Ashburton candidates plead their case
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Pot holes, second bridge, and rates.
There were no surprises in what the big three topics for discussion were at the Ashburton Citizens Association’s meet the candidates on Sunday.
The Mayoral, Ashburton ward and Environment Canterbury candidates all had three minutes to pitch their case to the crowd of over 200 before the floor was opened to question time.
At times it felt less like a job interview for the candidates than a complaints session, with sitting mayor Neil Brown having to front up with answers and explanations, with his opponent, Jeff Swindley, unable to attend.
Most candidates touched on pot holes and the state of the roads being a key concern, but few solutions were put forward.
Carol Johns said an option of deferring non-essential projects, such as the Baring Square East upgrade, could free up money for roading repairs.
Former councillor Russell Ellis said the state of the roads were something every candidate would strive to get better “but it is a very difficult task and one that frustrates us all”.
Keeping rates rises in check was also a common thread but was often followed with potential new projects.
Not surprisingly, the need for a second urban bridge was also a hot topic.
Council candidate Bev Skates didn’t hold back, saying the council was “pussy footing” around the second bridge issue and we shouldn’t be “begging for money” to build it.
Skates also railed against rate rises but later reeled off a list of projects she believed the council should undertake, including a trampoline arena. But none of her ideas included more funding for our roads, to which a member of the crowd questioned “where does this fit with your rates reduction?”.
David Stewart asked the candidates to pronounce the new name for the council’s new library and civic centre - Te Pātaka a kā Tuhituhi and Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka.
“Wouldn’t Ashburton be a lot simpler than the name you have got now, which is about 50 letters long?,” Stewart asked.
The question received laughter and applause and was handled with aplomb by existing councillor Leen Braam, saying the name was a gift from Arowhenua and if people don’t like it they could just call it the library and civic centre.
The fireworks were set off by retiring councillor Stuart Wilson, a member of the audience, calling out ECan candidate Peter Trolove’s claims around nitrates as “rubbish”, with the two verbally sparring over the issue.
Other questions included what candidates plan to do to increase accessibility, how the UN agenda 2030 impacted candidates' decision making, and Māori wards.
The only time Tony Todd spoke after his introduction was to criticise co-governance, which he said was “totally undemocratic”.
Co-governance is the Crown meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and giving Māori seats around the decision-making table, and is about governance not ownership.
Phill Hooper was asked about the increasing use of te reo and said it is a beautiful language. He also agreed with Act leader David Seymour that it was a shame it was being “forced’’ upon some people and should happen organically.
Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.2% Yes
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49.8% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Here's Friday's Fizzler!
I can be written, I can be spoken, I can be exposed, I can be broken. What am I?
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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