Bill Dalton

It was interesting to pick up the Dominion Post this morning (Monday 28/11/11) and read what the political editor was saying about John Key. She said that John Key will push ahead as far as he can while carrying the people with him.

I wonder if Lawrence Yule and Chris Tremain have taken that message on board.

In 2009 Lawrence came out with a strong call for all the local authorities to amalgamate and Chris Tremain supported him. Since then they have both softened their approach to one of “we only want a study done” but we all know what their real agenda is.

If Lawrence had used his brains and carried the people with him, we could have avoided the horrible Napier versus Hastings situation that his actions have fueled. He could have identified all those things that will have to be done in Hawkes Bay if amalgamation takes place and should be done if it doesn’t. He should have set out a clear path with a timeline attached to align contract dates and to merge all regulations and rules. In modern language, to ensure all councils are singing from the same songbook. Lawrence would have got unanimous support across Hawkes Bay for that project and his dream of amalgamation would be well under way.

Instead Lawrence has decided not to take the John Key approach. Not to carry the people with him. He has chosen to take the “I know what’s good for you” approach and that has set Hawkes Bay back 12 years. It is a bloody shame and totally unnecessary . Lawrence has undone much of the good work many of us have been doing over recent years to ensure a truly unified Hawkes Bay.

Surely Chris Tremain has got the message from Saturday’s election result. In an election where the National Party blitzed all other parties, where Napier people gave National a very strong mandate, Chis’ majority dropped by over 60%. No message could be clearer and the result will not have gone unnoticed in Wellington.

Everyone knows that the Better Hawkes Bay line of “we just want a study done” is a smokescreen for those who want to amalgamate. And the people of Chris Tremain’s electorate have told him loudly and clearly they are not going to be bullied into such action.

Lawrence and Chris would be well advised to take a leaf out of John Key’s book. They should steer a sensible path for Hawkes Bay that has the support of all the people. Only when that journey is completed should we look at what the next sensible step may be.

Over the past 40 years I’ve been involved in a large number of community activities here in the Bay. From sports clubs, service clubs, cultural groups, to business and political organisations, I have been involved in all aspects of our community. And never before have I been involved in any project or campaign where there has been so much dishonesty as there is in the Better Hawkes Bay campaign.

Those running the Better HB campaign simply have no conscience. They promote erroneous figures and when proven to be wrong, refuse to retract them or to issue an apology. They promote half-truths and untruths with reckless abandon. And now Regional Councillor Neil Kirton has joined the fray, publishing material he knows is wrong in fact.

Let me quote from Kirton’s article published in a HB Regional Council publication and subsequently in the Napier Mail.

“The Regional Council has agreed to contribute $40,000 for an independent study into the role of local government in the region. The study will include looking at the way our councils are structured with the possibility of amalgamating councils. There has been stout resistance and opposition from various councils, most notably from Mayor Barbara Arnott and her council”.

The clear message Kirton is trying to convey is that Mayor Arnott and her councillors, oppose the undertaking of an economic study as proposed by the Regional Council.

Kirton knows that is not the case. He is being intentionally misleading and mischievous.

The facts are clear and well known to Kirton.

Lawrence Yule approached the Napier City Council and asked for support for a feasibility study to be done on amalgamation. The Napier City Council refused.

The Hawkes Bay Regional council subsequently proposed that an independent study, including looking at how governance will effect our economic future, be done. Mayor Arnott immediately sent a letter of support to the Chair of the Regional Council offering the Napier City Council’s support and also funding.

These are the facts. Neil Kirton knows them and yet he choses to present a different picture.

Bloody disappointing from an elected representative.

In August 2009 the Mayor of the Hastings District, Lawrence Yule announced his plans for the future structure of Hawkes Bay. Late in 2010 he was re-elected to the position of Mayor following an anonymously funded campaign centered on his amalgamation stance.

Whoever is advising Mayor Yule is doing him no favours at all. The approach for the whole amalgamation campaign has been a corporate one. It’s very much the “I’m the boss and I might not always be right but I’m always the boss” type of approach. Any politician worth his salt knows that in a democracy, if you want to make major change you need to take the people with you. You need to convince the people that they are making a good decision.

Lawrence has failed to do that in every aspect of his amalgamation campaign.

The major fault in the Yule plan is the forced timetable which appears to fit more neatly with his personal political schedule than it does with the aspirations of the ratepayers of Hawkes Bay – Napier in particular.

If Lawrence had outlined his vision and set milestones to be achieved along the way he would have got far greater buy-in from Napier residents. He still could. But Lawrence seems to be reluctant to take some of those steps in case they in some way interfere with his stated goal of amalgamation.

