Stew’s column
Released 30 Jul 2010
Stew Wadey, Federated Farmer Waikato provincial president
One of my jobs, as president of the largest Federated Farmers province in New Zealand, is to be easily assessable for farmers who have concerns or need advice.
One of the leading concerns at the moment, by far, is around Waikato Regional Council trading as Environment Waikato. Recently, top quality investigative journalism conducted by the Waikato Times, saw several member's highlight their concerns by using a few expletives of opinion on some possible fiduciary ill discipline.
I have tried to look past the emotion in order to determine whether there are valid points for constructive comment, unfortunately I think there are. How I see it, the reported comments made in the Waikato Times, about travel, fine dining, evening cruises and flash hotels made for some very disappointing reading. Not so much in regards to the actual expense of these activities, but more in regards to the rationale for them.
I am sure the Auditor General, in reviewing expenses claimed against legitimate council work, will be able to determine whether spouses and partners paid their own costs or whether they were funded by the rate payer.
But this is not the only concern that has arisen from this situation, I must take this opportunity to voice another and more serious viewpoint: are we now getting close to a situation that has similar connotations to situation with Environment Canterbury (Canterbury Regional Council), where staff were viewed by some rate payers in the region as being "too close" to elected councillors. I have done some reading about this and have keenly followed the public information that has been made available around that Environment Canterbury (ECan) leadership situation. What I believe to be the problem is that there was a wrong mindset, which we now all know evolved into frustration within the Canterbury constituency, to such an extent that Central Government Ministers had to step in to replace the elected councillors with commissioners.
I am well aware that the situation there has now greatly improved and the parties have put their differing views aside and have come together to move the Canterbury region forward. The problems around the water situation are on the way of being resolved and this has been done through ensuring the community can have an input, with limitations of course. Private schemes, like Waimakariri Irrigation Limited, are currently rather unreliable, but they are now being encouraged to create water storage and are moving forward in their involvement with the community, in order to have a vastly improved system within agreed current consents.
Their mission statement shows their determination, "To be leaders in water management, providing reliable, economic and sustainable supply". I'm guessing that the North Canterbury community will be very receptive of Fonterra's proposed processing facility in Darfield.
Based on the feed back I receive from the ten district committees, there seems to be a lot of frustration in the Waikato agricultural community at the moment. A few influential farmers now believe Environment Waikato, as a regulatory body, is on thin ice right. I am sure, come October this year, that the Local Government election process will see changes to the Council board table.
Clearly, if enough rate payers in the Waikato constituency are very dissatisfied, things can be made to happen.
To discuss any of these issues, please call 0800 FARMING (327 646)
