Waipā District Council has removed one of seven 70-yearold park benches in Te Awamutu and Districts War Memorial Park with an angle grinder before the park’s independent maintenance committee could finish restoring it.
The seat, installed by public subscription with the opening of the park in the early 1950s. was one of seven park maintenance committee members Marc Dawson and Peter Fletcher had spent $500 restoring in response to council plans to spend $58,000 replacing selected seating and rubbish bins in the park.
In last week’s lead story in The News council community services manager Brad Ward made it clear the plan to replace the70-year-old benches would continue.
Dawson said he was disappointed and shocked to discover a council contractor removing the metal piping of the last seat with a battery powered angle grinder when he returned restored wooden slats to the bench for installation on Thursday.
He understood council community services manager Brad Ward had given the order to remove the seat on health and safety grounds.
The committee had put cones around the piping to warn od tripping hazards.
Dawson has asked the council to rethink plans to invest in replacing selected seating and rubbish bins in the park, quoting the council’s reserve manual that allows the
council to review and change its plans if the situation changes in the park.
“I have yet to get a response from my request for a review under the Waipā District Council Reserves Manual section 1.2.3,”
Dawson said.
“The action of removing the seat frame seems doubly premature as it would be reasonable to expect a review response prior to the beginning of the next financial year for when removal and replacement was planned,” he said.
The removal of the seat left a concrete pad in the middle of the lawn which the committee has taped off to prevent people from tripping on it.
Dawson is a regular presenter
It’s plankety blank
in the public forum of the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board.
“I am disappointed, if that was a staff response,” said board chair Ange Holt.
Holt had recently warned Dawson his work would be for nothing, as council staff had made up their mind after herself complaining staff did not listen to community feedback.
“I fully understand that there is a process to be followed, and that Marc and Pete should not have done what they did, but they have made everything safe,” she said.
Holt said the outcomes of the council’s draft annual plan included community collaboration.
“For me I realise that’s a little bit hard to support, I suppose, if that’s how they are going to react.”
One of the objectives of the council’s draft financial strategy was achieving more together through partnerships and collaboration.
“From the community board perspective, I just found the lack flexibility frustrating. I feel we have a disconnect between the high-level plans and what is being delivered.”
Councillor Lou Brown, who sits on the community board with Bruce Thomas, was concerned to hear of the removal of the seat.
“I did not think we would get to this sort of stage,” he said. “We can’t have a them and us attitude. I think it’s very negative.”
Brown said he would be raising the situation with fellow councillors and staff.
Te Awamutu and Districts War Memorial Park historic seat restorers Marc Dawson, left, and Peter Fletcher with restored seat slats –planks with nowhere to go.
Seat debate
A Waipā District Council employee has advised two ratepayers that their time and effort and small amount of money restoring seven old seats at War Memorial Park has been in vain. The council would still spend $58,000 of ratepayer money replacing selected seats, including the restored ones, and rubbish bins.
Over the past few months with what I have been reading and hearing I gained the impression that it is council staff dictating or influencing how Waipā district should be run and that is perhaps upsetting some of our elected councillors and community board members. But maybe I am wrong.
After penning you the above letter relating to your story “Take your seat” (Te Awamutu News May 29) I thought I would walk down to the War Memorial Park to have a look at these restored seats for myself. What a good job these guys had done, but lo and behold I ascertained that as soon as your paper was published, council were down at the park and cut the steel supports of the next seat these men were going to work on and so no seat was there to be repaired.
This is not the behaviour one would expect
On the beat
from our council staff, surely.
Darryl
Nix
Te Awamutu
People who care
Many thanks to The News for enlightening us ratepayers on the recent happenings at the Memorial Gardens. Thank goodness for the practical people featured in your front page article who take an interest in these gardens and all that dwells within.
These folk are certainly worthwhile citizens and care not only for the gardens but also for the almost out of control spending of the present and previous councils. Enlighten us more please.
Janet Smith Te Pahu
Transparency
Andrew Bydder in “No More Smoke and Mirrors” (The News April 23) raises important concerns about the lack of transparency in local government, a matter that is not only evident in our own Waipā District Council but also across many councils throughout New Zealand. Local councils exist to manage regions
Can you be a cop?
This week I want to talk a little bit about my role as community liaison officer. Many of you see this column in the paper, but I'm lucky to work in a position that provides a lot of variety day to day.
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Work for me on any one day could include assisting with a neighbourhood issue, speaking to a community group, supporting a family harm victim, investigating crimes such as burglary or theft, attending a traffic crash or report of dangerous driving, engaging with government agencies, conducting a beat patrol through town or conducting vehicle stops. Being part of a smaller station, I am also sometimes involved in backing up other officers or conducting event policing or assisting in search warrant execution.
I am part of a prevention team that spans across Waikato West. The prevention team includes school and community officers, Youth Aid officers, other community liaison officers and Rural Support officers. Our team is overseen by a prevention sergeant and senior sergeant. All then fall under an area commander and district commander.
Prevention is as its name suggests all about education and support to try and prevent crime from occurring or continuing. Prevention can take a variety of different forms from beat (foot) patrols on the streets of our towns through to community engagement talks about crime prevention education, especially burglaries and scams
or putting support in place around family harm victims or youth offenders.
Having been working in the prevention space for seven years - five at Cambridge - it is something I find very rewarding. It is however just one area of policing and part of the enjoyment of policing as a career comes from the many varied roles that we can pursue. Between Cambridge and Te Awamutu stations, we have several different work groups. These include public safety teams (responding to 111 calls), road policing teams (strategic traffic , highway patrols and commercial vehicle safety), youth aid and criminal investigation branch staff (serious crime). In addition, we have police employees filling the vital role of helping the public via the public counters and providing support to other Police staff. If you are interested in finding out more about a career in the New Zealand police, there is plenty of information available for you.
Next week is Fieldays, a big event for our area. If you are attending, please be patient, plan your visit and allow time for travel and parking. Park and ride is a good option. Keep aware of personal security, lock your car, remember where you parked it and keep hold of wallets and cell phones. Every year we get reports of lost property.... and misplaced cars.
effectively and to provide essential services to their communities. However, their core responsibilities are increasingly being sidetracked by “pet projects” and initiatives that fall outside their primary purpose with little or no visibility or accountability.
While I fully support Andrew’s position, I believe it does not go far enough. Unfortunately, when residents request information from the Waipā District Council under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMA), much of the content is heavily redacted. With all due respect, the Council is not the GCSB or the New Zealand Police. There is no justifiable reason for such excessive secrecy from an organisation that is supposed to serve the residents and ratepayers of Waipā.
To be clear, I understand that some limitations must exist—particularly when it comes to personally identifiable information, staffrelated matters, and contracts that are still under negotiation. But beyond these specific and justifiable exceptions, the default approach should be full disclosure to residents and ratepayers, not just the “media”.
