Letters to Editor
Māori wards
Three candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for mayor in the Waipa District council elections. Each one of them, according to their manifesto, supports Māori wards. Really?
So are we to believe each candidate is ok with voting someone onto the council because of their race? When did we begin to stoop so low as a country that we think it is ok to treat certain sectors differently to others? We are slowly but surely departing from the true meaning of democracy where everyone is treated equally and has the same rights and duties.
Do the candidates truly believe their thinking on this? Or is it possible they have the same affliction as a growing number of New Zealanders who have either lost their tongue and are too afraid to speak out against this growing trend or worse, been brainwashed by the current ‘flavour of the month’ jargon used to justify it? Terms such as addressing the inequities, inequalities, having a place at the table, inclusion to name a few – all designed to trick the foolhardy into accepting a law that only serves to separate, segregate, and divide New Zealand.
I applaud David Seymour and the ACT Party for having the guts to bring this matter to the point of referendum. It forces a clear choice: either endorse representation by race or defend equal citizenship for every voter. A ‘yes’ vote institutionalises division and weakens the principle that public office should be won on merit and ideas, not race. A ‘no’ vote rejects racial preference and preserves democratic equality, where every voice carries the same weight. Which will you choose?
Gwynneth Purdie
Te Awamutu
Letters to Editor
Funding plea
As the seasons change so does our view of the town and countryside. Blossoms and bulbs aplenty to see and admire. They quite brighten our lives from the dullness of winter. Waipā Parks and reserves people from council have been busy with the town gardens, which look splendid, a great variety of colours. I make a plea to those chosen to sit around the council table to give thought and consideration to allow funding to go to i-Site. It is as vital to our town as the well-stocked and staffed library and both are appreciated.
Janet Smith
Te Pahu
Better or bankrupt?
As a retired Chartered Accountant, in my lifetime there have been two Prime Ministers, one National and one Labour, that had they carried on in office we would have seen Central Government heading towards bankruptcy, in other words, living beyond its means.
On the local scene in Waipā we are heading towards the same problem; if the rate ratio of debt to income continues the way it is now then by 2029 Waipā would reach its allowable debt ceiling, an equivalent to you and I having a 100 per cent mortgage and no longer having ownership of our home.
We need a council to have the financial knowledge and experience to arrest future rate increases greater than 15.5 per cent and decrease this increasing debt. The 2025-26 15.5 per cent rate rise in Waipā is the third highest in the country, whereas Whanganui, having realised their problem, has corrected their position, resulting in a 2.2 per cent increase, the lowest in the country.
So we need a high rate of voting and ensuring that we get the right councillors to tackle this serious problem and enable Waipa to move on with the region’s social and environmental issues and needs.
Peter Vonlanthen
Te Awamutu
