By Dexter, on October 25th, 2024 
Oct 25, 2024 I took the liberty of asking to see the minutes of the meeting where the master plan was approved and found that, along with a new toilet, we are getting new lights, improved pedestrian access, better facilities for disabled ratepayers, more cohesion with the RSA next door for our memorial services, lighting and improved ability to run night-time community events and a host of other enrichments which, as is now customary, were left out of the rants by the negativity brigade. . . . → Read More: Opinion: Two sides to every story
By Dexter, on October 16th, 2024
Oct 16, 2024 WHEN anyone disagrees with WAG, there’s a pile on in the Beacon letters until they give up and shut up. I’m thankful that Dave Stewart has not been bullied into silence as well. There’s more than a few of us who are also sick of WAG’s constant grumbling, negativity and disinformation, and who are pleased to see his comments published in the Beacon. . . . → Read More: Letter: Some oldies support investment in the future
By Dexter, on October 11th, 2024
Oct 11, 2024 My concerns about WAG’s negativity is that it risks hiding the costs and outcomes that are the alternatives, as we discovered after the post-election euphoria of the cancellation of the previous government’s water reforms – a $440,000,000 ratepayer bill. This concerns the risk of the support WAG have given to central Government’s attacks on local democracy under the banner of “local government reform” without knowing what it will look like. We only need to ask the good folk of Dunedin with the huge protests over the hospital cancellation or Wairarapa, with the eye watering hike in user pays road tolls, to see how badly that can turn out. . . . → Read More: Letter: Whakatane Action Group should be open to other people’s views
By Dexter, on September 13th, 2024
Sep 13, 2024 I am disappointed but not surprised that WAG does not see itself as having to offer alternatives to the programmes they criticise because, as we all know, criticising someone or something is easy. Alternatives are harder. And we do all acknowledge that there is a lot the council could do better. As my opinion piece pointed out, banging on about something you don’t like without clearly laying out the alternative has led us to face a $440,000,000 bill as the alternative to the old Three Waters legislation. I thank WAG for owning their support for this alternative. . . . → Read More: Letter: Easy to criticise, not so easy to offer alternatives
By Dexter, on August 30th, 2024
Aug 30, 2024 Whakatane Action Group are using rhetoric that suits their argument but is at odds with the truth. This is becoming a concerning habit, especially around a democratic process. . . . → Read More: Enough negativity, where are the alternatives
By Dexter, on July 12th, 2024
Jul 12, 2024 As part of the protest group Postpone The Tax Cuts, we met with Ms Kirkpatrick on May 3 this year and conveyed to her our concerns about the amount of borrowing that the National-led Coalition government would need to undertake to finance this budget. We were told to wait until the budget came out and then see if our concerns were valid. Well, it turns out Finance Minister Nicola Willis will need to borrow $28.7 billion over the next four years. That’s up by $22 billion from the $6.5 billion forecast just before Christmas that sent financial experts across the political spectrum calling on the Government to postpone the tax cuts. The tax cuts themselves will cost Ms Willis $14.7 billion. . . . → Read More: Letter: Not a budget for all New Zealanders
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