The residents and ratepayers of Waipā and indeed all of New Zealand deserve unfiltered access to the truth. Currently, too many meetings are held behind closed doors, and information is withheld, making it nearly impossible for the public to see the full picture. (Abridged)
Ian Hayton Cambridge Road names
Editor’s note – we have received considerable feedback to our question: what do you think? about the debate over road names in Waipā. Watch out for further coverage on this issue next week.
with Senior Constable DEB HANN
Briefs…
Web stats
Te Awamutu News readers
love a good pub story even if it’s about one on the other side of the Waipā district. Top story on teawamutunews. co.nz last month was the upcoming alcohol licensing hearing for Five Stags of Leamington, heading off Fieldays’ honour of life membership for Sir William Gallagher.
Rockquest
Cambridge High School duo Sahara have progresses to the video submissions round of the Smokefree Rockquest while Te Awamutu College’s No Point and Cambridge High band Versailles will play in the regional finals on June 14.
New book
Author Suzanne Miller will launch her e-book What If? What If? In Hamilton on June 20. The book is a novel about a person living with obsessive compulsive disorder and in part draws on the diary and experiences of her grandparents, including one who spent time at Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital in the 1940s.
School update
An application by Cambridge couple Ray and Maxine Nelson of Ignite Arts Academy for a charter school could be under consideration.
Deputy prime minister and associate education minister David Seymour told The News on Thursday a batch of applications were being decided. “I would love to see more charter schools in the Waikato, and I just have a funny feeling that I have heard that there might be some in the pipeline.”
New player in Waipā poll
By Mary Anne Gill
A political ticket is set to launch on the local government scene and eight candidates are all but confirmed to stand in three of the five Waipā wards.
Better Waipā will focus on key issues including road infrastructure, rates, core services, and a commitment to greater transparency.
Nominations for the October 11 election open in a month and close on August 1.
Good Local Media readers will elect Waikato Regional Councillors and depending on where they live, Waikato, Waipā, Ōtorohanga or Waitomo District councillors.
Community board positions will also be contested.
In Waipā, voters will elect a mayor at large and 11 councillors - four from Cambridge, three in Te
Awamutu-Kihikihi, two from Pirongia-Kakepuku and one each from Maungatautari and the Māori ward.
The party says it is still seeking candidates in Te Awamutu and the Māori ward.
The ticket will not field a mayoral candidate.
Spokesperson Andrew Bydder said current councillors Clare St Pierre and Mike Pettit would need to demonstrate to the group
that they are suitable for the mayoralty.
It would not support incumbent Susan O’Regan, he said.
Bydder, a Hamilton city councillor, announced in March he would seek reelection in the city and in Cambridge.
However, he told The News that if he secures enough strong candidates for Waipā, he may withdraw from the race to avoid potential distractions.
OPINION
“At this moment, it’s looking like I won’t have to stand,” he said.
The News is aware of six people on the ticket but only two – Bernard Westerbaan in Kihikihi and Hope Spooner in Cambridge –have publicly declared their candidacies.
Spooner was the organiser of last year’s Pass Wide and Slow awareness campaign ride through Cambridge.
The party wanted a ticket with candidates having the
Smart marketing for candidates
By Josh Moore
The 2025 local body elections are fast approaching, so candidates need to be planning how they’ll market themselves to their community. Running for local office is as much about visibility as it is about policy. So effective marketing is essential.
The Local Electoral Act 2001 sets strict limits on how much you can spend during your campaign. That means every dollar must work hard to build awareness and trust. People need to see your name and face multiple times in different ways before they will vote for you.
One of the easiest wins you can give yourself is getting a professional photo taken. Too many candidates last time opted for DIY pictures - some even submitted what looked like passport photos where they weren’t smiling! That doesn’t convey confidence or approachability. A professional headshot will go a long way to looking competent and trustworthy. Use it consistently across all your campaign material, including when submitting your nomination, as this is used in the official voting packs.
Social media will likely be part of your strategy, but keep in mind that unless you already have a strong following, posts won’t reach far organically. Running ads is the best way to increase reach - but there’s a catch. Facebook (and Instagram) have strict requirements for political advertising. You’ll need to go through an approval process that includes identity verification, page disclaimers, and other admin hurdles. It’s not something you can do last-minute, so start this process well in advance.
Don’t underestimate the value of local print newspapers. They remain highly trusted by many voters, particularly older demographics. Advertising in them can boost your visibility, especially if you manage to secure a front-page ad. These premium spots are limited and book out quickly, so get in early if you want to lock one in.
Traditional fence signs still play a big role in name recognition. Focus on placing them along high-traffic routes and think strategically - can someone encounter your signs three or four
sort of expertise needed to give staff better advice than what they were currently getting, said Bydder.
We say…
Think vote
We are now just over three months away from the Local Body elections.
times in a single trip across town? That kind of repetition sticks. Digital billboards are also useful and more affordable than traditional billboards. Again, book early.
The profile blurb in the voting packs is critical. When writing your blurb think, “Does my blurb present me as someone credible and trustworthy who can help tackle the issues people care most about?”
Finally, if you want to run for mayor, you should also have a website to share more about what you stand for, and link to from your social media ads. (This isn’t as crucial for councillor candidates, but it will help you stand out).
I recommend using Rocketspark for a cost-effective and easy website. Ultimately, you’re asking voters to trust you. A well-presented, wellplanned, professional campaign is important for earning that trust.
• Josh Moore is the Managing Director at Hamilton digital marketing agency Duoplus.
Voters will be invited to the polls from September 9 to October 11 to elect regional and district councillors and community board members.
Where general elections draw a turnout in the high 90 per cent bracket, local body politics has apparently become less significant to voters in recent years.
If the events of the current term doesn’t turn that trend around, we wonder what will.
The issue of rising rates, the latest versions of three waters, road works and ratepayer complaints aired through letters to the editor show just how significant local politics is in our lives.
The News will, as ever, be driving issues which you think are vital, asking questions and on the hustings.
Today on this page we look at the latest developments in the race for seats in Waipā and Josh Moore provides some sage advice to candidates, which we endorse.
Andrew Bydder
Susan O’Regan
Bernard Westerbaan Hope Spooner
Home guard and boar war
In spite of some difficulties, a successful season was reported at the annual meeting of the Te Awamutu Golf Club. Congratulations were extended to three members including Joe Sterritt who had reached the final of the Rotorua patriotic tournament which was one of the major events held in the North Island during the season.
There were thrills and spills at the Kihikihi speedway when the season’s opening motorcycle and midget car racing carnival was held. The large crowd enjoyed some exciting driving, Auckland riders being to the fore in most of the events. The midget cars on a fast track and novelty races created much enthusiasm.
A rather more sedate event at Kihikihi was the commencement of home nursing classes. The first lecture of a series was delivered by Mr Robinson in the supper room of the Town Hall. The initial attendance numbered 17 and consisted of eager trainees looking forward to future classes. There were to be 12 weekly lectures followed by oral, written and practical examinations.
The Ōhaupō unit of the Home Guard enjoyed a departure from its usual training when Sergeant-Major Thomas, with the aid of 20 Thompson automatic guns, gave a good insight into the working and handling of the weapons. The men were keen to learn about the combat weapon and closely observed a demonstration of fighting in a trench, from house to house and in a forest. The remainder of the meeting was led by
Sergeant-Major Holmes who gave his men a good working knowledge of the Lewis machine gun. The men were reluctant to go home proving that if the required material was available the Home Guard could be made into a keen fighting force.
