LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS
WHATEVER YOUR OPINION – WHATEVER YOUR CONCERNS – WHATEVER YOUR ISSUES – EXERCISE YOUR DEMOCARACTIC RIGHTS AND VOTE – IF YOU DON'T TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT, THEY DO WHATEVER THEY WANT!!
THE CANDIDATES
What caught my eye when reading all the candidates profiles were the ones that said they would:
Involve youth
involve the community
give community a voice
community focus
collaborate with community
fresh ideas and fresh thinking
be connected to a multicultural community
safe community in which to grow our children
climate change issues to be addressed
fresh water usage and preservation to be addressed
the planting of fruiting trees
recycling
reviewing the Library
mental health facilities
social housing
These were the words that spoke to me, that tell me that to some candidates, people matter, that our concerns are valid, and that wide community engagement is still seen by some as an essential in a vibrant democaracy. My hope is they come true. My greatest fear is same old, same old.
It is possible to balance regional issues, infrastructural issues, financial issues, with people issues, to listen to those of us who live here, pay our rates here and have to live with the consequences of decisions made without proper community involvement or consensus.
COUNCILLORS - Chris Carson – Blair Griffith – Paul Lambert – Glenn MacArthur – Dave Wheeler – along with the for now Mayor and a few of the new aspirant candidates.
All of them have very narrow field of focus - all about number crunching, growing the ratepayer base (more sub divisions) but not growing the infrastructural services needed to accommodate that level of populaton growth, inappropriate badly thougght out cost cutting and non involvement with ratepayers or citizens who elect them and who they are supposed to serve.
We need a better balance of Governance vs Operational going forward and not grow Upper Hutt in a way that punishes those of us that already live here, many of whose families have lived here for generations and laid the foundations of out city, whose hearts are here as well as our homes.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.9% Critical thinking
-
29.6% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.8% Other - I will share below!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Loading…
