What I Believe In

Why I want to be a Regional Councillor

I represent the Western Bay of Plenty constituency on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. In my first term on the Regional Council I was learning the ropes. In my second term I think I started really making a difference in a number of areas. By my third term I was focusing more on strategy and policy development, strongly advocating for our community, and providing more leadership within Council. In my fourth and fifth term, with a team of very experienced and capable Councillors, our focus was on the huge amount of change happening in our operating environment and the need to make brave and wise decisions in the face of the challenges facing our region and its communities. I am very excited by the strong Council elected by our community in 2022. We have a good mix of knowledgeable and passionate new Councillors and existing experienced Councillors who already know the ropes and have served the Bay of Plenty community well in the past.

I cannot recall another time when Councils have faced such an avalanche of change in policy direction heading our way from Central Government - or the complexity of major challenges like degrading water quality and increasing climate change impacts. Government is challenging traditional democratic processes by large scale and widespread reforms, increasing centralisation and providing a stronger mandate for maori co-governance and decision-making. Covid is still having impacts on service delivery and on communities. Now more than ever, Council needs experienced and skilled people who understand the national operating environment and our regional and sub-regional issues and opportunities. Council also needs people that have organisational knowledge to be able to connect the dots, understand why things are as they are, and who can utilise this knowledge to make the right decisions on behalf of the communities we serve.

I have a real passion for the Bay of Plenty - and in particular for the western Bay where I live. I understand the challenges it faces and want to help make wise decisions for its future. I have an in-depth knowledge of the Regional Council, very strong governance and management capabilities, and very good collaborative networks.

There is a lot left undone, and a lot more to do. I sought re-election in 2022 because I believe I can make a difference and I want to work with our community to make "A Better Bay of Plenty".

My Experience on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council

For the past three terms I have been Deputy Chair of Council. Particularly in the past two terms I have played a stronger role at a national level as a member of the Local Government New Zealand Policy Advisory Group. In addition, I have played a wider role at a regional level as the Chair of Council spent more time influencing national policy development in Wellington.

From 2008 up until November 2018 I served as a Director of Quayside Holdings Group, helping to oversee Council's 54% investment in the Port of Tauranga and its property and equity portfolios. I stepped off the Board when I reached the maximum time allowable as a Director. During my term, Quayside's investments weathered global financial crises well and has continued to diversify its investments for the benefit of the Bay of Plenty. It continues to deliver a strong income stream to Council to offset rates and to service the Perpetual Preference Shares - the issue of which provided the $200 million infrastructure fund which the Regional Council is using to fund regional infrastructure. Quayside's investment in the Rangiuru business park anchored the Tauranga Eastern Link which is creating a step change in access from the Bay of Plenty hinterland to the Port of Tauranga. I support using dividends from Quayside to provide regional benefit like this, while providing an offset against general rates for each and every ratepayer across the Bay of Plenty.

As Chair and later Deputy Chair of the Regional Transport Committee, I work with Mayors and Councillors of Bay of Plenty local authorities and sector representatives to develop our regional transport strategies and oversee our Regional Land Transport Programme. Transport is an area under huge pressure at the moment as the western Bay of Plenty experiences huge growth, but restrictions of NZTA funds and a refocus on multi-modal and safety projects mean that long overdue transport infrastructure in the Bay is slow to be funded by NZTA. We need to rethink transport direction and solutions - and seek new ways of funding and delivering transport infrastructure.

As a member of the Public Transport Committee, I have been pushing for a more frequent and convenient public transport network which will meet community needs, encourage people to leave their cars at home, and help address carbon emissions. Our new PT network in Tauranga had a really rocky start due to bus driver shortages and many teething problems. Covid has had a major impact on patronage and on ongoing availability of bus drivers. Our public transport network needs continual and incremental improvement to make it more user-friendly and effective. The introduction of free fare trials for students and disabled people and their carers was just a start. So much more needs to be done to make our public transport network a really viable alternative to private vehicle use where possible and practicable.

As a member of the SmartGrowth Leadership Group I have been involved in the development and monitoring of the SmartGrowth strategy with representatives of the Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and tangata whenua. This strategy was signed off in 2015 and it contains a work programme which will prepare the western Bay for a fifty year future. Over the past few years, a new National Policy Statement for Urban Development required SmartGrowth to develop a Future Development Strategy for the Western Bay of Plenty. Despite the development of this, continuing growth pressures and Government policy changes mean SmartGrowth has not been agile enough to adjust - particularly in the integration of urban growth and transport infrastructure development. It has initiated the Urban Form and Transport Integration (UFTI) project to address the significant transport challenges we face in the western Bay. This has to be successful if we are to address growth, traffic congestion and the need to reduce carbon emissions. Now the sub-region has signed an urban growth partnership with Central Government, the focus of SmartGrowth is very much on delivery of housing, and the much needed review of SmartGrowth has been deferred.