A large boar, equipped with treacherous tusks, was dispatched by hunters on the Pirongia mountain slopes. A farmer had complained to hunters that the boar had destroyed sheep and lambs and had killed five pig dogs. The hunters, accompanied by several dogs, located the boar and a fierce fight between it and the dogs resulted. One dog was killed and another severely wounded before the boar was finally stopped.
The reduction of four rural delivery mail services from a daily delivery to thrice weekly in the Te Awamutu Postal district was announced. The alteration was made due of an official order that “every ounce of benzine must be saved.” The stopping and starting of the heavy lorries and buses on the runs significantly increased petrol consumption, and the thrice weekly service would eliminate a great deal of this.
The mail delivery days would now probably be Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but the final decision would not be made until the local butchers, bakers and other interested trades people had been consulted, as the aim was to eliminate any overlapping of the two services - all in the interests of benzine saving.
Inflation – not beaten yet
By Peter Nicholl
On May 28 the Reserve Bank of New Zealand reduced its Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 3.25 per cent.
Before the announcement, the bank got lots of advice from other people about what they should do.
Some said there were good reasons for leaving the OCR where it was.
These included that the inflation rate was still in upper part of the 1-3 per cent CPI target, the annual CPI had risen to 2.5 per cent from 2.2 per cent in March and inflation expectations, which the bank pays a lot of attention to, were also rising again.
I am not surprised that inflation espectations are rising again.
Take Waipā where I live. We are told our rates will rise by 15.5 per cent this year. Why should we expect overall inflation to be around two per cent?
An additional reason was that there was so much uncertainty around, it would be prudent to leave the OCR where it was in the hope that the fog of uncertainty might dissipate in the coming months. I agreed with the ‘advisors’ who took this cautious position.
There were a few people who said the Reserve Bank should be bold and move the OCR by 50 bp in order to help New Zealand’s strugglimg economic growth.
They seem to forget or ignore the fact that one of the first things the current government did after they were elected was to shift the target of the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy from a dual focus on inflation and growth to a single focus on inflation.
But most ‘advisors’ thought the bank should move by 25 bp – and that was what it did.
I find it interesting to compare the bank’s policy approach over the last six months compared to the US Federal Reserve. In December, 2024, the policy interest rate set both were the same.
Since then, the Fed has had three policy meetings and has left its official rate unchanged at all three.
The Reserve Bank has also had three policy meetings and has reduced the OCR at all of them: from 4.25 to 3.75 to 3.5 to 3.25 per cent.
Faced with similar inflation rates, inflation pressures and a high degree of uncertainty, the Fed and the Reserve Bank have taken very different policy approches.
I said in my February 13 column that a lesson learnt early in my policy-making career was that the worst thing for making private sector business decisions and for economic policy decisions was uncertainty.
There was never a time in my over 50 years of policy-making where there was anywhere near as much uncertainty about so many different things as there now.
An enterprising journalist counted how many times the Reserve Bank used the word uncertainty in last week’s Monetary Policy Statement – it was 164 in 62 pages.
Despite all this uncertainty, the bank still decided to lower their OCR. Is that bold, hopeful or foolish? I fear the answer will be foolish.
A Shade S olu tion for You
Case dropped
By Chris Gardner
Former Te Awamutu based Waipā posties Danny and Ian Kennedy have abandoned their damages claim for breach of contract against NZ Post.
The national postal service cancelled the couple’s contract to deliver “all mail and other items for delivery” in the RD3 Tamahere district in 2023 after they complained some mail was being delivered by another contractor.
The couple, who sold their Te Awamutu home and moved to the South Island last year, launched their damages claim after Justice Ian Gault said there were serious questions around the lawfulness of NZ Post’s termination notice.
The Kennedys were seeking damages for breach of contract and lost income.
Danny Kennedy declined to comment on their decision.
Pro Drive advocate Pete Gallagher who unsuccessfully sought a ministerial inquiry into the matter did comment.
“Perhaps the Minister does not truly appreciate how deeply embedded a culture of ‘denial, bluff, wastefulness and dishonesty’ is within NZ Post.
“Following the Minister’s directive, we met with senior NZ Post executives in November 2024. They were unprepared to answer any questions relative to the Kennedys, or to address wider issues of under remuneration and alleged misrepresentation, affecting multiple RD contractors throughout the Waikato and Taranaki, save for assurances that New Zealand Post ‘deeply valued its relationships with its business partners’.
“Ironically, this was said despite the fact that an earlier, independent
financial report, identified substantial remuneration shortfalls within NZ Post’s flawed payments model, which resulted in significant financial settlements for the Taranaki contractors. Nothing was paid to similarly affected Waikato RDs however, including the Kennedys. NZ Post had earlier said that it would not be adjusting its payments model in future, in order to more accurately remunerate RD Contractor’s costs.”
Taranaki-King Country National MP, Barbara Kuriger, who supported Gallagher’s call for a ministerial inquiry, said the news was disappointing.
“You really have to put up a good fight,” she said. “People get worn out, run out of money, I see it a lot. It gets too hard and too expensive. I just hope they are OK.”
Kuriger was also disappointed to hear the request for a ministerial inquiry had passed from State Owned Enterprises minister Paul Goldsmith to Chris Bishop and onto Simeon Brown before it was dismissed in favour of a NZ Post board review.
Last month Tamahere resident and Agbiz Consultants director Peter Nation complained mail thieves may be taking advantage of inconsistent delivery patterns in the RD3. Mail has been reported going missing since the Kennedys’ exclusive run was replaced by multiple vans which arrive at unpredictable times.
Nation, who shared photographs of mail theft in action with The News, said he had complained to NZ Post about the inconsistent delivery and the thefts and was told the contractor was only required to deliver daily and there was no set time or process.
Brigade steps out
Nineteen Te Awamutu volunteer fire brigade members have completed the latest Sky Tower Challenge to raise funds for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC).
The challenge involved climbing 1103 steps to the top of the tower while wearing full firefighting gear.
Their collective effort, which attracted more than 1100 firefighter participants, raised just over $19,000.
Since its inception in 2005, the challenge has raised more than $15 million to help support services for
individuals living with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers.
“For the Te Awamutu Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Sky Tower Challenge is more than a physical feat - it’s a vital part of their community engagement. Their continued participation underscores their commitment to helping New Zealand families impacted by blood cancer and supporting LBC’s life-saving work,” team captain Lisa Atkinson said. Brigade veteran Dave Shaw completed the climb in 11 minutes 12 seconds, earning
the fastest time within the brigade and topping his category overall.
First time climbers included Kayden Mackenzie-Griffin, Travis Elphinstone and Josh Orzecki.
The Te Awamutu team embraced the day with enthusiasm and pride, not only celebrating personal achievements but also strengthening the bonds that make their brigade so unique. Among the notable accomplishments: Scott Stapleton and Anna Alexander also topped their categories.
