A rental agent sees people desperate to find a home coming to his office in tears and a property developer predicts Tauranga will run out of land to build houses on in the next two years.
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Māori wards petition in Tauranga could be meaningless if law passes
1 Feb, 2021 06:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Multimedia journalist
A petition to hold a public referendum on the introduction of Māori wards just reached the numbers it needed but could now be meaningless if a new law is rushed in. Yesterday Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced a law that allows local referendum to veto decisions by councils to establish Māori wards would be abolished.
The announcement came just days after a petition aimed at overturning a decision to establish a Māori ward in Tauranga gained the numbers it needed.
Western Bay of Plenty councillor Christina Humphreys resigns after humiliating experience, prompts byelection
28 Jan, 2021 05:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Christina Humphreys has resigned from her role as a Western Bay of Plenty District councillor after a tumultuous year. Photo / George Novak
A Western Bay of Plenty byelection will now be held to fill the role of outgoing councillor Christina Humphreys who describes her past 15 months in the role as a humiliating and depressing experience . Humphreys resigned on Wednesday, stating her health had become negatively affected by the stresses of the position.
Humphreys was elected in October 2019 after receiving 1686 votes for the Katikati Waihi Beach ward. She was elected alongside fellow councillors James Denyer (2255 votes) and Anne Henry (1491 votes).
Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor Garry Webber supported the move.
He said successive Tauranga City councils over the past decade had let the region down by failing to make the hard calls - namely increasing rates to fund growth - and this had affected the development of the whole region.
Western Bay and Tauranga City councils were part of a group called Smart Growth, which was designed to facilitate regional collaboration on housing, infrastructure and roading in the fast growing area.
But Webber said that had bought 20 years of planning with little action due to a lack of funding, partly due to insufficient rates revenue.