Wanganui shows generous spirit with assistance to Samoa - 12/11/2009

Wanganui District Councillors have resolved to send 12 people to the village of Satitoa in Samoa on a mission to assist them rebuild their homes and their lives after the recent tsunami.

This is a worthy gesture and it is thanks to the Wanganui public that this team will go to Samoa with locally purchased materials and products. The $40,000 plus funds raised in our community show an extremely generous spirit. Well done, Wanganui!

I had the pleasure of meeting with Hon. Maurice Williamson this week, in relation to the ‘H’ debate. He was in Wanganui to find out first hand the attitudes and feelings of the groups who support or oppose the ‘H’ in Wanganui. His is not an enviable task and he and I both agreed we would much rather be working on getting jobs for people, improving productivity and increasing our GDP. As New Zealand slips even further behind other nations in GDP, our future as a viable economic unit sinks. We are considerably poorer than our Australian cousins in terms of GDP and living standards and somehow we have to work on this problem. The Key government has focused on the problem. Let us hope they find some solutions.

Back here in Wanganui, Council is also looking at ways to enhance productivity. A broadband infrastructure which provides cover all over our region, and a fast service, is being promulgated. Government funding alongside private partnerships will be invaluable in our quest. As I have said before, I believe communication is just as important as roads and water today, as an infrastructural core.

Community input to Council decisions is alive and well, with well over 200 people making submissions to prevent the Riverlands and Polson Park reserves being rezoned and divested. Whilst Council will continue to seek to divest itself of some of the huge number of reserves and parks that it holds, there are some that locals want to retain as passive recreation areas. Now we just have to find ways to make those passive reserves attractive and appealing to the eye. This is not just a Council job; the whole community must assist. Please help us keep our reserves attractive.