Top team – the Te Awamutu crew which conquered the Sky Tower.
Stormy skies, smart choices
By Janine Krippner
Last week a dramatic storm swept through Hamilton and it left its mark. One unlucky trampoline ended up tangled in powerlines, roofs were damaged, fences flattened, and some experiencing a power cut. This happened around the time an emergency alert popped up on my phone, but not for our region. A perfect reminder, really, that our weather doesn’t always follow the script.
We’re lucky to live in a land of incredible variety, with islands, mountains, and rapidly changing terrain, all surrounded by ocean. But with that natural beauty comes a price: complex, fast-moving weather systems.
That’s why it’s up to us to take personal responsibility for our safety. That starts with understanding the natural hazards we live with — including tornadoes — and what steps we need to take.
When I was living in the United States, I learned just how seriously they take tornadoes over there. “Tornado Alley” is practically a household term, and they’ve got a full-blown season for the things. But here in New Zealand, we tend to forget that we’re not immune.
Most of our tornadoes are short-lived, narrow — about 20 to 100 metres wide — and travel just a few kilometres before they run out of steam. They usually sit around EF0 to EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale (that’s the international measure for tornado intensity), with winds that can hit up to 180 km/h. That’s enough to throw around sheds, snap trees, and send trampolines sky-high. A tornado is confirmed and an EF rating assigned after the damage has been assessed. Survey information is compared to damage indicators and degrees of damage, which help estimate wind speeds.
Our most deadly and damaging tornado was also in Hamilton in 1948. It damaged or destroyed 163 buildings and 50 businesses, and three people lost their lives.
One house was even moved across the street. The estimated wind speeds reached 220 to 265 km/h, giving it an EF3 rating. So what should we look out for?
Tornadoes sometimes come with little or no official warning, so it’s helpful to know the signs: sudden heavy rain or hail, a dramatic shift in wind direction, and an eerie, roaring noise — like a freight train approaching.
Tornadic systems can produce low, dark clouds, flying debris, and lightning. You may also feel a pressure change, like when your ears pop.
This is not the time to grab your phone and head outside for a cheeky TikTok. If you suspect a tornado’s nearby, act fast. Get inside, and head to an interior room without windows — a hallway, wardrobe, or even a bathroom can work. Stay away from windows and doors, and if you’re outside definitely do not shelter under a bridge (that’s a myth borrowed from Hollywood — and a dangerous one).
It’s a great idea to take this opportunity to learn more. Head over to the Civil Defence website and look for the page “What to do during a storm.” NIWA’s website also has great info, including the New Zealand Historic Weather Events Catalogue — a fascinating record of our tornadic past. Stay safe out there, use your eyes and ears, and keep your trampolines tied down — they’re not meant to fly.
Growing christianity
By Luke East
Like much of the world, including myself, I’m sure many of the readers of this article will have been fascinated by the recent conclave in Rome.
What I found so beautiful about this process wasn’t the splendorous frescos, the ornate architecture or the pomp and ceremony - rather it was the fact that the sad passing of one man caused the world’s media, secular and otherwise, to discuss God, the Holy Spirit, service and duty in a respectful and unquestioning manner.
I think of how many people may never previously have had the chance to know God but through this coverage may have had the opportunity to come to Him. I also wonder just what this will mean for the ongoing resurgence of Christianity throughout the world.
The reality is that around the world and even here in Te Awamutu churches are growing, some are even needing overflow rooms.
In 2021, I interviewed Reverend Ron Bennett and Ray Miller about the Te Awamutu Presbyterian Centre, which opened earlier this year and is an example of a local church continuing to serve our community. In the same vein, last year The News reported that Waipa Christian School was looking to both expand its roll and potentially also start providing education all the way up to Year 10 as well. And on the morning of Easter Saturday, I joined members of the community who packed out three cinemas at the Regent to see ‘King of Kings’ - a new animated film about the life and ministry of Jesus, seen through the eyes of a child.
It had me, and I suspect many, moved to
tears. I believe the Holy Spirit is moving in our community.
Last month, I underwent my Confirmation ceremony, a sacrament dating back to the earliest days of the church whereby one makes a commitment to serve the church, the community and to live and love as Christ did. During the ceremony there is the laying on of hands. This of particular poignance because this may only be done by a bishop who, in the apostolic tradition, had hands laid upon him by his ecclesiastical forebears. This is a passing of the torch in many senses, and thus there is an unbroken line stretching right back to the apostles.
I think in this time of change, turmoil, and turbulence, following on from Covid-19, and in the midst of international conflicts, people are searching for meaning. They are searching for something that isn’t transient, something upon which they can centre themselves. They want hope and they are finding that in Jesus, the greatest hope of all.
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Sydney - we’re ready for you
By Mary Anne Gill
Ngāti Hauā held centre stage at the karakia for the new $7 million international terminal at Hamilton Airport this week.
Iwi representatives acknowledged the spiritual significance of the new building, removed tapu (restrictions) and dedicated the space ready for its full and proper use later this month.
The karakia was led by Te Raumako Karena and Joshua Wikiriwhi-Heta who were then accompanied by other iwi around the freshly-painted building which will house aviation security, customs, Ministry of Primary Industries and immigration staff along with support from police and health services.
Included in the celebration were contractors who completed the work with time to spare.
After a celebratory morning tea, new staff and airport officials met to discuss how the building would operate.
They were interrupted by a fire siren which led to the evacuation of everyone into the airport car park.
The News understands it
was set off by a contractor working too close to a fire alarm.
The terminal will open for business later this month when the Jetstar flight from Sydney, the first to the airport in 13 years, touches down. It will fly back across the Tasman the same day.
From then on, Jetstar will operate three return flights
per week between Hamilton Airport and the Gold Coast and four between the airport and Sydney.
Waikato Regional Airport Ltd chief executive Mark Morgan said the blessing acknowledged the hundreds of people who had contributed to a major regional project.
“It’s been a huge job delivered within a tight
timeframe. Not finishing it on time was simply not an option.”
Travellers have access to a new duty-free store and café.
Facilities also include a new domestic jet service lounge, which when required, can be entirely separated from international facilities.
car parks have also been developed, including ones for use by 60 new airportbased staff.
A further 300 additional
The terminal will be used by around 120,000 international passengers each year – the airport already handles around 360,000 domestic travellers - and estimates are it will pour $45 million per year into the regional economy.
Air New Zealand announced last month domestic jet flights between Hamilton and Christchurch will resume in September, marking the return of a domestic jet service after 25 years.
Jetstar is the fourth carrier to operate from Hamilton Airport, joining Air New Zealand, Sunair and Originair.
Ataria-Jay Tahapeehi, Julia Aramoana, Te Raumako Karena, Sonny Karena, Joshua Wikiriwhi-Heta, Norman Hill, Michael Wikiriwhi-Heta of Ngāti Haua at the airport blessing.
Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Leap ahead for Beattie Home
By Viv Posselt
Recent hospital-level upgrades at Ōtorohanga’s Beattie Home attracted significant interest last week when the complex opened its doors for a community open day.
