12 OPINION
EDITORIAL
We can better spend $30m elsewhere WE SAY
GRACE PRIOR grace.prior@age.co.nz
O
ur mental health system is failing, and a decaying system has left many families stranded in relative poverty. We’re letting this happen while our council parades about with constructing a civic centre for the ages. I’m not sure if I’m alone in this thought or not, but I believe that the $30 odd million earmarked for a proposed civic centre in Masterton should be going into community support. Social Development Ministry data shows 2268 workingaged [18-64] Masterton residents received a benefit in 2020. The biggest portion, 790, were between the ages of 25 and 39. We have a silent epidemic going on in the background of this town. Some children are bound to be growing up in broken families, failing to get an education, and being sucked into a system of poverty they can’t always get out from. I say this because I’ve seen, met, and lived with people who have grown up in Masterton and have been in the prison system, which stemmed from their broken upbringing. This isn’t something I ever thought I’d experience, but it was eye-opening to how the world looks for someone who has had next to nothing their whole life. Masterton Council wants to spend a large amount of money on a civic centre when it could be helping its community in other, more meaningful ways. The argument shouldn’t be between keeping the old town hall or building a new facility – it should be about where priorities in spending lie. If anything, we need community facilities that are useful, better mental health support, and better education options. Build something for the community, sure, but make it useful. We could have a space that is accessible to all walks of life and provides support services they need. I just can’t fathom how we can care so much about what a $30m civic facility is going to look like while children are walking to school with no shoes and no food. Yes, there is support in place for families and communities, but it wouldn’t be a long shot to say that it isn’t enough. You know that “would you steal bread to feed your family?” age-old question? Well, I bet you that’s happening regularly for some people right around the corner. We act like we know what’s going on in our communities, but I don’t think we do. ‘Progress’ in the way of building something is nothing if parts of our community are still suffering. There is support out there, some from various government agencies, no doubt a bit from the council – but that is nowhere near enough. The troubles that lower-income families face are often inter-generational, much like some of our wealth. We seem to have been turning a bit of a blind eye to poverty in this country and allowing ourselves to forget because we just don’t see it. I’m not asking everyone to become Mother Teresa, but I think it makes a damn sight more sense investing in our people and their welfare before we invest in a building, so we look prettier.
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Thursday, July 1, 2021 Wairarapa Times-Age
LETTERS
Thanks for the incredible Wow, what an incredible five years of local ownership of the Times-Age. Until I opened the paper yesterday morning, I had not realised how things had gone full circle. I remember feeling devastated when circulation was removed from Masterton and people’s jobs were at risk. Thank you, Andrew Denholm for bringing things
back to Masterton and for the superb service to Wairarapa — up to date news items, reporting both sides of important events that affect so many people. I love the items on those whose lives can be changed for the better with help from all sources, some unexpected. Assistance has come for so many because of the stories
your staff have sourced. Congratulations to you all for a job well done. Special thanks to those who brave the weather in the dark of night to deliver my paper to the door. So much appreciated. Mrs P Palmer Masterton
Coverage appreciated
Congratulations on your fifth anniversary as a locally owned
Proper consultation In the past week, we’ve heard from Cr Tina Nixon, Mayor Lyn Patterson, and in Tuesday’s paper Teresa McClymont claiming in various states of know-allness that the people and groups opposing Masterton’s $30m civic centre project are dealing in misinformation and should be discounted as such. Those groups and people are dealing in no such thing. The thrust of what most of them are saying is simply that they would like further consultation done — it is widely agreed the consultation wasn’t done as well as it could have been. Cognitive somersaults were performed when less than 30 per cent of people wanted the new $30m project was somehow accounted to 51 per cent support. Even if you believe that nonsense, 51 per cent support in and of itself would suggest further consultation is needed for such a large project. The Times-Age survey, while not scientific, would suggest the support has been grossly overstated too. So, it strikes me that the real peddlers of misinformation on this topic are the aforementioned people who are howling “it’s all lies” to community-led action and democracy. Perhaps now would be a good time to suggest Patterson and Co take themselves to Farmers department store and address the glaring issue at hand by obtaining some new clothing. They might have to take Ross’ measurements with them though - I heard she’s not allowed back there for some reason. Geoff Brown Masterton
Resignation call
The small deeds of people often belie more meaning than intended. Given the immaturity and unprofessionalism shown by Masterton Council’s chief executive Kath Ross in ripping down posters critical of her brainchild $30 million civic centre, how sure can we be that councillors get the impartial advice and facts they need to
Civic centre sites considered by Masterton District Council in a 2019 report.
govern properly and which she is duty-bound to present? She could do the decent thing and resign. C’est la vie. Theus Goodwin Masterton
Shame on you
I cannot believe that the Masterton District Council chief executive Kath Ross had the cheek to take down posters that did not agree with her ideals. Shame on you. It’s no wonder the council is in disarray if that is how its administrative leader acts. Lorraine Burcher Masterton
CEO actions
Masterton Council’s chief executive [Kath Ross] is responsible for the smooth running of our town affairs, overseeing her staff, advising our elected council. Sadly, only the very naive would say that she has succeeded. Many questions need answering. Are contracts going to the appropriate contractors? Roading, for example, is a complete shambles and the car purchases — is it true that the council has bought two electric cars from a Wellington company rather than
supporting our local traders? And now she has made headlines in our local paper, having been caught on security cameras tearing opposition posters down. Is this person worthy of a salary in the hundreds of thousands? I think not. Time for a change — in many areas. Richard Dahlberg Masterton
Council decision-making
As you may be aware, I am opposed to the decision to construct a new Masterton civic centre, so-called. However, although I have a lot of respect for the paper, I was somewhat appalled by the headlines in Wednesday’s edition. I refer to the ‘Council boss revealed as a poster thief’. The action was, of course, not only silly but gives significant insight into how disregarding this person is of public opinion. However, it is the word ‘boss’ that concerns me. The person in question cannot be the boss of council. The council is a committee who look after the ratepayers of Masterton on their behalf. A poster in town also stated it was the ‘chief of council’.