As a member of the Regional Council Strategy and Policy Committee, I have participated in the development and review of a range of policies and plans. In particular, I was involved in the development of the Bay of Plenty Regional Policy Statement, Regional Coastal Environment Plan, and changes to our Natural Resources Plan - and our OSET (Onsite Effluent Treatment) Plan and Regional Pest Management Plan. In addition, Council is undertaking a major Freshwater Futures programme to implement the National Policy Statement for Freshwater. The NPS for Freshwater is requiring a major review of our regional freshwater provisions in our Regional Policy Statement and Natural Resources Plan to meet the government target for a notified plan change by December 2024. As a certified RMA Hearings Commissioner and Chair, I am very involved and interested in this work. I am particularly concerned about Government proposals to radically change governance structures as part of their introduction of the Natural and Built Environment Act and the Spatial Planning Act to replace the RMA. I am the first to say that implementation of the RMA has resulted in cumbersome and bureaucratic processes which often results in perverse outcomes, however I am yet to be convinced that what is proposed will be any better, and in fact may be a whole lot worse. I think the speed and scale of the proposed change needs to be revisited and tested against the need for transparent and enhanced community participation and strong local democracy.

As a member of the Monitoring and Operations Committee I have championed excellence in customer service and enhanced participation and engagement with our communities. Both are now key drivers for Council. I have also overseen the day to day operations of Council - and in particular was instrumental in increasing our operational programmes and budget in the Tauranga Harbour catchment. This has seen removal of 110 hectares of mangroves, an integrated programme of catchment management to stem sedimentation, and a programme to investigate coastal and erosion and solutions around harbour margins.

As a participant of the Audit and Risk Committee, I have supported the development of a rigorous audit and risk function. I also believe in continual innovation and improvement driving efficiencies and effectiveness across Council and want Council to be always looking for better outcomes at lower cost.

I am a member of the Executive Employment Subcommittee which oversees the Chief Executive's performance review process and development of the CE's performance agreement for each year.

As various Treaty Settlements have been agreed across the Region, a number of co-governance entities have been established. I support stronger partnerships with maori, but believe that this should not be at the expense of a loss of voice for the rest of the community.

On Council itself, I was a strong supporter of the Regional Infrastructure Fund and moved the recommendation for the decision to fund $15 million for the Tertiary Campus in Tauranga, $5 million for the Tauranga Marine Precinct, $2.5 million for the Scion Innovation Park in Rotorua and $18 million for the Opotiki Harbour development. I supported the Regional Council funding for the Ongare Point and Te Puna waster-water treatment schemes.

I am a strong advocate for regional spatial planning, collaboration and shared services with other Councils, and finding new and innovative ways to work with our communities.

I was instrumental in the development of Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Climate Change Action Plan and our Declaration of a Climate Emergency. This has been anchored by recognition of climate change as one of Council's three strategic priorities - along with community participation and engagement and maori partnerships.

There is so much more to achieve. The next term will be challenging with a lot of change on the way. I sought to be re-elected so I can continue to work hard for the benefit of the people of the Bay of Plenty.

Key issues for me are:

Managed Growth

One of the biggest challenges facing the Western Bay of Plenty is managing our experienced and expected growth. Significant growth pressures are occurring and they are having environmental impacts. We must plan for this growth while managing our natural resources in a sustainable way.

I support the SmartGrowth approach taken in the western Bay of Plenty to plan for growth. We also need the infrastructure to support our growing population – this means investment in roads, public transport, broadband, power and regional facilities. To achieve this, it is very important that there be strong collaboration between central, regional and local government to align planning and investment for the critical infrastructure needed to service growth. SmartGrowth has enjoyed credibility at a national level which has given government the confidence to invest in our region in the past. However, the development within SmartGrowth of UFTI (the Urban Form and Transport Initiative in the western Bay) which has been supplemented by an Urban Growth Partnership with Central Government focused on delivery of housing has meant that there is less focus on the need for a review of the SmartGrowth strategy to ensure the long-term wellbeing of our environment and community are adequately planned for. I continue to advocate for a review of the SmartGrowth structures and processes and a strategy refresh in consultation with our community.