The upgrades are the latest in a long-term strategy to boost capacity at the complex.
Olive Utiera, Beattie Home general manager, said the number of people aged 80 and over in the Ōtorohanga district was projected to quadruple in the next three years.
“From a strategic point of view, we have to look at what we can do to support that in our community, and these renovations are part of it.”
She outlined the developments of the home, which has been at the heart of the Ōtorohanga community for many years. It grew out
of the original maternity home which opened in 1952 on the same site.
After that closed in 1986 the town’s leaders saw an opportunity to create a place for the elderly, and Beattie Home, named after one of the town’s earliest doctors, was opened in 1988 with 27 beds.
In 2004, the Wilshier Centre was added, providing a residents’ activity lounge, and the Kowhai Wing with nine ensuite rooms was completed in 2016 to further extend care options. In 2021 the Papakāinga Homestead opened as a self-contained dementia care unit.
What was missing amid all those extensions were facilities that would enable residents to transition to hospital-level care within the complex when the need arose.
“We have been increasing the number of hospital-level
rooms equipped with a hoist, and have more to do,” said Utiera. “It means people here now have access to continuing care. In the past, they had to go elsewhere, which was upsetting for them. Now they can transfer to our hospital-level care without leaving Beattie.”
Last week’s tour showcased new hospitallevel rooms, as well as an upgraded nurses’ station with a secure, temperaturecontrolled drugs room, a bright new reception area, and two respite rooms which are being well used. Appropriate levels of care are available 24/7.
Business services leader Christine Fleming said the respite rooms were available at all levels of care.
“They are intended to give families a break from caring for their loved ones at home, be a place for their loved one if the family is going away, or a place of transition if someone has been discharged from hospital and is not ready to go home.”
All 59 beds across the complex’s different facilities are full, said Beattie Community Trust
chairperson Andra Neeley. “Some residents are transitioning from one area to another, and we have people on waiting lists for both rest home and dementia care.”
Among the stream of visitors taking hourly guided tours showcasing the new services was Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger. Visitors were shown the state-of-the-art, two-
chef commercial kitchen, which produces meals and teas completely in-house.
Facilities leader Janeanne Smith said the complex was now also offering a ‘meals on wheels’ type service that would either deliver within the Ōtorohanga radius or be available for collection by families further afield.
Neeley said there was considerable scope to extend that service.
Visitors also toured the complex’s secure gardens and outdoor areas, which are cared for by Friends of Beattie volunteers.
Trust members spoke to Kuriger about future plans for Beattie Home. Land has been secured, Neeley said, but a projected timeline would be dependent on accessing funding.
Beattie Home’s relationships leader Veronica ‘Vee’ van der Heyden speaks about the range of activities available for residents in the complex’s Wilshier Centre. Photo: Viv Posselt
From left, Beattie Community Trust leaders Stuart Gower and Andra Neeley, Taranaki-King Country MP Barbara Kuriger, and trust members Jocelyn Horsfall and John Millar discussed future extensions. Holding an initial draft of the plans is Beattie Home manager Olive Utiera.
Photo: Viv Posselt
Beattie caregivers Nikita Adams, left, and Tegan Tucker demonstrating the use of the hoist on 85kg ‘Merv’, who was on loan for the day from the Ōtorohanga fire brigade. Photo: Viv Posse
Country, and a kiss of rock...
By Viv Posselt
In a world that puts musicians into boxes according to genres, Te Awamutu’s Dan Cosgrove stands out like a platinum plectrum.
He is widely considered one of New Zealand’s top country guitarists, yet the chameleon-like muso is equally at home leading New Zealand’s premier AC/DC experience (he calls it NZ/DC) or painted up for a Kiwi cover of Gene Simmons’ Kiss hard rock band.
Cosgrove dropped his
new single ‘Changed Me’ last week; it reflects his country roots, or what he describes as ‘guitar-driven country rock’. But as much as his rich vocals and wailing steel guitar smack of true country, there is more to Cosgrove than meets the eye.
The former Hamilton Boy’s High student has a media arts degree in commercial music, and when not teaching music at the city’s Southall School –something he does four days a week – his home-based production studio is always busy. His DC Studio space
was born during Covid and is just big enough for him to record, mix and produce for musicians from around the country.
“Much as I love it all, and if I’m really honest with myself, I probably prefer the journey of producing … that’s where my passion lies,” he said.
His AC/DC and Kiss tribute bands are two of the four bands he plays with almost every weekend. The others are the DCP, or Dan Cosgrove Project, and the Che Orton Band. Orton is an award-winning Kiwi singer-songwriter and Nashville recording artist known for his Elvis tribute material - his was the first band Cosgrove joined professionally.
In his own right as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, Cosgrove has played with some big names. He and his equally talented and now Australia-based sister Hannah May de Villers opened for Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood in Wellington when Hannah was part of a duo called Mae Valley, and as part of another act, Cosgrove has opened for Kenny Rogers and Jody Direen.
Names aside, The
Tokoroa-born muso is as modest and chilled as a cool lager. He remembers starting music at around 10, largely because he was trying to keep up with Hannah. He taught himself to read music, learned keyboards, dabbled in drums and found his niche in the guitar.
He’s entered competitions and won a few, developed a real love for country music largely through performance
and has found life throws up a plethora of material for meaningful song-writing. He frequently works with other big names in Waikato, among them Rowdy’s Rose (Rosie and Blair Shaw) and James Ray and has played with Michael and Ashley Tipping. He has also worked with awardwinning country star, Kaylee Bell, and his band, the DCP, was part of the recent Country to Cambridge
concert held alongside this year’s Cambridge Autumn Festival.
While there is undoubtedly an inherited gene in there somewhere, Cosgrove and his sister both credit their vocal skills to renown New Zealand country music teacher Bettie Pratt, who died earlier this year.
“We both took singing lessons with her… she was great.”
Te Awamutu-based musician Dan Cosgrove, pictured in his home production studio, dropped a new single last week.
Photo: Viv Posselt
Dan Cosgrove, right, with fellow members of his Kiss tribute band, Mark Stoddart, Jeremy Badger and Kevin Ryan. Photo: supplied
Community asset available
By Jesse Wood
A new central asset - Te Awamutu Presbyterian Centre on Mutu St - is ready for the community to use Ministry leader and community worker Jamie Budd said the opening ceremony late last month was a huge success.
After 12 years in the pipeline, the debt-free $3.3 million project was completed in March.
The project was funded by gifts and pledges from parishioners, insurance money from the Ngāhinapōuri church fire, the sale of the parish manse and community donations including grants.
Once occupied by St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, the land now holds a new building to house the church congregation, meetings, seminars, events and counselling services.
“The heart of the project has always been to serve the community,” Budd said.
The event had plenty of community backing including the likes of National MP Barbara Kuriger and Waipā district mayor Susan O’Regan.
About 140 people were at the opening ceremony.
“Some came from all over the country because the
Kaimai presbytery office sent their representatives. Some of our funders and construction team attended and other local church leaders who were involved came too,” Budd said.
“It’s a centre for the community. It’s open and available for the community to utilise with multiple spaces available. They can hire either the whole complex or parts of it.
