By Dexter, on October 10th, 2025 
Mayor Victor Luca campaigned at the 2022 election that he would lobby central Government for better funding of council infrastructure and then explains he left it up to Local Government New Zealand to do the lobbying. Brendan Horan, who campaigned and won a list seat for New Zealand First on their policies proclaims “anyone promising rates reform as an election tactic was selling a fantasy”. I find myself in the bizarre position of being slammed by people for promoting the very policies they support. . . . → Read More: Letter: Defending one’s self from attack
By DaveForCouncil, on October 8th, 2025
Ratepayers and local district councils suffer from an inefficient rates and infrastructure financing system. A paradigm shift in our thinking is required to prevent fixed income homeowners being forced out of their homes and stretching household budgets beyond limits for most of the rest. Several candidates vying for Whakatāne District Council suggest we should not be campaigning for recovery of GST on property rates since politicians have tried before and failed. Others suggest capping rates without alternative funding options, a user-pay approach that has bankrupted councils in the UK and Australia. I would like to share an example of a successful property rate valuation and financing system in California. . . . → Read More: Opinion: Ratepayers need a more efficient property rate and valuation system
By DaveForCouncil, on October 3rd, 2025 
Source Diane McCarthy PDF
REAL Rates Reform is upon us and the way to get is to make it an election issue in 2026
You can stand on the sideline and rubbish the idea, or you can roll up your sleeves and support the campaign to bring real relief to unaffordable rates.
Who’s side are . . . → Read More: Article: Candidate promises to focus on rates reform
By Dexter, on October 1st, 2025 
This campaign of lies and misinformation has found it’s way into the election campaign meetings now and the problem is that candidates have a limited time to address audiences with their policies and vision for a better Whakatāne, without having to correct politically motivated BS. . . . → Read More: Letter: Frustrating campaign of misinformation
By DaveForCouncil, on October 1st, 2025
Source Dave Stewart PDF
I feel I must respond to Keith Melville’s latest letter “GST refund not the answer” (Beacon, September 24).
Mr Melville has been vocal in claiming he wants the council to offer ratepayers a better deal but supports only candidates who offer very little in the way of substance.
Nationally, the local . . . → Read More: Opinion: Real reform required, not tinkering
By DaveForCouncil, on September 17th, 2025
Vote for Dave Stewart for Whakatāne / Ōhope Ward
Vote for Dave Stewart for Whakatāne / Ōhope Ward
1/. What makes me the best person to represent the Whakatāne / Ōhope ward?
You can’t keep politics out of politics, and I bring a lifetime of real-world political action, understanding and advocacy to the . . . → Read More: Vote For Dave Stewart
By DaveForCouncil, on September 15th, 2025 
Source 1News PDF
While the National led coalition government is busy telling local councils how to spend money, they’re spending $70 million doing exactly what they’re telling councils not to.
The Government has announced a $70 million investment package aimed at supercharging New Zealand’s events and tourism sectors, introducing new money to attract global . . . → Read More: Article: Govt unveils $70m fund to lure global acts, support major events
By DaveForCouncil, on September 9th, 2025
Source Charlie Mitchell PDF
ANALYSIS: The price of clean water will not be shared evenly. As councils plan to pump $50 billion into water infrastructure over the coming decade, some households face paying thousands of dollars more per year, while others escape with only modest rises.
The figures, revealed in council plans submitted to . . . → Read More: Article: The great water divide: Winners, losers, and the price households will pay
By DaveForCouncil, on September 7th, 2025
A central criticism he made of New Zealand was the erosion of Parliamentary processes by successive governments – particularly the use of urgency for passing legislation, by which normal processes scrutinising bills are skipped. “If you want to process a great deal of legislation, the Parliament’s not sitting enough to deal with it,” said Palmer, noting that drafting legislation effectively was time-consuming and difficult. . . . → Read More: Article: Former PM Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s stark warning about NZ’s democracy
By DaveForCouncil, on September 5th, 2025
Source Diane McCarthy PDF
OVERSEERS: MC Rob Meharry and timekeeper Murray Orr at the Matatā Residents Association Meet the Candidates event.
The support amongst the Matatā community for a sewerage scheme was loud and clear at a Meet the Candidates event organised by Matatā Residents’ Association.
The Matatā Rugby Club was filled to . . . → Read More: Article: Wastewater still an election issue for Matatā
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