Councils Lame Excuses An Insult

Marie from Waikanae

The lack of respect shown to Waikanae residents regarding the closure of the recycling centre has reached new heights. Not only did they not bother to consult with the community before rushing it through, but the reasons given for the closure (and I use the term "reason" loosely) are seriously flawed. According to KCDC, it is inequitable for Waikanae to have a recycling centre when residents of Paekakariki don't have one and Waikanae residents can drive to Paraparaumu, which does have a recycling centre. One could equally argue that it is inequitable that Waikanae (now) doesn't have a recycling centre when Paraparaumu and Otaki do have one.
Taking this reasoning further, Paekakariki residents should pay for their own seawall. They don't need a beach as there is a perfectly good beach at Paraparaumu that they can drive to. Nor does Paraparaumu need the Te Newhanga Comunity centre when there is a perfectly good, and recently refurbished, hall around the corner they can use. Or perhaps Waikanae residents should refuse to pay their share of the maintenance of the Aquatic Centre, the Paraparaumu Library and Marine Gardens. Actually, they dont need an Aquatic centre either when there is a perfectly good beach at the end of the road.
It may not be the only thing that is at the end of the road for council. One thing we do have in Waikanae is an over-representation at the polling booth (and they cant take that away from us). We get out and vote, and we have much better memories than most people think.