“We’ve already had a couple of funerals and there are groups that use the conference room on a regular basis. We’ve already had a lot of people come in and enquire about the complex and get quotes on hiring.
“We’ve also had a first birthday celebration in here, a baby dedication and Reverend Ron Bennett’s farewell.”
Budd said they’re excited to have a state-of-the-art facility for community use.
“We’re also trying to make sure that everybody has access to it. If you’re a family that wants something and you don’t have the means and the capacity, then we may be able to help you.,” he said.
“It’s been 10 years since the old building was demolished. This complex is the realisation of the dreams and visions coming to life. It has been phenomenal, with a lot of tears, a lot of excitement and a lot of joy. A few people who had been on the journey with us are now sadly, no longer here because they have passed away.
“But there’s just an air of excitement and the amount of people that have come in just for a look from off the
Nestled in a between existing homes, this little treasure is ready for your new home, with no covenants its ideal for that transportable home or a new build.
If you are ready to take that first step into the property market, wanting to land bank or looking to build an investment. Call Vayle to discuss how we can help.
It’s a clear flat site hidden behind the front fence. The section is approximately 407 m2 one of two divided off the original property and they are close to receiving titles. By the time you have you house or plans ready the titles will be through.
Contact Vayle to arrange a viewing.
Mightiest of the mighty
streets has been great.”
Although it’s the realisation of our dream, there’s now work to do.
Budd said the facility is for multiple generations. From the beginning of life to the end.
“We want the warmth of the welcome, that space where people feel welcomed to be here. You can have a nice building, but it can feel cold. It’s all about bringing people together. A gathering place,” he said.
“We don’t want to see anybody overlooked. If you have a need or you want to use a space or you want community, that’s what we’re here for. It’s the heart of what we do.
“It’s not just about the fancy building, but it’s what it can provide and what it can do for the community.”
The transtasman challenge for glory between the best 11 years old BMX riders was won on both fronts by the Aussies last month.
But there was a mighty story to tell about one of the the five riders selected – and who didn’t get to ride.
Te Awamutu’s Brock
O’Neill, selected as number two in the boys’ team, was badly injured in a training crash two weeks before the competition in what proved to be a storm-hit Lake Macquarie.
And it was only days before the depleted team of four headed off that he was given medical clearance to travel to watch.
He wanted to see how his club mates Baiden Prescott who was also selected after trials in Southland involving 21 riders, fared.
“This team is something every BMX rider in New Zealand strives to make and
club president Rodney Prescott said.
Tate Burdon also trialled for the team in Invercargill in March.
When Brock managed to get a clearance to fly “it was a massive boost for the team and great to have him there”.
The racing was hard and fast but in the end the Australian boys and girls teams both took wins and secured the trophies for another year.
Baiden said It was “awesome” to meet the Australian riders and make new friends and ride on different tracks.
“I can’t wait to get back there to ride again.”
The Te Awamutu BMX club will host the national champs next March.
Waipā District Council plans to sell Arthur Patterson Reserve in Te Awamutu. Photo: Chris Gardner.
Te Awamutu best mates Brock and Baiden dominated the trial to make it as the number 2 and 3 riders in the team,” Te Awamutu
The New Zealand team – from left - Jack Kelly , Capital BMX Club Ardie Kahukura, Kaitangata club, Baiden Prescott, Brock O’Neill and Jai Matene, Mountain Raiders.
Community Connect
June 5, 2025
Talking about our future, together
Over the past four weeks, it’s been a pleasure to get out across Waipā as part of our consultations on the draft 2025–2034 Long Term Plan and the future delivery of water services.
From Cambridge to Kihikihi and Te Awamutu, Pirongia to Ōhaupō, I’ve had the opportunity to speak to residents, business owners, community leaders, and newcomers to our district. Thank you to everyone who’s attended a meeting, asked a question, joined a webinar or had a chat with me, one of our Councillors, or Council staff. The conversations have been thoughtful and full of passion for our district’s future.
Water — how it’s managed, who delivers it, and what the future holds — has been front of mind for many. People want to be informed and involved in decisionmaking. Our focus is ensuring the outcome reflects the needs of our communities and is shaped by local voices.
Growth and affordability have also featured strongly. We are one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing districts, and as such we are required by the Government to plan for growth – it costs a lot and we can’t just turn it off! We have to borrow to meet these requirements, and there is sometimes a lag before we can recover the costs from developers. We have to make tough decisions and prioritise to ensure we can afford to do what’s needed in the future. Even with these challenges, it’s been incredibly heartening to hear from so many — especially those new to Waipā — who tell me how much they love living here. Whether it’s our parks and reserves, the libraries, the cycleways, sporting facilities, the vibrant town centres or the strong sense of community, there is genuine appreciation for what Waipā has to offer. What’s clear is that we all want what’s best for
Waipā. As kaitiaki [guardians] of this district, it’s our shared responsibility to ensure it stays a wonderful place to live, work, play and invest — now and for generations to come.
We need to hear what you think: your voice helps shape the future of Waipā. But it’s also important to acknowledge: we can’t do everything, and we can’t please everyone. That’s the reality of local government.
The decisions ahead of us are about laying foundations for tomorrow. Call it cathedral thinking, or mokopuna decisions — we must put our grandchildren and their children at the centre of our planning.
If you haven’t already, there’s still time to have your say. Together, we can build a district that is connected, resilient, and full of opportunity — a place we’re all proud to call home.
How to have your say
You have until 5pm, Monday, June 9
• Complete the online the submission form, visit waipadc.govt.nz/haveyoursay
• Email your submission to: haveyoursay@waipadc.govt.nz
• Bring the completed form into one of our service centres at 101 Bank Street, Te Awamutu or 23 Wilson Street, Cambridge.
• Post the completed form to Waipā District Council, Freepost 167662, Private Bag 2401, Te Awamutu, 3840
Make and Donate project named finalist in 2025 WasteMINZ awards
A hands-on Waipā District Council initiative teaching people how to make their own household cleaning products has landed a finalist spot in the 2025 WasteMINZ Awards.
The Make and Donate programme was nominated in the ‘best initiative to reduce waste or redesign products’ category. The annual awards celebrate innovation and impact in the waste, resource recovery and contaminated land sectors across Aotearoa.
Launched in mid-2024, the free workshops help people create affordable, sustainable alternatives to everyday cleaning products like washing powder, cleaning paste, bench spray, and dishwasher powder, using items they often already have at home.
Waste Minimisation Advisor Shelley Wilson said her team was proud to see the programme acknowledged at a national level alongside so many inspiring initiatives. “The recognition is really exciting for us,” she said.
The sessions are funded by the Central Government’s Waste Minimisation Levy and have been a hit with the community, with overwhelmingly positive feedback.
Winners of the 2025 WasteMINZ Awards will be announced at the official ceremony on Tuesday, June 10, in Christchurch.
