Bill Dalton

It is now abundantly clear that the election year silly season is upon us.

In Hastings, Lawrence Yule has decided that 2010 is the year to very publicly call for a ban on dangerous dogs and dear old Henare O’Keefe has taken the opportunity to tell us in the press, how much he loves his wife.

In Napier, Mayor Barbara has had her picture taken with a bike stand and a statue or two and a couple of her councillors have had their picture taken with the new roadside welcome signs.

The Napier City Council Corporate Business committee made the first stupid decision I have seen made since I’ve been a councillor when it voted against the Remuneration Authority’s recommendation to increase Councillor’s wages. I’ve argued for and against things and lost, but this was plain silly. To go against the very strong recommendation of the Authority suggests election year political posturing and a lack of understanding of the Authority’s role. The Remuneration Authority said they were concerned that remuneration would become a matter of political contention at election time. And guess what – it has.

And the nutters are re-surfacing too. One emailed me with the number of times I had posted to my blog and the number of responses my postings had evoked. What this poor demented soul doesn’t realise, is that it is the number of hits that is important to me – not responses. He should realise by now that none of his vitriolic rubbish gets through the system and on to my blog. To have a blog such as mine costs money, requires something intelligent to say and needs a reasonable understanding of the English language with which to convey the message.

All of these attributes would be foreign to my correspondent.

There is no way I’m going to spend my money and energy to provide a forum for the fruit loops of our society.

So the media will not be short of material and invitations to events in 2010. It is sad but true, that often it is those who know how to play the “game” of politics that poll better, than very capable people who don’t.

All I hope is that people get involved in this election. It has always disappointed me that there is such a lack of interest in local body politics.

It is your town folks and your money we are spending so get involved. You might just find it interesting and enjoyable.

There are those amongst us who would ban gambling, drinking and I’m sure a bit of the other if they could preserve the human race without it.

The fact is controlling all so called vices, will always be “walking a fine line” for decision makers.

Making decisions, rules and laws to protect those who are vulnerable in our society in terms of alcohol and gambling, is always going to be challenging. Those who propose a total ban would deprive those who like to, say – have a day out at the races – a few bets – a couple of drinks – a good sociable day out. Of course at the races or anywhere else there is alcohol, there are always those that get sloshed and make a nuisance of themselves but is that enough reason to ban drinking?

Gambling is an even bigger issue for society. At least when someone abuses alcohol it becomes obvious to all but when someone becomes an addicted gambler, it is often not obvious to anyone until great damage is done.

Poker machines are the talking point right now. Again there are those who would say we don’t need them – get rid of them. Those people should speak to members of any sporting or cultural club and ask them where they get a large part of their funding. They should try and imagine what life in their community would be like if there were no sports clubs or pottery clubs or theatre groups.

There is great debate about what number of machines is appropriate for a certain community. In Napier there are those who are alarmed that we have significantly more machines per head of population then do other centres. These people support the Councils “sinking lid” policy and want to see the number of machines dropped to the national average.

Why should we aspire to being average?

We should be sitting down and deciding what number of poker machines is acceptable for Napier and what sites are appropriate for them to be installed in. And if that’s more or less then the national average – so be it.

If we are going to ban or restrict poker machines then we should apply the same rules to Lotto. Why not – it’s just another form of gambling. I would love to know how much funding Lotto has put into the Hawke’s Bay community.

And we are applying to the very gaming trusts whose activities we are trying to restrict, for funding for our own pet projects. Isn’t that hypocritical?

So we need to make sensible and practical decisions around gambling – and poker machines in particular – not silly superficially warm and fuzzy emotional decisions.

I would like to congratulate Bay FM for taking up the challenge of providing community comment spots for local commentators. Clearly Newstalk ZB believes that Hawke’s Bay radio listeners will be happy with a constant diet of regurgitated guff from Auckland or elsewhere but I have always believed there is a place for local content on our radio waves.

Well done Bay FM.

