News in Brief
Merger on cards?
Don Good
Waikato Chamber of Commerce has ramped up calls for local body mergers saying rocketing rate rises and central government pressure is hitting ratepayers in the pocket.
The region’s 12 councils for 536,200 people was ludicrous, chief executive Don Good said.
He suggested amalgamations between Waipā, Waikato, Ōtorohanga, Waitomo and South Waikato should dominate election debates.
See: A ludicrous dozen
Nearly there
Nicky Chilcott’s wait for win number 700 as a driver continues after the late scratching of Hot Jessie from Race One at Cambridge Raceway on Monday. The 53-year-old trainer brought up 699 earlier this month at the raceway driving favourite Showtym Girl but missed out in Otaki despite having several horses on the grass track over two days.
Event cost
A request for the final cost – sources suggest it was close to $40,000 – of Waipā’s Party in the Park welcoming home Olympians and Paralympians on Victoria Square, Cambridge last month is being treated by the council as a Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA) request. The News made the request on January 8 –which gives the council 20 working days (February 7) to respond.
See: Friday the 13th ‘disaster’
Export call
Simon Bridges.
Waipā exporters can this year, at their own cost, join their Waikato and Auckland counterparts on overseas trade delegations led by Auckland chamber chief executive Simon Bridges. Delegations last year included Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters. Positive export prospects for dairying and farming make it a good opportunity, Waikato Chamber of Commerce says in its latest newsletter.