Matariki events
Te Awamutu Museum Education and Research Centre are featuring a number of free family-friendly Matariki activities from Tuesday, June 3 to Monday, June 30 including:
• Colour and learn about each Matariki whetu (star)
• Make a Matariki lantern
• Play a Matariki memory game
• Create an interactive Matariki whetu
• Write a message on a whetu and put it on our Matariki constellation
Message from Susan O’Regan, Mayor of Waipā
CountryLife
Tankers power in
By Mary Anne Gill
Fonterra predicts fuel savings of 60 percent from six electric milk tankers the co-operative has on the road in time for the new season.
Infrastructure to support the tankers is in place at the dairy factories, including Hautapu plant in Cambridge.
Details were revealed at Fonterra’s annual meeting with neighbours last week when Environmental manager Jude van Bommel revealed the fleet decarbonisation would provide many environmental benefits.
The tankers are part of a $150 million in electrification projects across the North Island over the next 18 months. The move will take the equivalent of 6500 cars off the road. Each tanker can drive 75km on a single charge.
The e-tanker was trialled over two years at Waitoa near Morrinsville.
Other investments into electric boilers at Whareroa, Edgecumbe and Waitoa sites mark further steps in renewable energy supporting Fonterra’s sustainability targets while future-proofing operations.
Fonterra’s chief operating officer Anna Palairet said in a release the investments are a significant step for the co-operative’s future operations.
Hautapu had the last coal boiler in the North Island and it was turned off last year. The boiler has been fully converted to biomass and is firing on wooden pellets.
“Choosing the right energy solutions is about striking a balance between affordability, security of energy supply and reducing our environmental footprint, and the new electric boilers are crucial to navigating this challenge,” said Palairet.
“These electrification projects are at the heart of ensuring efficient operations with a reliable energy supply for our manufacturing sites and to support the long-term sustainability of our business. It also represents a commitment to our farmer owners that we are building a resilient, future-ready co-operative.”
Commissioning of Hautapu’s new $85 million wastewater treatment plant began in February with biological startup in April. The plant treats processing wastewater
and other wastewater streams through a tank, segregating it into several sections where microorganisms break down organic matter and reduce a range of contaminants including nitrogen and phosphorous.
The water either goes onto Hautapu’s management farms or, when weather conditions are too wet on the farms, through a final filtration for discharge into Waikato River.
Van Bommel produced samples of the treated water which attendees at the annual meeting were able to smell but not drink.
Fonterra is waiting on final resource consent
to discharge at a new point in the river from its original consent. The co-operative wants to release the treated water at the same point of the river as Waipā District Council, adjacent to the Te Awa Cycle Ride and the new St Peter’s residential development. Hautapu is expecting its first milk to the site on July 16. Biomass will be introduced into the wastewater treatment plant’s southern bioreactor in August, the biological treatment will be fine-tuned and there will be an iwi blessing in September. The plant should be fully operational by July next year.
One of the new electric tankers on its trial at Waitoa.
Photo: Supplied.
Fonterra principal environmental engineer Tom Bamford shows a section of Fonterra’s new Hautapu wastewater plant where commissioning is about to finish. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Rural Leases
You may be considering that you no longer want to farm your property but also don’t want to sell the land. A good solution here is to consider leasing your property.
A rural land lease is a legally binding agreement between a landowner and a tenant which allows the tenant to use the land for agricultural purposes, such as grazing, cropping, or horticulture, in exchange for rent. The duration, terms, and conditions of leases can vary, and leasing can be beneficial to both parties. Leasing provides an opportunity for young farmers to build an asset base without the costs of purchasing land and can enable farmers to continue to own the land and create a source of income from the land.
If you’ve decided a rural lease is what you are looking for, then the next step is to look at the market and the property to consider the land value, rental rates, productivity, profitability, and potential risks and opportunities.
Consultation with your farm advisor, lawyer and accountant can provide expert guidance and assistance on legal, financial, technical, or operational matters.
Before the lease is signed, it is important that the terms of the lease are reviewed and individualised to your property, as matters that are not covered could lead to disputes. Once signed, it is important to regularly review the lease to ensure that it is still fit for purpose.
If a rural lease is what you are looking for, please consult your solicitor to discuss further.
Lucy Sim
Plan change review begins
The Environment Court is likely to reconvene in September to review responses to its interim decision on regional council plans to improve water quality in the Waikato and Waipā rivers.
The Waikato Regional Council has until July 25 to the 376page decision released on Wednesday last week.
Waikato Regional Council Chief Executive Chris McLay said this was a complex plan change in development for 12 years, and time would be needed for staff to digest the interim decision and address the 35 directions of the court.
“The policies and rules are still not operative, but this interim decision takes the plan change one step closer. For farmers and growers, it means there’s no action required right
now until a final determination by the court,” McLay said. Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 is the first step in a planned 80-year journey to achieve rivers with improved water quality, that are safe for food gathering along their entire length and meet the requirements of Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato - Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River.
It is a change to the Waikato Regional Plan, developed with the community, to allow for the management of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment and bacteria in the Waikato and Waipā rivers.
A decisions version of the proposed plan change that considered 1100 individual submissions, was notified in April 2020 and subsequently
appealed by a number of parties. It is these appeals the Environment Court has made their interim decision on.
Meanwhile Federated Farmers has applauded the Government’s announcement of a comprehensive review of freshwater regulations.
"The previous Government’s freshwater rules were completely unworkable for farmers. In some cases, even if you converted a whole catchment to native forest, you still wouldn’t have achieved the bottom lines,” said Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst.
He said it was particularly welcoming that the Government wants a more balanced approach to Te Mana o Te Wai.
Under Te Mana o te Wai, the health and wellbeing of water is put ahead of all other considerations, including human health, and social, cultural and economic wellbeing. Hurst said that seemed “wildly imbalanced”.
Chris McLay
Peter Nation - led by example
By Roy Pilott
On the day the news became public, Peter Nation delighted in being able to share it with his wider family – but in particular one person who had been an inspiration to him throughout his life.
That was his dad – 95 year old Arnold Nation.
Because the dedication Peter Nation has brought to agriculture industry and governance – a contribution rewarded when he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit – can be traced back to a sheep and beef farm, and sawmill, in the Turakina Valley north west of Hunterville which his parents ran.
It was a fourth generation operation and involved seven families – a significant employer.
Arnold, self-taught, “he didn’t turn on power until he was 21” ran the operation while filling a host of roles in the community.
The family’s influence in the community was significant.
“When someone would ring and say we are building a new fire station or a new ambulance station – the family would cut the timber for nothing.
“Mum was heavily involved in politics so we would have meetings at home and big political celebrations ... she’d be baking for the pet day.
“That’s all relevant to me today – the boy from the valley,” Nation said.
But following his father’s lead did not equate to a career in farming or silviculture.
“Mum told me the heaviest thing I would lift would be a pen.”
So, the teenager fresh out of boarding at Wanganui Boys’ College – who had been charged with doing the staff wages at home
- opted for a career in banking.
At 17, Nation – who was born on Anzac Day (April 25) 1961 – was involved in Jaycees, he worked with a group to build a squash club –and he was attending Chamber of Commerce meetings. All the while, his day job involved 40 minutes each way up the valley to get to work.
