8 July 2022
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Claims by mayoral candidate
Enquiry
Last night Fletcher Tabuteau held his mayoral campaign launch.
He made a number of claims and criticisms both of the council organisation and elected leadership, which I would like to provide for the right of reply to Steve and the council org - see below.
I would also like to ask Steve, regarding Fletcher's claims about the coming government announcements:
- Do you know about any of these announcements - have you heard from the Government on any of these?
- What do you think about Tabuteau's claims?
- Do you want any of the things he listed as coming announcements to happen? Which and why?
Could the council and mayor please get back to me on these by 3.30pm today.
(and yes I have approached various relevant govt agencies/ministers about this also).
Thanks very much
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At the launch on Thursday, Tabuteau said
“My petition … asked for no more out-of-towners to be sent to Rotorua. Because of you, the Government will announce shortly no more out of towners to be sent to Rotorua.
“There are so-called housing operators that are not delivering on their commitments, in terms of safe environments for tenants, security commitments to the community, etcetera. These operations will no longer get a free pass.
“I have been told that the council will be given the power to make determinations on operator standards and be able notify the government of non-compliance and shut them down.
“Despite earlier commitments from ministers, mixed-use motels have continued to operate, we all know this. The Government will now commit to not funding mixed-use motels anymore.
“The Ministry of Social Development will no longer just fund anyone anywhere. There is finally recognition of the terrible fallout that has spilled out to our neighbourhoods and the damage done to our city’s reputation as a tourism destination.”
He claimed Kāinga Ora had “not necessarily” been placing Rotorua locals in new public homes.
“Yesterday I was assured this too will be addressed, with Kāinga Ora committing to only placing Rotorua residents in Rotorua homes.”
The announcements were met with applause from the gathering.
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting after the event, Tabuteau said out-of-towners already in motels would likely remain.
“That’s the detail I have. No one’s told me what the implementation looks like at this stage.”
He said Te Pokapu helped “reconnect those from out-of-town back to their home” in a “beautiful, awhi kind of way”.
“It’s not a ‘get rid of people’.”
He said it was “going to take a bit of time” but there was “a full stop on it now”.
“These announcements, I’m told – and because it’s before the election, people can hold me to my word on this – will be over the next weeks and months, but before the election day.”
“What, when I look back on my life, would give me pride? Being a strong, positive force here in Rotorua will do that. Being a good mayor, a mayor [who] can restore Rotorua, and get your council back on track and enable the people of Rotorua to thrive, that is why I am standing up before you tonight.”
He said he would focus on economic growth and business and “sell our place”.
“Despite all of the struggles going on at the moment we can and we will turn this around.”
He said it was “not all candy and roses” and there were “critical issues” to deal with.
“People who can come together and actually work constructively to drive the council executive and chief executive officer to focus on carrying out our vision for Rotorua, and nothing more.
“For example, there can be no rates reduction tomorrow, any candidate in this election who claims otherwise just highlights their ignorance. We cannot simply stop the spend, there is too much that needs to be finished.
“It will be a long commitment from the mayor and councillors to bring debt levels back down while also curbing our operational spend.
“The council has lost its focus and is trying to do too much.
“I will require a laser focus from the council executive, insisting that they deliver the basics right. All spending can only be done on your behalf with a fiscally conservative approach that focuses on real return for our community.
“For example, the seven deputy chief executives. These positions are simply not tenable. It is a scandal that this was allowed, and a glaring example of what needs to change immediately.”
“The whole council is chasing its tail and it is costing ratepayers money while struggling to achieve anything.”
He said that was about the leadership, not the hardworking council staff.
He said he would insist on a “massive internal audit” of council spending and future commitments.
“The new council needs to know what the real financial position of the council actually is.
“At the councillor level it is broken.
“The last thing Rotorua needs right now is a council made up of little cliques, all fighting one another, all living in the past, and not ready to move on. We have an opportunity for a fresh start.
“I will work with whoever the ratepayers vote into [the] council. We’re never going to get 100 per cent agreement.
“Open and honest dialogue that is transparent and inclusive will be vital.”
Response
Reporter was informed it was not appropriate for the council organisation to comment on views expressed by candidates during election campaigns.
From Mayor Chadwick:
Government announcements are for the government to talk about but we’ve always been clear about our expectations that emergency housing here should be for our people and that new public housing should be for locals. If the government is announcing that it would be fantastic and would show the progress being made in our work with the government and its agencies.
I don’t intend responding to every view expressed by candidates during the course of their election campaigns.
We’re in the pre-election period now but there is still important work to be done and decisions to be made by the current Council and that’s what I’m focussed on.
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Media: Rotorua Daily Post
Topic: Lake Road fumerole
Enquiry
Could I please have an update on the fumarole this morning please
- Has the fumarole activity picked up since being quenched?
- When will the well drillers be in to grout the bore shut? Will this still be able to happen in the rain?
- What effect will the bore being shut have on those in the area?
- When is the section of road likely to open again?
- Will the council be monitoring the area over the weekend?
- What else is being done on the site today? What else will happen over the weekend?
Response
From Council’s Manager, Community & Regulatory Services, Kurt Williams:
Activity within the fumarole completely died down over night and well drillers arrived on site this morning to grout the bore shut. This work is now complete.
Lake Road has been reopened and council staff will keep an eye on the area intermittently over the weekend to ensure everything remains settled.
The bore that’s being grouted shut is a privately owned bore. Generally council isn’t involved with the operation of private bores unless there is an issue that could impact public safety and wellbeing, such as the fumarole appearing on Lake Road this week. In this instance council has worked closely with the bore owner and other technical experts to reach a suitable outcome.
The grouting of the bore will impact the owner and three nearby residents who have previously used the bore for heating purposes.
Council is checking in with these residents today to see if they have alternative heating solutions in place and if not, what assistance we can provide while they get alternative heating sorted.
This is part of our duty of care to the community. We want to minimise disruption to those impacted by the event as much as possible, especially with the cold and wet weekend ahead of us.
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Media: Stuff/Waikato Times
Topic: Lake Road fumerole
Enquiry
Reporter sought an update on the Lake Road fumerole situation and requested a phone interview with the mayor
Response
Reporter was provided with the link to latest update HERE on Council’s website
Mayor Chadwick was able to do the interview and made the following key points:
- This was an issue with bore pipes rather than a natural geothermal feature erupting or a new natural geothermal feature popping up
- Bore is privately owned – RLC worked with the owners and experts in handling the situation and decision-making – incident was responded to quickly
- We’re also contacting those in the few (4) properties that were connected to the bore to see if they need any assistance in terms of alternative heating – Council sees that as part of its duty of care
- Council generally only gets involved in issues with private bores if there’s a public safety aspect as there was here with the fumerole appearing in the middle of the road
- All part of living in the middle of a live geothermal field
- Whenever we have a geothermal event here people immediately think we’ve got a new geyser or mud pool erupting and that it’s a sign of increasing geothermal activity
Incidents like these that happen from time to time are just part of living in this unique environment