SEPTEMBER MAHURU 2019
New faces fight vie a place around the council table by Louise Parry Nineteen candidates are vying for six citywide seats in our local election. Last week’s candidates’ meeting was dominated by those seeking these spots, with an impressive lineup of new and younger people putting their names forward to represent Hutt City residents around the council table and on the Eastbourne Community Board. The evening kicked off with each of the three mayoral candidates present outlining their intentions; a difficult task in just five minutes. Mai n c h a l l e nge r C amp b e l l B ar r y spoke about the need to improve transport and infrastructure, and to look after the environment. He said the council had been wrongly focussed on the “big end of town” and had given $29m in rates remissions and fee waivers to property developers, along with a $4m subsidy to a hotel in central Lower Hutt which is yet to be built, two years after it was due to be finished. A two-term councillor, Barry said the council needed to work with NZTA to secure funding for the rest of the Eastern Bays shared path. He supported the Cross Valley Link Road. He said the shared path had become a political issue in the campaign, and denied accusations by Phil Sprey that he knew about funding being withdrawn before that announcement was made public. “I heard it from the newspaper,” he told the meeting. "The mayor was sent this information 6-7 weeks ago. The only person he spoke to was Phil Sprey – that’s an insult to everyone in this community.” Following the meeting, Barry told The Eastbourne Herald he has had enough of false accusations, and that Ray Wallace had "sat on"
Young and hungry: This year's election has a crop of new and young potential councillors standing. Back: Joshua Joshua Peauafi, Simon Monrad, Gabriel Tupou, Brady Dyer, Josh Briggs and front Karen Yung and Campbell Barry.
a letter from NZTA about the funding change since August 12. It was publicly announced by HCC on September 10. "The bigger question is, what budget does council have for the rest of the path - there's a funding shortfall on council's side," Barry says. Mayoral contender David Smith said climate change was a major concern, and seawalls, waterborne taxis, all-terrain vehicles, and moveable houses and buildings should be considered to deal with the rising sea level. He supported the Cross Valley Link, and proposed a sustainability subsidy. Ray Wallace said under his leadership the
city had had “the biggest rejuvenation in this city’s history”. He said the council had maintained the lowest rates increases in the region, and that he was confident the pathway would get built, but that Melling was the first priority. He denied the $4m was a subsidy to the hotel developer, and said it was paid to the developer so council had control over the site of the hotel, and the money would be paid back once it was built. Continues Page 6