The SmartGrowth spatial planning approach is being extended to cover the balance of the Bay of Plenty and I applaud this initiative. The key to this is strong regional leadership - the vision and willingness to make decisions that will ensure our growth is positive and does not negatively impact on our environment.

Climate Change Action

I believe that climate change is the biggest challenge facing our whole world, and that action is urgent and overdue. The science and the evidence from around the world is now indisputable. I believe a new paradigm is required.

In the past we have allowed development to occur at the expense of the environment, and we need to change the way we think and act. Many people think that their actions cannot influence the future, but if we all change the way we use and reuse resources, collectively we can make a huge difference. We need transition to a low-carbon circular economy. We need to act urgently to implement climate change adaptation and mitigation, if we want a sustainable future for our children and their children.

I believe the Regional Council has a large role to play to provide leadership on climate change in the Bay of Plenty, to seek targets for reduction of carbon emissions, and to help communities to understand what they can do to make a difference. We made a start with the declaration of a Climate Emergency, the development of a Climate Action Plan, the prioritisation of resources, the inclusion of climate change considerations into our decision-making and work programmes, and the increasing investment in public transport. Now we need to turn out minds to how to support our communities to live in a more sustainable manner and how we can help adapt and mitigate the impacts of climate change

However, we need to work collaboratively with Central Government, other Councils, stakeholder organisations and our communities if we are to be effective in addressing this challenge.

Protected Resources

We are very fortunate in the Bay of Plenty - to many it must seem like paradise. However protecting our harbours and coastlines, managing our air and water quality and water quantity, and safeguarding our natural biodiversity are areas where we must work hard to improve.

I am particularly concerned about Tauranga Harbour and its surrounding catchments, and have been pushing for control of sedimentation and selected removal of mangroves to protect the coastal and estuarine ecology that is valued by our coastal communities. I believe we need more science so we can understand the relationships between land use, discharges into the harbour, possible climatic changes and negative impacts in the harbour like sea lettuce blooms.

I want effective action on the ground to mitigate negative impacts of growth and development. I support the integrated catchment management approach being taken to minimise sedimentation, to restore biodiversity and to protect our precious estuarine and coastal ecology. I support a strong collaborative approach with Tauranga City Council, Western Bay District Council and tangata whenua to address the protection and restoration of Tauranga Harbour.

I believe water is critical to our prosperous future and we need to monitor water quality and address problems which degrade our water quality. We also need to be careful how we manage water use to ensure there is ample for all. Council is now taking an integrated approach to water quality and quantity on a catchment by catchment basis. This was intended to be a very collaborative process with the community however, there are major proposed policy changes at a national level which will call for faster and more action in the freshwater space and more regulation by Regional Councils. I support this if it gives us better tools to protect and improve our freshwater resources in partnership with our community.

There are many other environmental issues we need to focus on - Rotorua Lakes water quality, Tauranga and Rotorua air quality, pest management and bio-security, waste minimisation and appropriate development of our renewable energy resources like geothermal and biomass.

I think it is very important to educate people about the environmental issues we face. It is also important to work collaboratively with other agencies and to support community groups who are working to safeguard the environment in their patch, because together we can all achieve so much more.

Smarter Economy

If we want our children to have a safe and prosperous future, we need to have a thriving economy. It is very important to ensure we have the right leadership, infrastructure, skilled people and conditions to foster growth of strong thriving businesses. Located as we are in the golden triangle of Auckland/Waikato and the Bay of Plenty we have a huge opportunity and it is up to us to make sure we use our rich natural resources, our strategic advantages like the Port of Tauranga, and our enviable lifestyle to maximise this opportunity.

Local and regional government can help by supporting economic development and ensuring that the right infrastructure is in place. I strongly support the Regional Council's coordination of regional economic development through Bay of Connections - there are many opportunities to ensure we have a strong sustainable economy - aquaculture, horticulture development, food processing and bioenergy - are just a few. To support this development, we need an enabling local government attitude, skilled workers and investment in core infrastructure. I strongly support the Regional Council's investment in regional infrastructure. I think it is in a unique position to leverage its investment reserves and its infrastructure fund to accelerate essential infrastructure to support economic growth.

We also need to invest in a low carbon circular economy, as this is the pathway to a sustainable future.

Through its investment arm Quayside, the Regional Council is the majority shareholder of the Port of Tauranga, and owner of a large area of land in Rangiuru zoned for industrial development. It is important that the Regional Council continues to be a supportive investor to enable the expected economic benefits to accrue from these strategic investments for the wellbeing of the community.

