Bill Dalton

This is my last radio piece for the foreseeable future and I am keen to look forward to 2010.
There are clear signs that international economies, including that of New Zealand, are improving. That doesn’t mean to say there won’t be any bumps on the way, it simply means that at this stage at least, we are heading in the right direction.

And the way we can all help, is to put our shoulders to the wheel and work hard. To increase production. To build the economy.

Labour who were in power for 9 of the most prosperous years the world has seen for decades, failed to grow the tax base, and allowed the growth of a whole industry of benefit and welfare abuse.

But our current government can only blame their predecessors for so long. They need to address these matters and do so urgently.

The article in yesterday’s Dominion which suggested that a so called sickness beneficiary – supposedly addicted to marijuana – had received by way of special needs grants from Work and Income, a new set of tyres for his luxury car, and new fencing for his swimming pool, is nothing short of scandalous. The National lead government must put a stop to these bludgers so that we, as a caring society, can look after those who are truly needy.

People who receive benefits or welfare and don’t really need it are not only stealing from you and me the humble taxpayer, but from the genuinely needy as well.

It must stop.

On the local scene it’s great to see that Hastings has settled on a logo that most will be happy with. Mind you, it wouldn’t be hard to beat Hastings the Salt of the Earth! Hastings the Heart of Hawke’s Bay reflects the geographic position of Hastings, the fact that Hastings is part of Hawke’s Bay and also gives recognition to the organ that Hastings District Councillors use to make financial decisions – if their expanding mountain of debt is anything to go by.

So as I sign off for the last time, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2010.

This is Bill Dalton from Napier – The Head of, or should I say, the Brain of Hawke’s Bay.

I suppose it is inevitable that at this time of the year we tend to look back and assess how the year has treated us.

From an investment perspective, it has certainly been a better year than 2008 but then again almost every year has been better than 2008.

One very pleasing aspect has been, not just the number of new clients we have met this year but the number of clients who had previously dealt with us and had drifted off for whatever reason, that have returned to the fold. It is never pleasant to lose a client but really pleasing when they have the guts to come back to where they belong.

On the negative side, I am sad about the Radio Networks decision to disestablish Ross Holden’s job and also the fact that, that decision brings to an end the community comments that Ross has always organised. I am sure there will be those who will be delighted not to have my voice disturbing their coffee break, but I will miss the opportunity to have my say. In fact I’ve been contributing to this station since Dave Pipe’s day so I will miss it.

Some of you will know that I post my radio notes to my blog and I intend continuing to update that with a weekly comment so if you are interested, my blog address is www.dalton.net.nz.

From the perspective of a Napier City Councillor, it has been a satisfying year. There have been some significant issues to grapple with and make decisions on but the good news is we have a very good council. We certainly have some strong differences of opinion but unlike some previous councils, we all acknowledge each others right to have an opinion. And we are not, as some would suggest, mere puppets of the Iron Lady.

I really would like to thank my fellow councillors for their support in 2009. In 2008 I was very much the new boy and it really does take a while to feel you are able to contribute. In 2009 I feel I have done that.

So it’s been a good year and its only going to get better in 2010.

One of the thoroughly enjoyable aspects of being a City Councillor is that you get to go to a lot of “feel good” functions.

Recently Napier City recognised a small group of people who had made amazing contributions to their community. How some of these people have managed to find the time to serve in such a way just amazes me.

A couple of nights ago the Civil Defence Minister, John Carter, presented awards to some of our long serving civil defence personnel. Again it amazes me that so many people can find the time to serve an organisation such as civil defence on a purely voluntary basis. It really does restore your faith in your fellow man.

And we need to celebrate these people. And we need to learn to say thank you to them – to tell them that these efforts are appreciated.

On Sunday a large group of well known Napier performers put on a concert in the Municipal Theatre in aid of the Christmas Cheer appeal. It was a good little show and hopefully from these modest beginnings, it will grow into an annual charity concert that will be on everyone’s calendar. But again everyone gave their time freely, even those who would normally charge for their professional performances.

And then there are people like Ross Holden here at the Radio Network. Ross has always been incredibly community minded and has given many hours to charitable events. In the interests of community radio, Ross has put in hour after hour over and above his normal work hours to ensure local events were advertised and reported, especially in the sporting field.

At a time when everything is being centred in the main centres, when our local community paper has been sold to a major, Ross Holden has been a great voice for his community. Well done Ross.

I can tell you it makes me feel good to live in such a caring community and to know that, especially at this time of the year, those less fortunate are not forgotten. So well done Napier folk – keep up the good work.

In the last couple of days I have read a couple of very interesting reports.

The first was a glowing endorsement of everything the Port of Napier has done and is doing. In fact the article concluded by suggesting that the Port of Napier, is a “model that works.”

The second very interesting piece I read was the very thorough report, prepared by Westshore resident Larry Dallimore, on Westshore Beach erosion.

Napier is very fortunate to have a resident like Larry Dallimore who has the time, the energy and the knowledge to prepare such a detailed report. I congratulate him.

I started by skimming it and got so interested I went back and studied the full report in detail. It is a very good piece of research and I have to say, the timeline that the report produces, provides compelling evidence that the erosion problem that the City of Napier now faces at Westshore is, in part at least, the result of works done at the Port of Napier.

I have always felt this was the case and Larry Dallimore’s report confirms my view.

The major conclusion of Larry’s report is that the Westshore beach, as some of us old codgers remember it, is gone forever. No amount of playing around with groynes, artificial reefs or breakwaters, is going to get us a sandy beach back. What is needed is a sea wall to protect our coastline.

Now I’m no engineer but its obvious to me that by deflecting the force of waves, you are simply transferring the erosion problem from one part of the beach to another. And it seems amazing to me that we as Councillors are not listening to Larry Dallimore, who is a long term resident and observer of Westshore and a man who has a long history in the heavy civil engineering contracting business - yet we place total faith in a bunch of engineers, sitting in an office somewhere, studying simulations on a computer.

Perhaps we as a council need to have yet another look at this problem and perhaps the Port of Napier needs to be putting some funds aside towards remedial work at Westshore.