Candidate Answers - Election 2022

Ngā mihi nui ki tou kaupapa mo Seachange.

Thank you for getting inviting me to participate. I am unsure as to how to respond, as each of the issues you raise is very important and to prioritise one over the other is too hard. My leadership as mayor will be about creating the right environment for whakawhitiwhiti kōrero to occur so that communities feel heard and help create solutions for change. Te Taiao is struggling under the weight of human colonisation and councils and communities need to come up with solutions and be prepared to find ways to fund the necessary changes as we move forward into a more sustainable future together.

Arohamai but my whakaaro / thoughts on this don't fit your boxes, but then again, I'm not really a fit the box kind of candidate.

You have asked the candidates to rank in importance the following key measures. I have ranked them and responded as requested.

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies

   The development of modern government began with the Great Reform Act of 1832 and was officially recognized in New Zealand from 1845 when residents of settler communities set up their own public works boards and charged rates to pay for roads, bridges and sewers. This is still the core business of Council. To provide infrastructure for the betterment of the whole community over multiple land holdings that exceed the ability of the individual to consent, deliver and operationalize. If we don’t get the basics right we wont have communities as we currently know them in the future. For decades this has rightly been the core focus of Councils and must remain their core focus into the future for the health of people and the environment.

2. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards

   Our community boards are the grass roots local democracy that is the key to making placed based decisions in a timely and meaningful way. Our boards are incredibly powerful. More powerful than many appreciate. They have full decision making for social and community infrastructure from footpaths to parks and reserves, street lighting and playgrounds and everything in between. Council is responsible for the really big stuff such as water, roads and sewer alongside policy and bylaws. Our boards also have full discretion over all ratepayer grants and discretionary funding. Our boards don’t necessarily need more power what they need is the ability and confidence to take what they already have and turn it into great outcomes. If you ask them they will often say we want more but when you ask them what exactly the answer is elusive. The Local Government Act requires some decision have to be made by Council such as setting of the rates, by-laws adopting the LTP etc. Sometimes our Boards don’t always function as well as they could so recent steps to enable them more success have included the appointment of an officer directly answerable to the CEO whose job is it is to facilitate the decision making framework, making connections and ensuring the boards have the tools for success. A mechanism to automatically capture capital projects not currently funded into the LTP for future years is also under development. Local community plans including the boards own plans in whatever form they take, also will be captured by this framework. Its only just landed so the proof of its success will be measurable in a year from now.

3. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members

   Never been an issue for me. The Council exists to enable community outcomes within legislation and within affordability and context sometimes but our role is that of an enabler. I would caution however that with 74,000 people there can be 74,000 different opinions of which consensus is never one of them. So ultimately someone often has to make the call. Often if that call is one a voter approves of then the Councillors of the day are doing a good job. If it’s a call the individual or group don’t agree with the Councillors are all horribly incompetent. Such is the circle of life in Local Government. Consultation doesn’t always mean getting your way, but it does mean you have an opportunity to have your say – important distinction. If the framework is working well the skills and expertise of local residents and community members is teased out and developed in a meaningful way. That will always be dependent to a degree on ensuring a balance of community voices is participating (not just a one point of view approach) and a willingness to work together.

4. Developing genuine partnership with Maori

   Easy said, easy legislated but incredibly hard to do in reality. 9 Iwi, over 250 Hapu is a challenging number to have any truly meaningful engagement with. We simply do not have the resources and capacity to engage at that level across the district in a way that will really resonate and satisfy anyone. I don’t have the answer to this, I’m not sure anyone does. Iwi and Hapu should not have to be the ones that lead this. They are not resourced to do so. Equally there is finite capacity for the ratepayer to resource and lead this. This leads to general dissatisfaction all around. There are so many issues on the table at any one time it really requires a fully functioning, resourced and paid professional organization to be able to reach out and make those meaningful relationships in the community. I see this as aside from but integrated into Council.

5. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities

   Tricky one. Sustainable practices should be BAU globally but sadly isn’t. Using the terminology of permissible activities suggests that SEA CHANGE want this as part of the district plan. The role of a Councillor in my view is to ensure the District Plan is a fully engaged consultative community led document. It is not for an individual councillor to stamp their agenda on it. I very much see my role as facilitating the conversation to ensure the plan is inclusive. To that end activity status is something that needs to be led by the community with informed debate and subject to the rigours of a Section 34 analysis with the opportunity for public submission and appeal rights if necessary.

6. Ensuring that all sewage treatment is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas

   Human waste residue should never enter our rivers or seas. But that doesn’t necessarily mean land based discharge is the only option. With respect that is an incredibly expensive ask that is ideologically driven. There are so many different technologies out there now that can achieve amazing results on a small footprint that wont bankrupt the end user. What we need is bespoke solutions for each community that may or may not be land based discharge. We need to approach this with our eyes wide open to options and opportunities not blinkered to a one world view approach.

7. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality

   The Rating Act is a blunt instrument. It provides for the revenue a Council needs to be raised by land value based rating, capital value based rating, annualized rating (which is the rentable or leasable value of your asset – not an option outside of a metro) and targeted rates. That’s it. Councils are creatures of legislation and although multiple reviews have been undertaken by the Crown in relation to fixing the Rating Act, to date no meaningful action has been taken. Where inequalities might sit Council can introduce a remissions policy – but we need to bear in mind that is subject to the full public consultative exercise and simply moves the debt from one ratepayer to another. It doesn’t make it go away. Any Councillor Candidate who says vote for me and I will cap rates or change rates does not understand or has not read the legislation. There is no simply quick fix. The term inequality is subjective. We have pockets of extreme wealth and extreme poverty in every community. We have pockets of high need and low need. There is no model that can single each individual out.

8. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business

   nteresting question. One which I suspect is built on public perceptions over Far North Holdings and its activities in the Bay of Islands. Correct me if I am wrong. Council has never in my opinion favoured business over people. People are at the heart of everything we do. Our raison d’etre! If we didn’t have people why would we exist. Clarity over why this question is being asked would be helpful to inform what the writer is concerned about. Having said that business is what employs people, put food on their table, creates opportunity and community. So businesses in of themselves are not bad – businesses are people also.

Below are some of my stances on Policy and my own priorities:

First priority

Improve our 3 waters infrastructure to improve the well-being of our environment and people.

Second priority

Vibrant communities that are self-determining, self-sufficient and prosperous.

Third priority

Improved road maintenance and strategies for dusty roads to improve the health of our people & awa

Ensure all council decisions are made through a climate change lens. Add to the decision making matrix at the end of agenda reports.

Begin early engagement with communities around climate change and how we will need to adapt, ie. Managed retreat, land use

Make all council activities carbon neutral by 2030.

Promote efficient use of water, manage the demand and protect against waste or misuse of water.

Protect our water supply, rivers and streams and surrounding environment from contamination from waste treatment systems.

Improve waste minimisation and use of natural resources with effective education and incentives in the community.

Incorporate tikanga into how we engage and work with Maori. Work collaboratively, within the frameworks of Te Ao Maori.

Strengthen our practice of engagement, and public participation in policy and project solutions. Hold focus groups, local gov "clinics"

Do governance, and do it well. Hold management to account on the KPIs, LTP, budget and capital works program.

RANK OF SEA CHANGE PRIORITIES:

1. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
2. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
3. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
4. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
5. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
6. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)
7. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
8. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)

This wasn’t an easy task as I believe all of these issues to be important - my ranking is based on the belief that an higher priority for some, ultimately works in favour of other equally important priorities I have ranked lower down.

1. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
2. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
3. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
4. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
5. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
6. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
7. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
8. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)

I [also] note that deprivation in most of our communities continues to worsen. That and also housing are problems I wish to tackle. I have championed initiatives such as Council’s Sustainable Procurement policy and the Innovation and Enterprise Park development.

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)

   If required, but all assets must be assessed for climate change risk. When assessing at-risk infrastructure assets, consideration must be given to their remaining useful life, the options for protecting the asset, and the financial costs and affordability of various protective measures. For example a detention dam in a flood plain, such as Waipapa, may be a cheaper option, especially if it also protects people and their homes as well as the Council infrastructure.

2. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)

   The most important thing is the people, and their wellbeing. The principle of democratic government is that it is there to serve people by promoting human dignity, protect their rights and develop the common good. Council must balance the service delivery with the community’s wellbeing needs, concentrating on the areas of most need. For example, social issues and well-paying jobs are a high priority in Kaikohe, and the Innovation and Enterprise Park was created to address this.

3. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)

   Yes as part of a broader approach. That is, I would like to see the Long Term Asset Funding project completed. This took a fair and equitable approach to solve how communities could pragmatically fund, over the long term, their infrastructure assets. Rating and affordability is a major issue: communities face a heavy financial burden and they should not being paying more than necessary.

4. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)

   A genuine partnership with Maori requires engagement at the Hapu and Mana Whenua level. We have well over 100 Hapu and far more Mana Whenua. The only way to achieve this level of involvement is at the community level through the principles of localism and the only way we can solve the problems of affordability, deprivations, better engagement, and general community wellbeing, including democratic wellbeing, is by beginning at the local level

5. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)

   I agree with encouraging sustainable farming practices and it is something the world markets will demand from us. New Zealand is well placed to meet these demands for low emission foods, but badly formed policies pose a real risk. Rather we must create pragmatic and enabling policies, backed by science and research that support farmers transitioning to sustainable practices. For example, practices that increase soil health will produce more, are better for the economy and they are the best way for New Zealand to sequester carbon. The recent Far North Environmental Awards demonstrated the great strides our farmers are making in reduced emissions and environmental protection.

6. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)

   I agree with the aspirations. Discharge to water is culturally unacceptable and no matter how well treated it is, failures can still occur. There are great technologies for treatment but I would like to see local communities directly involved in helping deliver these solutions at a local governance level. This would smooth consenting processes and lower overall costs. A concern is that with 3 waters centralisation the local community voice will be lost, along with control of their assets.

7. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)

   Not only empowering Community Boards but communities as well. This is the principle of localism where functions of government should be performed at the lowest level possible, as long as they can be performed adequately. This is critical if we are to achieve engaged and vibrant communities and address the increasing deprivation we see around us. Just about everything else hinges on a community empowerment approach. Imagine if every government department, every health provider, education provider, local and central government were focused at a community level.

8. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)

   Yes: absolutely necessary. Our communities have people with many skills and abilities. It is critical, given the challenges communities face, to involve them in local governance, especially with still further amalgamation of Council services planned. Local people creating local solutions to local problems.

" The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said"

1. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
2. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)
3. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
4. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
5. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
6. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
7. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
8. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)

1. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
2. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A) and;
   Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G) and;
   Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H) and;
   
3. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
4. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
   Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
   Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)
   

1. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
2. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
3. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
4. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
5. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
6. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
7. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
8. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
2. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
3. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
4. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
5. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
6. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
7. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
8. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)

I have ranked your questions in order of potential importance to me and the community as I see it. The questions are definitive in their nature, meaning I struggle with iow direct and absolute some of them are.

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
2. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
3. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
4. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)
5. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
6. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
7. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
8. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)

I also have concerns about the on-line world we live in with not everyone connected for whatever the reason be it affordability, the skill to connect, lack of connectivity,etc. Then Roading infrastructure is now the worse it have ever been. Our contractors are not able to maintain the roads as they need to be. Waste water treatment is another issue that needs investment. Maybe if we are forced into 3 waters that will get taken care of.

In summary my biggest concern is the "here and now" with rate payers funding Council and not getting the best Bang for their Buck.

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
2. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (D)
3. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality
4. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (B)
5. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)
6. Ensuring that all sewage treatment is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (c)
7. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)

   Roading is a huge priority looking at the current issues we see that many of the issues we face are connected to the disadvantages of proper roading Motatau community opahi community waikare community and so many other communities are offten cut off from medical facilities emergency services school's shopping centers this creates a huge disadvantages and a huge number of Health and safety issues some even life threatening we have a responsibility to provide proper roading it should never have to take loss of life to get the roading issue sorted the issues of the roads are not restricted to these areas they are found everywhere thought the north as a community chairman I understand both the needs of the many communities from a community prospective but also understand the restraints that roading agencies have because of funding ...

8. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (B)

   The importance of the relationship between agencies and Mana whenua whanau Hapu is of grate importance not just because of He Whakaputanga or Te Tiriti O Waitangi but because of there understanding of these local areas and the issues these areas face if we look at the Moerewa community and the huge amount of flooding if it were not for the local land owners and hapu/mana whenua working with the agencies flooding may have continued to be a huge issue for the Moerewa community a good example of what happens when Whanau Hapu and agencies come together.

9. Ensuring that all sewage treatment is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (c)

   The destruction of significant water ways is a huge issue while more homes are being built the strain of sewage treatment plant is an issue that no Council has ever escaped over the years we have seen livelihoods destroyed natrual significant areas for gathering shellfish and other activities impacted on because of sewage treatment plants not being able to meet the capacity of the population.

   The fact that we see sewage treatment plants established in low land areas has been a huge concern to the people of northland especially to those who are reliant of the rivers and the sea for there living or businesses the waikare oyster farms should have been a grave lesson for local body government in creating a better way of dealing with sewage.

   Ultimately I would prefer to see the sewage plants moved to higher ground established in areas that have low or no impact on our environment in order to prevent anymore impact on waters ways being Maori the rivers the sea the environment as a whole is apart of my identity preserving these areas is absolutely a priority.

10. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (D)

    An issue that sits close to my heart given i lead the stand against the Boiler and stack chimney that was established at Affco .

    There needs to be better communication better consultation between Businesses and community but that consultation can not move forward until Council accepts it's responsibility of including communities in to discussion where community impact is certain or likely .

    Non resource consents sometimes have a huge impact on multiple communities like we saw with Affco and there stack chimney where as council granted consents without any input by those who would be effected this practice must be addressed and the voices of the communities and local hapu must be given a voice to engage on these issues.

    We also see the establishment of Water discharge ponds in the area that were given resource consents with out regard for communities down stream from the location again a situation where the needs of the company is considered more important then those who are effected down stream including the impact on the environment.

    Ultimately there needs to be better information shared between council Businesses and communities meaning better consultation to create a better out come for all ..

For the record, a number of the issues that you asked me to rank are the responsibility of Council rather than Community boards but I note the final point H) relating to using the skills and knowledge of the members of the community. I feel strongly that this is important and my predecessor has already progressed in this respect.

The latest and last Agenda contains a recommendation from her to trial a different approach for town maintenance so it can be outsourced to a local group rather than a large contractor. I intend to continue with this approach looking for flax roots solutions wherever possible as these are always more likely to succeed than imposed ideas from Central and Local Government.

Community Boards are an important conduit to Council and the Community Board member is equally important in terms of ensuring actions and activities of Council are raised within local communities. Too often the busyness of life means that people and their communities are not aware of changes and initiatives driven by Council which could potentially impact them until too late. It's important that communities are kept informed and that joined up approaches are developed.

I consider myself Tangata Tiriti and am committed to respectful partnerships and co-designed solutions wherever possible.

Thank you for the opportunity to be included in your email. I apologise for the delay in my response. After much thoughtful consideration and thinking about the person I am, where I am from and the type of community board member I know I will be. My response to your email and groups priorities is as follows: I am an absolutely community minded person and although the list you provided certainly are of the utmost importance, at a national, international and global level.

I choose to respond in this manner, as my role when elected will be to be the conduit between our South Hokianga community and the council.

The priorities you list I agree must be part of strategic planning within our district/regional plan. I have much to learn about how we can address climate change as a district, and in the area of land ratings.

I come from a space of Tikanga Māori, Māori world view. But my first job is to listen to and hear the voice of our community, because within our communities there are the answers to address the priorities you list, there is a voice and it is my role to take these experts, thoughts and voices to the council. My area of expertise is working with marae, strategic and annual planning. I am great at networking.

I have much to learn in other areas but have the passion and skills to do so.

I will finish my response with a whakatauki.

