I'm not aware of any other town, city or region that has done so. ("Shamubeel, visit us and we promise not to eat you" - July 23, 2014). Unfortunately, as it transpired, he accepted that invitation with a film crew from TVNZ's Sunday programme in tow.
On August 29, he spoke to a gathering of local civic, business and community leaders and reports indicate that he laid "a challenge to Wanganui to tackle regional decline and create prosperity. But a new way of thinking was required".
Later media reports indicated that his message of the need for change - and combined community leadership - was heeded and accepted.
I was contacted by the producers of the Sunday programme as to my potential involvement.
I have researched, written and broadcast on the issue of provincial decline, quite apart from my local government experiences, for over 15 years.
My central argument was that of Dr Eaqub; that a number of provincial cities and towns were sliding backwards and becoming failed communities. And that central government intervention was required to arrest that decline.
Certainly, the Wanganui region does stand as a good example for the following reasons:
-Its population has declined for every Census since 1991.
-Its wider province, especially the Rangitikei and Ruapehu, had the most marked population decline of any North Island region between 2006 and 2013.
-The demographics of the Wanganui region are older, poorer and less educated than the national average.
-It is recognised by the Ministry of Health as one of most deprived areas in New Zealand along with Northland and the eastern Bay of Plenty.
-There have been significant job losses over the past 15 years including loss of government sector jobs.
-House prices have declined by around 23 per cent since 2007.
-Despite a "rock star" national economy, Wanganui's local economy is stagnant with few employment opportunities.
-There is no boys' secondary schooling option in Wanganui (unique in NZ).
-Retail business is over capacity and struggling.
-Proposed earthquake legislation threatens the old town precinct's survival.
-Tourism development is poor and visitor numbers are the second worst in NZ (after Clutha).
-Wanganui consistently ranks in the lower reaches for economy activity [BERL Report, January 2014] along with Rangitikei and Ruapehu.
Despite "quality of life" assurances, without the expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new ones, Wanganui cannot offer the same number of employment opportunities as many other regions.
An ongoing decline of population is predicted by the Department of Statistics and the Ministry of Health and has financial consequences for existing government funding.
Interview with Rachel Smalley, Sunday.
I was interviewed in Timaru a couple of Fridays ago and over a period of four hours. Obviously most of my commentary and interview did not make it into the final segment.
However, at no stage did I assert that Wanganui was a "zombie town". Neither did Dr Eaqub.
What we both said was that unless there was change, in both local and central government thinking and actions, then the threat existed.
That said, there was nothing that I was quoted upon in the programme that I had not stated publicly.
For reasons of employment, and to offer my children improved lifestyle and education options, I have relocated from Wanganui to South Canterbury.
This is a personal decision that literally thousands of Wanganui families have made in the past decade.
This is not to say that we did not like Wanganui, nor find many of its attractions to be enjoyable. It is just that better opportunities and jobs were available elsewhere.
That remains Wanganui's greatest challenge: retaining skilled persons and their families and attracting new ones.
Shooting the messengers
Much local reaction to the Sunday item has been emotive and ill-informed. The level of personal abuse does the perpetrators no credit nor advances their argument.
The programme also accurately reported a difference of opinion by Dr Eaqub and myself. He suggests that provinces and towns that are struggling be left to their fate. I am suggesting direct government intervention, including the relocation of central government bureaucracies.
The closure of government departments and agencies in Wanganui in the past 20 years has had a dramatic effect on the province's ability to recover from other economic reverses.
One thing is clear to me: Those who argue that Wanganui is fine and that no change is required are part of the problem. They always have been, and they have been in the ascendant in the reaction to the Sunday programme.
