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AUGUST 29, 2024
Well, well, well…
Our mayors strike back By Andy Campbell
Mayors Max Baxter and John Robertson have suggested Prime Minister Chris Luxon’s new “war on council waste” won’t impact on them. And they have vented their frustration at the different messages councils get from on high from different governments. Luxon’s address to the Local Government New Zealand conference last week drew groans as he called on councils to “rein in the fantasies” and spending on the nice-to-haves. The Prime Minister said the government would scrap the four wellbeing provisions in the Loal Government Act which relate to social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing.
Ōtorohanga mayor Max Baxter was unimpressed. “We will just carry on doing what we are doing. Ōtorohanga never splurged out on extravagant expenditure at any point. And we will continue to carry on the same. “A lot of what he said you could take as being accurate, but that’s not the way to deliver it,” Baxter said. And he suggested “he’s got a title but he’s not showing leadership”. Waitomo mayor John Robertson said every time a Labour led government was elected, they added the wellbeings, and the next National led government would then take them out. “Council has never received funding to expand from core
business, despite the four wellbeings getting put in,” he said. “I don’t think it will make a lot of difference to rural councils, it’s just core business and we don’t have the funding to do other things.” “Leadership is about empowering those (councils) and bringing them with you,” Baxter said. “…so if you think local government is not working suggest ways central government and local government can work together to make for a better New Zealand. “Going off at local government is not the best way to get results.” The Prime Minister’s finger was more pointed at Wellington where the council has built a $180 million ratepayer funded events centre,
Baxter believed. “He pointed the finger clearly at Tākina the event centre in Wellington.” “If you look at each of those [wellbeings] individually – Economic? Of course we have to be a player in economic. Environmental? Of course we do. It’s part of what we do as part of the Treaty of Waitangi, and what we have to do with regional councils. Social? What do you think Mayors’ Task Force For Jobs is? Cultural? Again our obligations are under the Treaty of Waitangi. “I’m sorry, it’s blowing hot air to a number of levels.” “I would be very interested if he came to Ōtorohanga what he would tell us to stop doing. I think he would really struggle.”
Max Baxter
John Robertson
The clash between local and central government continues a rift which widened under the previous government when council complained they were being asked to take on more work. Under Labour councils were given Three Waters
as an option which would have a major impact on their organisation – and the National led government has now undone the power councils were given to form Māori wards without the risk of a veto from the electorate. • See further stories Page 5.
Rugby, football take centre stage
The King Country Rams return to Te Kūiti on Saturday for a “derby” clash with the unbeaten Thames Valley Swamp Foxes – while further north Ōtorohanga hosts a football title decider. Football comes first – as Hamilton’s Northern United takes on Ōtorohanga at 3pm in a match which will determine the WaiBop League One title. Then, to cap off a day of rugby at Te Kūiti’s Rugby Park, the Rams aim to follow up last week’s win in Buller in a match starting at
5.30pm. Check out rugby scribe Norris Woodbine’s new weekly column on Page 7 today. Northern lead the WaiBop football competition by a point - so it will be win or bust for the free scoring hosts at Ōtorohanga Domain. The clash was postponed from earlier in the season because of Covid, and is now in essence
a grand final, club spokesperson Cheyne Waldron said. It is win or bust for the hosts. Bulk Lines Limited Ōtorohanga rebuilt their squad during the year, welcoming twins Jackson and Logan Allen from rivals Tokoroa while Aaron Smith stepped up to take over the vacant goalkeeping role.
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The team has some prolific scorers - brothers Waikato and Tawhiri Ball and Mason Apperley are among the leading scorers in the league and the team has netted 82 times in 17 outings – easily the best return in the competition. Saturday’s squad for the home clash at Ōtorohanga is Aaron Smith, Jackson Allen, Grayson Fortis, Mason Apperley, Michael Jones, Tawhiri Ball, Stephen Kapa, Bailey Croad, Jamie Walker, Tom Barton, Waikato Ball, Jacob O’Brien, Logan Allen and Noah Brownlie.
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