Hutia te rito o te harakeke

Kei hea koe te komako e kō?

Ki mai ki a au, he aha te mea nui i te ao?

Māku e kī atu,

‘He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata’

Thank you for this opportunity to speak to these important topics. Rather than rank the issues, I feel it is more useful for me to state my position on climate change and the relationship between the Far North District Council and the people and places it serves.

Community boards are the bridge between the people and the council. If elected onto the South Hokianga Community Board I will be a strong voice to ensure that the council, at minimum, follows their own recommendations in the 'Climate Change Roadmap' (https://www.fndc.govt.nz/Your-district/Climate-change-in-the-Far-North/Climate-Change- Roadmap) and the Te Tai Tokerau ClimateAdaptation Strategy (https://catt.org.nz/).

These documents include council's commitment to making climate change risks a key consideration in all planning and decisions, and recognise the role of tangata whenua as kaitiaki in relation to natural and physical resources in their rohe. The mission statement in the Adaptation Strategy states "Across Te Tai Tokerau, we work together with iwi/hapū partners, communities and stakeholders to proactively understand, plan for, and respond to the impacts and opportunities of climate change."

People and nature will need to come before business in order to achieve the aims of thriving, resilient communities. As a community representative I will remind FNDC of these commitments, and ensure that Hokianga is at the table when decisions are made. These decisions will include land use, housing, water, roading, sewage and infrastructure and the associated funding allocation and rating structures. I will seek equity for Hokianga, as we have missed out for too long.

I will actively seek to engage with hapū, iwi and community to ensure Hokianga is kept informed, and listened to. I will continue to call for FNDC to build genuine, respectful, partnerships. Hokianga has said "zero human waste to Hokianga waters" and I will continue the work to achieve this. I absolutely support that the council should engage local experts where possible, and that community boards should have more autonomy to really take on the important mahi before us.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this survey, in an effort to ascertain what my position is relating to the issues as presented. Can I just say that whoever put these statements together gave diligent thought to them and I commend them on the depth of their thinking. In response to these statements, I offer the following response and rank accordingly,

In my opinion, all of these statements are equally important in ranking. Each is an essential cog in the wheel and thus cannot be addressed in isolation of the other. With all due respect, there are other legislative requirements that must be considered in addition to the Local Government Act, and in order to be effective, the successful candidate would need to understand how decisions were made to arrive at this point in order to hit the ground running.

To address the issues associated with climate change, a community must take a holistic approach. Doing nothing is not an option. From my experience working in local government for over 16 years, the majority of these statements are actioned at the Council level, not the Community Board level, and while the Community Board has a role to play and can report back to Council on specific topics of significance affecting the community, the ultimate decision resides at the Council table. The real question is whether Council will be willing to delegate additional powers to the Community Board in order to gain real traction on the ground.

If a community was to be successful in changing the landscape, one must take a holistic approach in order to address the issues associated with climate change, Doing nothing is not an option. From my experience, having worked in local government for over 16 years, the decisions relating to the majority of these statements are actioned at a Council level not a Community Board level, and whilst the Community Board has a role to play and can report back to Council on particular topics of significance affecting the community, the ultimate decision resides at the Council table.

The real question is whether Council will be willing to delegate more powers to the Community Board in order to gain traction on the ground, and whether the community as a whole will be able to reach a collective agreement on how to address these matters for the benefit of all parties, not just a specific segment of the community. "Doing the same old things, the same old way, will give you the same old result." The landscape is changing, and we need to change our mindset, if we are to create safer, healthier, more resilient communities.

1. Re-siting roads and other infrastructure in response to the climate emergencies (A)
2. Engage the skills & and expertise of local residents/community members (H)
3. Give more power, autonomy and funding to local Community Boards (G)
4. Encouraging sustainable practices in farming and forestry by means of improving regulation of permissible activities (E)
5. Ensuring that all sewage treatent is land-based, no human waste residue in our rivers or seas (F)
6. Developing genuine partnership with Maori (D)
7. Reviewing the rating structure to address inequality (C)
8. Reorienting Council priorities to favour people over business (B)