7 September 2020
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Local businesses in same ownership for 20 years or more
Enquiry
I am unsure if this is something that will be easily found or not but I was hoping you could give me a list of all the businesses in Rotorua that have been owned by the same owner for the last 20, 30 or 40-plus years?
Response
The Council rating team has advised that we don't have info re businesses operating from a particular property. Any data from the rating database will only be reflective of property ownership, not who operates from that property.
Businesses don't need to register or anything with councils and not all need consent/certification to operate so apologies, but we can't provide that info.
Off the top of my head, here are some long-standing businesses with same owner/same family in ownership for many years to get you started:
-Red Stag (Verry family)
-Mike Steiner Inerior Design (Mike and Marie Steiner and their son is now also in the business)
-Lockwood Homes (2 or 3 generations of the La Grouw family)
-Rotorua Forest Haulage (Colin Sargison, think now run by his son Tony)
-Poss Atkinson and Donaldson (plumbers)
-Short Transport
-Pollards Menswear
-Probably some of the restaurants (Urbano and its predecessor Herbs - Richard and Julie Sewell)
-McDonald's franchises (Rob and Lynley Parry)
-Oppies has probably been around for over 20 years
-Pedersen Group?
-Pharmacy 44 (Ian Edward) and his brother Stewart will have had his dental surgery for more than 20 years (Stewart Edward Dental Surgery)
-Tamaki Tours (think it's still owned by the Tamaki whanau)
-House of Elliott (hairdressers, family business, now run by Craig Elliott)
-Mamaku Blue (Harry and Anne Frost and their son Phillip)
I'm sure there will be more and someone like Chamber of Commerce may also be able to help.
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Media: Rotorua Weekender
Topic: Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori
Enquiry
I'm just getting in touch as I'm working on a story around Maori Language Week coming up and wondered if the mayor might been keen to give a few comments to the below couple questions:
- Why do you encourage the Rotorua community to get behind/involved in Maori Language Week? Why us it important to do so?
- Are there any local events or initiatives around Maori Language Week the council is running this year?
- Is there anything you would like to add?
Response
Please find mayor's response below, along with activities happening at the library and through the Museum for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
From Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick:
Te reo Māori is something to be proud of and it is becoming more normalised - we're hearing, seeing and feeling it more now in our day to day lives. Normalising it is the key to keeping it strong and is integral to Rotorua's ReoRua kaupapa that is being led by Te Tatau o Te Arawa.
I love hearing te reo Māori being spoken around the Council table and Council staff using it in their conversations.
Language is a great connector and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is an important acknowledgement of New Zealand's history and whakapapa.
I encourage everyone to get on board and korero Māori. It might be just a few words, a couple of phrases or learning the words to a waiata, but that's a great place to start to build confidence and understanding.
Activities:
Rotorua Museum has created quizzes for primary/intermediate and secondary schools to help improve their te reo Māori. These have been shared with schools and will be loaded as a blog on the Museum website and there will also be daily posts on the Rotorua Museum Facebook page.
And the Rotorua Library has the following events planned:
Ben Manley (Pūkenga Rangahau - Research Lead and Senior Advisor at Rotorua Lakes Council) giving a talk on Māori street names - Monday 14 September at 12:15pm
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori waiata with Rotorua Lakes Council's Clark Pirika - Thursday 17 September at 12:15pm
You may also wish to get in touch with Te Tatau o Te Arawa (jude@tetatau.nz) who are leading the Rotorua ReoRua kauapapa.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Building consents data
Enquiry
May I please have the number, dollar amount and a description of all residential and commercial building consents issued for the month of August 2020?
I am looking for data similar to what the Tauranga City Council has in its report HERE
Response
The reporter was provided a copy of the building services monthly statistics report [see HERE]