Mum, Prue, died when Nation was 18, so was not there to celebrate his rapid rise through the ANZ banking ranks. He was one of their youngest managers nine years later in Waverley. At 30 he was a career banker, he had met his wife to be Ali – now an advisory partner with PKF Hamilton - and moves to Hamilton and the Coromandel Peninsula followed. A return to Hamilton came with a new direction – rural banking.
New Zealand Fieldays was one of his customers and he oversaw the approval for credit to build the first pavilion at Mystery Creek and also looked after sponsorship for Fieldays, eventually joining their board.
The rural links continued when he left banking after 26 years - a redundancy victim of the ANZ-National banks merger - to work for Gallaghers, becoming national sales manager.
In the early 1990s he became involved – and highly supportive – of new environmental awards which were presented at Hamilton’s Distinction Hotel. He saw some practises his father had introduced many years ago being replicated. Talks followed and it was suggested the award go national.
In 1993-94 he was instrumental in securing significant sponsorship packages for the awards. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are an integral part of the rural sector today – and the visionaries who set it up celebrated a 30th anniversary reunion
recently at Karāpiro.
He is also proud of the success of the Agribusiness in Schools programme which he was able to help through securing sponsorship from Gallaghers and Fieldays after the then St Paul’s Collegiate principal Grant Lander shared a vision with him.
“It’s one of those things that align with your values and your beliefs ... we’ve now got 100 schools teaching year 12 and 13 agribusiness and we’ve produced 3000 students. That’s another one of those pinch moments.”
Having worked in and around Fieldays for two decades, Nation was quick to express an interest when the chief executive’s job came up. He was selected from a pool of 67 applicants and after arriving in March 2016 oversaw a successful decade in the role as Fieldays negotiated the digital revolution and Covid.
His decided to retire to his Tamahere lifestyle block of 27 years last year – and spend more time with family.
He is Waikato Chamber of Commerce chair now and continues to fight the good fight for the rural community – most recently publicly taking on New Zealand Post over its rural delivery service changes.
His finger is still on the button of local issues, he is an avid follower of news – and reading newspapers – and is not short of an opinion on any issue. He will always be an influential ambassador for Fieldays.
“You don’t realise the shadow you cast,” he says of the chief executive role and the annual expo.
But a move into politics, locally or nationally, is certainly not on the cards.
He regards the abuse of local body politicians, particularly on social media as “sickening and disgusting”.
“There are different ways to get involved”. And there is no shortage of work to do at home – a thriving hydroponic set up in the greenhouse, lush lawns to mow, cutting firewood, making use of the big workshop and upstairs offices for he and his wife. Installing a lift is on the cards “when we get old”.
Of his award Nation says it’s for his family –wife Ali, and adult children Samantha and Thomas who have all worked voluntarily for Fieldays - and acknowledges being told “you give back”.
Just like his dad – who will be “so proud”.
The office at home is still in constant use for Peter Nation.
Fed leader is on the move
By Chris Gardner
Waikato Federated Farmers new president Phil Sherwood is taking the executive on the road.
Sherwood, 40, said the first executive meeting of his presidency would be held in the Waipā district coupled with an event to attract members.
“It’s part of the engagement process, taking our executive and going back to the region,” he said. The executive has met at the Waikato Farmers Trust building in Hamilton for decades, but the building’s recent sale has prompted a rethink.
Sherwood, who up until last season farmed two dairy herds of 500 cows supplying Open Country on two farms near Matamata, was just a few weeks into his new role when The News caught up with him at Farmers Trust building where he and fellow members were sorting through boxes of memorabilia.
It's too early to say where the presidential office will move to.
This season Sherwood is overseeing a 50/50 herd owner and share milker on one of his farms, and a contract milker on the other. Educated at Hinuera School and Matamata College,
Director) and Sue Macky BVSc. (dist.)
Sherwood was raised on the family farm and took up farming at 16 where, apart from a couple of short spells off farm, he has remained farming.
In Federated Farmers, he has served as dairy chair and vice president, before succeeding Keith Holmes as president.
Profitability is a key word frequently mentioned at Waikato Federated Farmers executive meetings.
“We need to be profitable, from not just a farming perspective but from a Waikato perspective. We need those industry groups like Beef and Lamb, Dairy NZ and the Foundation for Arable Research to be really championing that profit,” he said. “Profit will drive innovation.”
And he is waiting expectantly for the outcome of the government’s Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into banking competition.
“Banks have got their foot on the throats of some farmers,” he said.
“We feed into that rural economy, and I would like to think that they would take their foot of the throat of a few farmers trying to do the right thing.”
When it comes to rural advocacy, the issue at the
top of Sherwood’s list is the upcoming Waikato River catchment wide implementation of farm environment plans as part of Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One. Another issue dear to Sherwood’s heart is pest control. He advocates a holistic approach between farmers, the Department of Conservation, Operational Solutions for Primary Industries, and Waikato Regional Council to eliminate a siloed approach to the problem.
“The problem is that they all work in isolation to a common goal, and are not working collaboratively,” Sherwood said. “I would like to see how we can collaborate.”
Phil Sherwood
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Waipa District Council will close the following roads at the following periods to ordinary vehicular traffic for the NZ National Fieldays:
Roads:
Mystery Creek Road – from Gate 2 to Gate 5 and from Mellow Road to McEldownie Road
McEldownie Road – whole road
Date: Wednesday 11 June to Saturday 14 June 2025
Time: 5:45am to 11:00am and 1:00pm to 8:00pm
There will be no detours in place during the temporary road closure. Access for emergency vehicles will be permitted in the event of an emergency.
Steph O’Sullivan CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Notice of Proposed Reserve Revocation and Disposal
Section 24(2) Reserves Act 1977
Waipā District Council intends to notify the Department of Conservation under section 24(1)(b) of the Reserves Act 1977 that it considers that the following reserve should have its reserve status revoked to enable its disposal, as it is not required for its stated purpose: 50 Eden Avenue (Arthur Patterson Reserve), Lot 18 DPS 23182, held in Record of Title 447505 has an area of approximately 2,100m² and is a rear lot located on the southern fringe of Te Awamutu with direct access from Eden Avenue.
Any person affected by this proposal has the right to provide written notice of any objection to the proposal, including the grounds for that objection, any time before 6 July 2025 to Waipā District Council. Written objections should be addressed to: Reserve Revocation, Waipa District Council, 101 Banks Street, Te Awamutu. Attention: Property Projects Specialistinfo@waipadc.govt.nz
Wanted: Waikato Regional Field Advisor
Share your passion for the outdoors. Help to create, retain, and promote public access opportunities in the Waikato and Taupō region. Join Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, the Outdoor Access Commission. For more information and to apply, visit www.herengaanuku.govt.nz/vacancy Applications close June 18.
TE AWAMUTU OPEN HOMES
Pirongia Community Centre on Crozier Street
Te Awamutu Rotary Book Fair
A Farewell with Heart
Every life deserves a meaningful farewell. Our compassionate, professional, and dedicated team is here to help, offering care and understanding when it matters most. Call us anytime – we’re here for you.