And a happy New Year to you all. 2010 promises to be a year of slow but steady recovery from the economic ills that have plagued the world for the last couple of years.

When you look around the world, New Zealand has weathered the economic storm better then most. There are still some enormous hurdles to jump but unemployment seems to have peaked, investment markets are certainly improving and business confidence is climbing.

There are still some very clear problems in the economy. The hangover (in more ways than one) of commercial property from the finance company sector meltdown is affecting yields and prices in that market. Partly completed developments are a real problem because banks are reluctant to lend new owners the funds to complete these projects and some may never be completed.

Whilst every area is different, the Auckland domestic property sector is interesting. Top end properties in the $2m plus bracket are simply not moving.

Mid-priced properties are selling because people in that bracket generally have substantial equity. However, lower priced properties are struggling because the banks are now demanding greater deposits and people can simply not save 20% of the value of a property.

I am guessing that Hawke’s Bay is not too different.

Another feature of 2010 is that it is local body election year and if the past is any indication of the future, most people will not be the slightest bit interested. Aspiring local body politicians will pollute the environment with their ugly signs, they’ll troop from poorly attended campaign meeting to poorly attended campaign meeting and eventually, some will be elected by the very few, who bother to vote.

For some reason, local body politics simply does not create the interest in the community that central politics does and yet, if there is one political level that citizens can have a direct influence over, it is local body politics.

Despite that, most of the people who tend to get involved in the process, apart from the aspiring politicians themselves, are single issue nutters who are not prepared to see the bigger picture.

Sad really but that is the way it is.

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.

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.

I’ve been away in Melbourne for a few days to attend a family wedding – and I have to say a good time was had by all.

The headline news in Australia is some barmaid claiming that the South Australian Premier bonked her, amongst other places, on the desk in his office – which only proves that Australia is as bereft of real news at the moment as we are.

The news upon my return late last night was that Hone Harawira is likely to retain his position as a Maori Party MP which only proves that idiots will always get their own way as long as they are big enough bullies.

On the local scene, the news appears, again, to be Marineland. And again we have Marineland’s supporters saying it must stay open and its detractors saying it must close.

Whilst everyone is entitled to their opinion, it is my view that it is still too soon to make the closure decision or in fact to decide to spend millions on the refurbishment of Marineland. Management are providing us with reports and figures next month.

To me – there are two criteria that must be met. Firstly, it must be economically viable. That doesn’t mean to say it has to pay its way directly – it means that the benefits provided to our community, must outweigh the cost to our community.

The second criteria that must be met in my opinion is that we must be proud of the facility.

When the first cries went up to close Marineland, I spent some time looking at the facility and I have to say, if it had to remain in the condition it was in, I would have voted for closure. It was a disgrace and an embarrassment to the city despite the very best efforts of the staff.

So it’s simple. Either we spend the money to bring the place up to a standard we are proud of – and that expenditure has to be justifiable economically – or we close Marineland down. To me there is no point in a compromise position.

Anyway – its back to the grind for me today which I dare say will mean it will appear a long day – who said no cold beer with lunch.

Earlier this week a popular local blog was discussing the performance of various local bodies in Hawkes Bay. In his comments on the Napier City Council the writer stated, and I quote “The only reason to go to a Napier City Council meeting is to see if anyone has died. Decisions regarding the future of Napier that are truly important are made somewhere else. I think at Mayor Barbara Arnotts kitchen table”

I expected better of the writer than that. He has set out to be intentionally mischievous and provocative. He knows exactly how the system works at the Napier City Council and would have served his readers better if he had explained the methodology that results in the good decisions that Napier makes.

It is said we operate a “double debate” system, but in many ways we triple debate issues.
 