A strong economy will enable a prosperous community. It is essential that our local government leaders understand what is needed for strong sustainable economic growth and are willing to take the necessary steps to ensure community well-being and resilience into the future. They also need to create and maintain strong collaborative relationships - with government, industry, education providers and the community - so all sectors are working together to deliver on a shared vision of well-being and prosperity.

Efficient and Effective Regional Government

There is a lot of change occurring in the local government space - the government's three waters programme and Essential Freshwater programme have been driven by the perception that local Councils are not doing their job adequately. There are also perceptions about excessive bureaucracy and red tape, lack of effectiveness, poor collaboration, high costs and excessive rates. I think the Bay of Plenty Regional Council performs pretty well, but we must continually focus on minimising the problems and perceptions that surround local and regional government.

I am yet to be convinced that the changes the Government is making across health, education and the local government sector are going to result in better outcomes. In particular, I believe the Three Waters Reform is ill conceived and rushed. The community haven't been given an adequate say and many in local government are against the mandatory nature of the reforms. The real issue behind problems with the three waters is the funding mechanisms for infrastructure and for local government which are not fit for purpose. The Future of Government Review which is underway is recognising this, but I am yet to be convinced that Central Government will be up to addressing this.

I think we need to see what happens in the rest of New Zealand before we consider changing our local government structure in the Bay of Plenty. Some amalgamation may be called for to streamline local government in the future, however I am wary of change for change's sake. Instead, my focus has been on trying to ensure that the Regional Council is cost efficient and effective in everything that it does. Over my time on Council, I have pushed for reviews of various activities to ensure the organisation is doing things as well and cost effectively as possible. Some major efficiencies have been realised but there is still a lot more that I believe can be done to ensure ratepayers are getting maximum value out of their rating dollar.

A lot is about attitude - looking for innovation, being customer focused and action oriented. It is about asking - is there a better way? - a more cost effective way? - a more responsive way? I want the public to be confident the Regional Council has cost conscious management and is an organisation that is easy to do business with, rather than one that puts up barriers and ties people up in red tape.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is developing shared services with other councils to reduce costs. I applaud this approach - it is the way of the future. I also support bench-marking with other appropriate organisations to help us understand how we compare and where we could improve.

I want Council to take a prudent approach in setting its work programmes and therefore its rates - and making careful and reasoned decisions on how to rate fairly and how to apply its investment reserves for maximum benefit for the region and its community.

On the other hand, Council does have a regulatory role, and from time to time it needs to make hard calls to safeguard our environment. I want Council to be brave where necessary, but also to be fair, consistent and always professional.

The bottom line is - we need high calibre people voted onto the Regional Council, who will work with our people to ensure we have efficient and effective regional government in the Bay of Plenty.

Working Collaboratively to Maximise Outcomes

The key to making limited resources go further and to making fast progress is to collaborate and work well with other key players to achieve a shared vision. The western Bay of Plenty is already pretty good at this, but I would like to see this approach to be strengthened in the future - particularly across the region and with other adjoining regions.

We need to work closely with government departments, other regional and local councils, our businesses and our communities - sharing and applying resources to leverage opportunities. The work the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is doing with its volunteer community groups across the region and the new initiatives with Waikato Regional Council, DOC, iwi and the community in the Kaimai-Mamaku catchments are good models and we need to look for more such opportunities.

I would like to see parochialism disappear and the use of a collaborative approach to achieve win-win solutions where at all possible. One such initiative was the establishment of a Joint Working Party between the Waikato Regional Regional Transport Committee and the Bay of Plenty Regional Transport Committee to focus on development of the major road and rail links between Hamilton and Tauranga. This Joint Working Party needs to be invigorated. Recently there has developed a lack of co-ordination between Tauranga City and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in the area of transport/public transport planning. I am convinced there is a better way to ensure integration and coordination over our overlapping responsibilities and I will continue to advocate for this.

Unfortunately the work of the Regional Council is not well understood. Helping people to understand the work of the Regional Council and what it is doing has been a key focus for me over my time in the Regional Council and will continue to be a key focus for me in the future if I am re-elected.

For me, the past fifteen years have been about proactively reading changes on the horizon, adjusting the of business of the Regional Council and focussing on being a very effective Regional Councillor. In the term ahead my focus will be on leadership and on reaching out to the community and strengthening my relationships so I can increase my contribution to the Regional Council and the region as a whole, on behalf of the community.