possible. Many of us still go home for lunch.
7. Promote Whanganui as a city for returning ex-pats to settle back in New Zealand with jobs and lifestyle promotions. At least one local employer (Pacific Helmets) has in the past seven years bought six families (five from overseas) to live and work here. In the case of two families, a key attraction was the opportunity for the children to be educated at St George's prep school.
8. Many resources we need are already here - the land, the water, the climate and the people. The technologies can be available here, and they reduce the tyrannies of distance and time as the world becomes one huge hungry market.
Steps to achieve this visionary target 1. More jobs - grow the total workforce employed here by 50 per cent.
2. The city is a centre of manufacturing excellence. It's important to retain the manufacturing companies that already create wealth.
3. Establish an investment corporation to provide finance and reinvestment to existing and new company owners. There may be an opportunity for Treaty settlement funds here.
4. Create a small business promotions unit with a budget for economic growth, especially to attract new companies here.
5. Foster Maori economic growth - Maori have the opportunity to be important economic powers. But we question the wisdom of settlement funds going into the Castlecliff port.
6. Invite the Callaghan Institute to pronounce Whanganui a "Centre of Excellence" and to direct growth businesses here.
7. Restructure use of some agricultural land around the city, and lock in the servicing opportunities like milk processing and meat/hide processing. The rich soils of the Westmere/Brunswick and Fordell flats could be greater agricultural centres for more intensive horticulture and farming.
8. A timber mill to process to semi-finished, the "avalanche" of trees to be milled in the next 20 years. Why send logs overseas?
9. The next 100 years are likely to see wars over fresh water. We have millions of litres of fresh water flowing out to sea, so let's find a way to harness this incredible natural wealth.
10. A virile Chamber of Commerce can be a focus for economic discussion and growth.
1 1. Tourists bring "outside money" and our historic buildings, the river and nearby mountains are assets we could build on.
12. Events like the Masters Games bring large numbers to Whanganui and an injection of cash. With the existing infrastructure, there is capacity to promote many more such events.
Conclusion
We don't have all the answers to achieve the target. We just desire to provoke a vibrant discussion as to the target and how to achieve it.
If Whanganui and Partners is intended to promote the city's growth, then it needs to step up and give us all a briefing on its thinking. Let's make 2015 the year when the decisions are made and action plans put into place.
Assuming Whanganui and Partners comes up with the goods, the district council must adopt, fund and support the plans without delay or reserve.
David Bennett.
david@pacifichelmets.com
Contributions from Rod Trott and Bernard Corkery
