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Tauranga leaders react after commission led by Anne Tolley appointed
3 Feb, 2021 06:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Tauranga s newly appointed city commissioners are highly skilled people who bring a diverse experience to a diverse city, says acting mayor Tina Salisbury. But the move to replace the city s councillors has one former councillor wondering when democracy will return.
The four-person commission was appointed by Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta on Tuesday.
Former long-serving East Coast MP Anne Tolley, 67, will chair the commission that replaces Tauranga s City councillors and will be joined by Tauranga locals Bill Wasley, 64, and Shadrach Rolleston, 47, as well as Aucklander Stephen Selwood, 64.
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.
$220k referendum on Māori wards likely as petition achieves numbers
29 Jan, 2021 02:10 AM
4 minutes to read
Concerned Citizens group member Ken Evans has been successful in gathering enough signatures to force a referendum on Māori wards. Photo / File
A petition aimed at overturning a decision to establish a Māori ward in Tauranga has gained the numbers it needs.
A referendum expected to cost ratepayers $220,000 is now expected to be held.
In August, Tauranga City Council voted 6-4 to establish a Māori ward before the next council election in 2022.
The petition sought to collect the support of 5 per cent of the 94,702 people on Tauranga s 2019 electoral roll to force a binding referendum on the issue, with the potential to overturn the council s decision.
Ridiculous : Plans to silence Pāpāmoa fire siren rebuked by thousands as petition begins
15 Jan, 2021 10:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Pāpāmoa fire station on Parton Rd. Photo / File Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller has joined thousands of others in petitioning the decision to recommend silencing the Pāpāmoa emergency fire siren at night and says anyone disturbed by it needs to get some earplugs .
But the local Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) boss says sometimes there are valid reasons and no one is at risk by the proposed move.
Muller s comments come after the Bay of Plenty Times this week revealed Fenz s plans to permanently silence the Pāpāmoa volunteer brigade s siren at night after a single complaint last year.