Why isn’t there a plan that sets out a timeline for aligning all contract dates – for aligning all regularity functions, deciding what services it makes sense to share and setting up those shared services? All of that sort of thing.

If Lawrence got behind the work we are currently doing to make governance in Hawkes Bay more efficient, we would be making even greater headway.

Once all the milestones have been achieved we could then look at the most sensible next step. And at that stage we could ask these questions: Now that we are working so closely together does it make sense to move to full amalgamation? Or Now that we have extracted all the efficiencies that co-operation and shared services brings, are we better to leave the governance structure as it is?

So it’s not necessarily the final outcome I object to in terms of the amalgamation debate. At an appropriate time amalgamation may be the best way forward. But there is a lot of work that can and should be done first that will bring us many of the benefits of amalgamation without enormous cost and disruption.

I have to acknowledge that the Better Hawkes Bay campaign has been slick and clever. With the enormous cost involved it should be. However I still believe the campaign is disingenuous at best and at the worst, dishonest.

This campaign was promoted by those who founded/supported Lawrence Yule’s amalgamation campaign. The clever team at the core of this campaign knew they would need to represent large numbers of supporters to give them credibility so they launched the; We Want a Better Hawkes Bay. Do You? advertisements. Of course large numbers signed up. If I hadn’t been convinced that the underlying motive of the promoters was not being spelt out, I would have joined myself.

We all want a better performing Hawkes Bay!

Now of course, these fellows are starting to show their true colours. Telling elected members when the study should be done. Telling elected members what the terms of reference should be. And writing silly letters to the paper. (next time todays correspondent comes up on the letter writing roster, they would be advised, in their best interests, to by-pass him)

And todays advertisement leaves in no doubt what the intention of the core group is. They ask yet another question; Wouldn’t you want to see such a comprehensive study of Hawkes Bay’s performance, including governance, endorsed by our regions five councils?

Well the truth is that the five local councils have all agreed to that and these fellows know it. (whilst Napier has yet to formally confirm that fact because of the timing of meeting schedules, these fellows have been advised that we have agreed to the HBRC initiative). Like their headline question, they are asking a question they already know the answer to so that they look like they have achieved something when action is taken that agrees with their stand. They are clever these blokes!

The advertisement in this mornings HB Today asks if we want to raise incomes, attract visitors and new businesses. It asks if we want better delivery of programs to the elderly, those active in sport, arts and culture, builders, youth, the disadvantaged and vulnerable. They cover the field these fellows!

All good warm fuzzy stuff which everyone of us would say yes to.

What this core group is not honest enough to say is; We believe the way to achieve all these things is through amalgamation.

If they had the guts to come out and declare their hand openly, many would have more respect for them.

If you’ve been in any doubt as to what sort of people are supporting the pro-amalgamation lobby’s expensive advertising campaign, have a look at John J Harrison’s advertorial in last weeks Napier Mail.
This appallingly crass attempt at self promotion was full of misinformation, untruths and outright lies. Harrisons “rich mans rant” did neither him nor is latest cause any credit.

The campaign appears to have attracted about 400 names. There is a small core who are disciples of the Yule plan (they may well have written it), a whole bunch of people who for some reason have their noses out of joint with the councils and of course the trendy bunch who see this as yet another game.

Personally I’m saddened – and I don’t use that term lightly – I am saddened by the conduct of the core members of this group. They have not done their homework, they have no idea of the progress that has been made by all of the councils over recent years towards working co-operatively together – they have chosen to try and do it their way without any knowledge of, or respect for, the good works done by many towards a more efficient Hawkes Bay.

The actions of this group have set the idea of true unity in Hawkes Bay back by decades. Their attitude of “we are not prepared to use the democratic process but will throw our money at this to tell you what’s going to happen”, has riled many in the community. It has taken us back to the Napier versus Hastings situation – a situation we left behind us years ago.

Frankly I stood for council with the stated intention of getting all the local councils working closer together in the interests of all of Hawkes Bay. I’m beginning to think I’ve wasted four years.

I can’t let today go by without paying a tribute to my old mate Charlie Black. Chas who turned 96 last Monday, died at his home yesterday. Charlie Black was a legend amongst the engineering and motoring fraternity and was a Life Member of the Hawkes Bay Vintage Car Club. He was also a great mate of mine and we enjoyed a gin or two at his home, twice a week for many years.

Like many, I will miss him.

Let me remind you of what the Minister for Local Government said at this years Local Government conference.

