Someone's got to sort this mess out
Source Wai Manuka launches in New York Alisha McLennan Wai Manuka is making strides in New York, receiving a second order only two weeks after company’s first order landed. Chief executive Joe Harawira said the demand from New York was growing at a rapid rate. Last week, Wai Mānuka launched into high-end retail chain Citarella […]
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The Enhance Coastlands Art Project saw 19 power boxes painted by artists, including up-and-coming names, school students and art class participants.
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Thank you for putting your name forward to lead our community, Dave.
Thanks, regardless of the outcome of the election, I will still lead in the same way I always have, by speaking truth to power. That can be in a council chamber, a letter to the editor, or on a roundabout.
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Councillor Tánczos said the hikoi was “fantastic”. “The community turned out in force to express their concern and anger. I think we sent a powerful message to Te Whatu Ora and the Government.” He said the Hikoi for Health Coalition would be sending a list of six demands to Health NZ Te Whatu Ora and the Minister of Health this week. “It’s important for a community like ours to stand up and have a voice for these kinds of things.”
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It’s time to stand up to Wellington as one voice and that time is now.
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I know a small number of people would love an autocratic mayor, but to those people I simply ask this question – what if that mayor was me?
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I took the liberty of asking to see the minutes of the meeting where the master plan was approved and found that, along with a new toilet, we are getting new lights, improved pedestrian access, better facilities for disabled ratepayers, more cohesion with the RSA next door for our memorial services, lighting and improved ability to run night-time community events and a host of other enrichments which, as is now customary, were left out of the rants by the negativity brigade.
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The Sunday Market organisers have always had a strong community-minded focus and offer stall spaces free to community groups such as Waste Zero Whakatāne, school fundraising groups and political parties before elections. It is also a prime spot for us as a community board and for Whakatāne District Council to have engagement with the public on various topical issues, such as the long-term plan. As a community board we would like to take this opportunity to support the organisers of the Sunday Market and acknowledge how much mahi goes on behind the scenes to make it happen every week.
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WHEN anyone disagrees with WAG, there’s a pile on in the Beacon letters until they give up and shut up. I’m thankful that Dave Stewart has not been bullied into silence as well. There’s more than a few of us who are also sick of WAG’s constant grumbling, negativity and disinformation, and who are pleased to see his comments published in the Beacon.
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My concerns about WAG’s negativity is that it risks hiding the costs and outcomes that are the alternatives, as we discovered after the post-election euphoria of the cancellation of the previous government’s water reforms – a $440,000,000 ratepayer bill. This concerns the risk of the support WAG have given to central Government’s attacks on local democracy under the banner of “local government reform” without knowing what it will look like. We only need to ask the good folk of Dunedin with the huge protests over the hospital cancellation or Wairarapa, with the eye watering hike in user pays road tolls, to see how badly that can turn out.
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I am disappointed but not surprised that WAG does not see itself as having to offer alternatives to the programmes they criticise because, as we all know, criticising someone or something is easy. Alternatives are harder. And we do all acknowledge that there is a lot the council could do better. As my opinion piece pointed out, banging on about something you don’t like without clearly laying out the alternative has led us to face a $440,000,000 bill as the alternative to the old Three Waters legislation. I thank WAG for owning their support for this alternative.
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Whakatane Action Group are using rhetoric that suits their argument but is at odds with the truth. This is becoming a concerning habit, especially around a democratic process.
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Source Fri, Jul 12, 2024 PDF Not a budget for all New Zealanders I AM writing in response to Dana Kirkpatrick’s Members Only piece in the Beacon July 3. As part of the protest group Postpone The Tax Cuts, we met with Ms Kirkpatrick on May 3 this year and conveyed to her our concerns […]
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“With the coalition Government’s tax cuts being universally condemned, I think it’s important to ask that they be postponed,” Stewart said. Tax cuts for middle to low income earners were one of the National party’s campaign promises during last year’s election, however, many are opposed to them through fear of where funds will be taken from. Stewart said the Government would pay for them with increases in other areas.
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Whakatāne man Dave Stewart has been spurred by the hate and vitriol directed at Jacinda Ardern to demonstrate his gratitude for her public service. Stewart has been seen every day, since Monday, standing on prominent roundabouts or roadsides in Whakatāne during peak traffic hours holding a sign saying, “Thank you Jacinda, best PM ever”. He intends to continue for the rest of this week. He said the purpose of his stance has been to stand up to all the bullying and hate that Ardern had been subject to.
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