27 August 2021
Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Today's COVID alert levels announcement
Enquiry
Would it be possible to get a comment from the Mayor after the lockdown levels announcement at 3pm today?
We'd be looking to receiving a response before 4.30pm about:
- What the announcement would mean for Rotorua?
- What was the hope before the announcement and has the announcement met these expectations or not?
- What are the best actions for the people of Rotorua moving forward?
- How is the council planning to support Rotorua moving forward?
Any comment the mayor would like to make that falls outside of those questions would also be greatly appreciated.
Response
From Mayor Chadwick:
This gives us a glimmer of hope, especially for our businesses. We’re all anxious to get back to Alert Level 1 just as soon as possible.
Level 3 doesn’t change much for many people so we hope we can move down to Level 2 next week if all goes well during these next few days.
Our businesses are doing it particularly tough right now and while Level 3 enables those able to provide contactless service to re-open, it won’t help all businesses. The longer we are at these high alert levels, the more at risk our businesses are so that’s obviously a concern and having our biggest domestic visitor market, Auckland, still in Level 4 lockdown will have a significant ongoing impact.
Our CCO Rotorua Economic Development is offering support and advice to businesses and is undertaking a survey to understand what support businesses need and I’m sure businesses are also taking up support available from the local Chamber of Commerce and Government financial support.
One thing Alert Level 3 will enable is people to expand their bubbles just a little and that will be good for vulnerable family members who have perhaps been in a bubble by themselves until now. We’ll also be able to hold funerals and tangi, albeit very small ones, but that will mean a lot also.
Council’s Civil Defence Emergency Operations Centre continues to support local, regional and national Civil Defence efforts and is working closely with key partners like iwi, Lakes District Health Board, the Ministry of Social Development and Police to provide local support to the community.
So far this has involved working with key agencies and local community groups to coordinate requests for welfare support, including food parcels and also firewood. Council has also provided the Te Arawa COVID19 Hub with logistical support for an initiative started by a local GP to set up an additional vaccination site in Western Heights and several council staff are being trained in contact tracing to support the national programme.
The best thing we can all do is to continue to follow the rules and guidelines that are there to protect us all so that we can move down alert levels quickly.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Possibility of more MIQ facilities in Rotorua
Enquiry
I've just received these comments from Cr Macpherson regarding MIQ in Rotorua. We're filing a story on this - I invite the mayor and or council org (where or if seen to be appropriate for the latter) to respond to these by 4pm today [Aug 27] please.
It was sent in response to this article: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/covid-19-coronavirus-delta-outbreak-government-eyes-rotorua-for-extra-miq-despite-citys-plea-for-no-more/ZCRW63CVTUGGZ2IRLRCPJZH2JQ/
We'll likely seek further comment/right of reply but best to get this to you sooner so you have more time to consider and respond.
Could we also please have some fresh comments from the mayor on this issue in light of recent developments?
Please reply-all so the response goes to the news inbox - it's possible I won't be the one to file / write this story.
Comments:
Cr Macpherson:
Rotorua's residents and ratepayers see the central government's arrogant disregard of their concerns as a result of our Council's sycophantic relationship.
Our Council has allowed central government agencies to convert motels into homeless accommodation, pretending that it is all transitional housing. It has allowed them to choke and degrade our hotels with short term MIQ stays. The back flips by the Mayor's power bloc are laughable hypocrisy.
Our Council has betrayed residents and ratepayers by allowing Rotorua to become the homeless, MIQ, crime and drug centre of New Zealand.
Subsequent:
comment from Merepeka Raukawa-Tait for right of reply, as we have since heard from her as well:
This is a case of government high handed ness and not wanting to listen. Look at the consequences of having so many Rotorua motels used for temporary and emergency housing. These consequences were all predictable.
Now, possibly another MIQ facility. The consequences for Rotorua are intended by the government. To run down our beautiful city otherwise they would listen. We are being set up. There is considerable disquiet in the community. Citizens are stakeholders too. They own their homes, have businesses and work and live here because they love the place.
Place another MIQ facility in the city and you are hardening community attitudes; towards the government, council and citizens against each other. We are already paying a heavy price for piss poor government housing policy and now our economic recovery will be seriously compromised by taking another large hotel out of circulation. Stay away, you are not wanted.
Response
From Mayor Chadwick:
Re Cr MacPherson’s comments:
It is a nonsense to suggest we have “allowed” anything to happen.
We had no say in the decision to have MIQ in Rotorua in the first place – we were informed, not asked – and we have advocated very strongly these past couple of weeks, both to the Minister and MIQ officials, that we cannot sustain any more MIQ facilities in Rotorua and the reasons why. I’m unaware that any decision has yet been made.
Regarding emergency housing, what we’re doing is working with Government to ensure that the situation we have is better managed, and to establish better settings for the future in terms of social housing and housing in general.
Unfortunately, there have been times we have attempted to put housing somewhere and people don’t want it so it is very challenging and we will keep working on it.
Re Cr Raukawa-Tait’s comments:
This is no time to be overheated or pitted against each other. We were informed that hotel investigations were underway and we made our collective view very clear and emphatic.
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Media: Stuff
Topic: Possibility of more MIQ facilities in Rotorua
Enquiry
I'm looking for some comments from Mayor Chadwick about the Govt investigating additional MIQ options in Rotorua and Christchurch.
This is what Minister Hipkins said on the matter:
"Due to extremely high demand for MIQ space, MBIE is investigating potentially bringing additional facilities online.
"We are in the early stages of investigating potential options, in Rotorua and Christchurch, but no decisions have been made.
"There are a lot of complex issues that need to be considered for operating MIQ facilities, including workforce supply to support our operations, suitability of the hotels and proximity to hospital facilities and appropriate transport hubs.
"This is the reason Rotorua is being investigated as a potential option, rather than more remote locations such as Queenstown.
"I am mindful of the impact additional facilities could have locally and these will be part of our assessments, discussions and considerations.
"Any expansion of MIQ’s capacity needs to be carefully considered against our primary objective – which is to operate in a way that ensures we keep Covid-19 out of our community, and keep our returnees and staff safe.
"The Government acknowledges and is extremely grateful for the efforts of people and communities across Rotorua in New Zealand's fight against COVID-19."
Can I please have a couple of comments from the Mayor about this?
Response
From Mayor Chadwick:
We have strongly advocated to both the Minister and officials when MIQ officials met with Council, Te Arawa and Rotorua Economic Development representatives recently, that Rotorua cannot sustain any more MIQ facilities.
Our community has taken on its fair share in that regard for quite some time now but we cannot take on any more.
Running MIQ facilities here impacts on local DHB, police and security resources, and those are resources our community misses out on. Imposing more MIQ facilities on Rotorua will increase risk with regard to community safety and health services and that’s something we are very concerned about.
We also need to retain capacity for visitors once alert levels allow again and we currently still have that.
Rotorua has been playing its part, and we’ve taken that on while also trying to rebuild our economy and address housing challenges that have required the use of accommodation stock to fulfil a critical need.
Ultimately, others will make the decisions but we have been clear about our views and concerns and have been assured these will be taken into account.