“Amalgamation is risky. It’s too easy to end up with councils even more remote and more bureaucratic losing the ‘local’ in local decision making. So looking ahead I see benefits in shared services and councils working together on both projects and plans for the wider regions of which their communities are a part. I believe in that way we can enjoy the benefits of amalgamation while keeping the ‘local’ in local government and avoiding the risks of amalgamation”.

So here we have the Minister for Local Government with access to all the experts, research and resources, telling us that amalgamation is risky, that amalgamation will result in the loss of “local” in local government and that amalgamation is not the answer but shared services and co-operation is.

Yet here in Hawkes Bay we have a whole bunch of people, most of whom have not spent one minute researching the topic – not one minute studying what has happened in other areas that have amalgamated – saying that the answer to all our ills is to throw all our councils together with indecent haste.

Frankly it simply doesn’t make sense.

The pro amalgamation brigades expensive advertising campaign, which disingenuously tells us they only want a survey done, is gathering momentum. They have a couple of bully-boys on the phones drumming up support and adding your name to the list has obviously become the trendy thing to do.

What concerns me is that the thinking people, those who have taken the time to look at what’s happening overseas, particularly in Queensland, those who have taken note of the well researched views of the Minister for Local Government – the thinking people are silent. I know it’s easier for those who want radical change to drum up support but those who want sensible progress to be made towards a more prosperous Hawkes Bay also need to stand up and be counted.

So let’s hear from those who support their councils working co-operatively together – their councils sharing services and their elected representatives working collaboratively for the good of Hawkes Bay.

Shirley and I have been in New Orleans for the last two weeks, listening to some wonderful Jazz, enjoying a fascinating city and meeting some wonderful new friends. We got back to Napier this morning (Sunday as I write these notes) at 8.30am after a long journey from New Orleans to Denver, Denver to San Francisco, San Francisco to Auckland and then Auckland to Napier. We are pretty weary.

But it didn’t stop my blood starting to boil – as I sat down to read all the local papers we had missed – when I saw the appalling full page advertisement supporting amalgamation – and lets be honest here, it is amalgamation these people want, the independent study is simply a smokescreen.

Now I know and respect many of the signatories to this insulting missive – in fact I regard a number of them as personal friends. In their defense I can only assume that they weren’t given a copy to read before allowing their names to be used. Had they seen the copy I’m sure they would have asked the amalgamation team spin doctor to come up with something more intelligent. How insulting and precious is it to headline this advertisement with “We want a better performing Hawkes Bay, do you?” Who in their right mind would not want their province to perform better?

And I will continue to ask the question: Why is Hawkes Bay suddenly going to perform better because we have thrown all our local councils together with indecent haste? Not one person has been able to give me an answer. I remain convinced that the plan that Mayor Yule is the spokesperson for, may benefit some individuals but is not in the best interests of Hawkes Bay as a province at this time and it is certainly not in the best interests of the Napier ratepayers that I represent.

Somehow or other, a small group of people with their own agenda, have managed to convince a whole range of people that Hawkes Bay is performing badly. They seem to take great delight in telling the world that Hawkes Bay is not the place to do business – that Hawkes Bay is a backwater going backwards. Why they would want to do that is beyond me but their attitude and resulting publicity is undermining all the good work that many are doing to promote the Bay. And frankly Hawkes Bay is doing OK when compared with its peers. Sure it could do better but again I say: What convinces these people that amalgamation is the answer to future prosperity?

Hawkes Bay is a province that is still heavily reliant on primary production. We are outperforming similar agriculture and horticulture based provinces. The standard of living in Hawkes Bay over recent years, measured by “real GDP per capita” is miles ahead of the national figure. Our unemployment figures are less than the national figure. There is some excellent news out there but all Lawrence and his team seem to want to do is paint a black view of the Bay.

Finally I am simply amused by the spin doctors words in the advertisement: “We need to develop a regional vision and plan that is future focused, inclusive and offers people a first class quality of life supported by a sound economic base.”
Frankly that is what so many people have been working towards for a long time and we are clearly now seeing some benefits of that work. The formation of a proper regional tourism organization, the formation of a proper regional business organization and a host of other co-operative and collaborative initiatives. All this whist ensuring our ratepayers have a proper localized say in how the rates take is spent.

What saddens me is that just as the benefits of this hard work by many, start to feed through into our economy, a small group in our midst has decided to hijack the process and embark on a campaign which will be counter productive to growth in Hawkes Bay.

Would you bring your family or business to Hawkes Bay after listening to Lawrence trotting out his tired old negative nonsense?