Let me tell you how it works in practice. When a matter is brought to councillors’ attention we go and have a look at the area concerned. It might be a drain or an intersection, or the provision of sports grounds. We go either individually or collectively and inspect the issue. We then go into the main committee room with the relevant officers and thrash the matter out at a seminar. This no holds barred situation is my kind of forum – no rules, no standing orders, no limit on speaking rights, no silly bloody conflict of interest rules – simply an honest investigation of whatever the matter may be. Often broad agreement is found at the seminars and the matter then goes on to a committee agenda. The matter or issue can then be debated in a more formal forum and the recommendations of the officers are tabled in writing. At any time councillors can introduce new information or comment on presented information before a vote is taken. In practice much of that comment has been made at the seminar stage and for some, only needs to be repeated when the press is present.

If passed at the committee stage the issue goes to the full council and generally goes through without too much further comment apart from a degree of political grandstanding.

So that’s how the system works in Napier and it is one of the reasons why Napier people are far more satisfied with their elected representatives than others are with theirs.

Well before I became a Napier City Councillor, I made the call to link the Napier CBD with Ahuriri using an appropriate public vehicle.

One of the first things I did as a City Councillor was to renew that call and the Council Officers are now investigating that proposition as part of their review of Marineland and other tourism facilities.

Exactly one year ago on this radio station, I again canvassed the idea of a tourist link between the Aquarium and the old Customs House in Ahuriri.

Now Councillor Mark Herbert has embraced the idea but he wants to install a transport system that was all the vogue over 100 years ago.

Well I’ve got to tell you Herbie – I would not want to be the one who had to tell Marine Parade residents that their peace was going to be destroyed as we installed the tracks down an already narrow transport corridor – as we installed the ugly poles that will carry the untidy mess of wires overhead. I would not want to be the one who had to tell the Motelliers along Marine Parade that their ongoing peace was going to be shattered by noisy trams and that the view from their premium rooms would be blighted by the ugly infrastructure required by trams.

And what about at the other end? Hardinge Road would look great with poles and wires everywhere and if we decided to sneak down the bypass there could be major disruption to port traffic.

In my view, a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem makes no sense at all. We need to be thinking about an aesthetically pleasing, environmentally sound, energy efficient solution that gives us flexibility. For instance, it may turn out that the service is only viable for 6 months of the year. Nothing could be a sadder look for a city than all the infrastructure that trams require sitting there with no trams running.

So I support Councillor Herbert in his call for a proper link between Napier’s CBD and Ahuriri – I just don’t think that old fashioned trams are the answer.

What next Herbie – are we going to see Vinnie delivering our council papers on a Penny Farthing.

You are probably sick of the amalgamation debate already but sorry, local body amalgamation is going to be the hot topic of conversation up to the 2010 elections and probably beyond.

My great hope is that we can have this debate on an informed and intelligent level, rather than the emotional clap-trap we are currently having.

Regional Councillor Neil Kirton claims amalgamation will save ratepayers 5 to 10 million dollars (now there’s a range). When asked to back that figure up with detail there was a deafening silence. Why? Because he guessed – he made it up – he plucked the figures from the same air that pigs fly around in.

Mayor Yule says there will be savings in the short term but long term savings are unlikely.

Mayor Arnott says there will be no short term savings but long term we might see benefits.

You see – no one knows. No work has been done. No one has done a cost benefit analysis. How can we possibly discuss such a large issue without the appropriate background work being done.

Now we’ve got Murray Douglas, the head of the Chamber of Commerce and a five minute resident of Hawke’s Bay, not only telling us what should be done but when we should do it. The mind boggles at the arrogance of this fellow.

This debate is one we need to have but it needs to be conducted on an informed basis.

And it’s not all about money. If it was I would be very much in the anti team because there is no evidence internationally that such amalgamations save ratepayers a penny.

The debate should centre on whether a regional focus would be better for the future of Hawke’s Bay rather than the current fragmented focus.

And we also need to look at those things that we are currently doing on a regional basis and ask what more we could be doing right now.

So, lets get on and debate the real issues backed by facts and knowledge and we will get an appropriate outcome for Hawke’s Bay.