Request for Support – Dave Aid Benefit Concert
Tēnā koe
I’m writing to ask that you consider taking the opportunity to support my campaign to become elected to the Whakatane District Council in the local body elections in October this year.
I have been an enthusiastic participant in our democracy since me teenage years, speaking out, protesting, documenting historical protests with my camera, and being involved in the trade union movement in the 80s.
I formed a Photofinish and IT company in the 90’s and ran successful businesses as a company director until my retirement in 2022. I continue to own and operate a small business modifying guitars and guitar pedals.
I have never before been motivated to offer myself for any kind of election to office because I’ve always felt I can be more effective in other ways, but the issues facing us, and the circumstances of those issues, has forced me to rethink this.
Local governments all over Aotearoa face similar problems, so it’s hard for people blaming this on individuals. The problem is systemic.
A huge portion of local government problems come from inadequate funding from central government and its central government that makes demands on councils to carry out various tasks, often by legislation.
This underfunding of government requirements leads to ratepayers being lumbered with government ministers’ vanity projects.
This is the main thrust of my campaign – to get central government to fund their agendas to local councils.
My other main thrust of campaigning is to get some real support from council for the arts.
In Whakatane, in every discipline you can name, we punch above our weight in arts and culture.
Attacks to arts and culture are happening every day when we should be investing in people like this.
As part of my fundraising campaign, I am holding a benefit concert – DAVE AID
I’m asking you and very few others, to participate in this concert and help me get elected and change this.
I know that not everyone aligns politically, but I do believe we all share the same values that make a democracy and that is to have all ideas debated thoroughly.
This is especially true for large infrastructure and for the future that our mokopuna will enjoy, as our grandparents worked for out future when that was needed.
My benefit concert is going to be held in Whakatane at Mata Beer in late July or early August, after nominations open for the election.
Please give this invitation some thought and if you think I would be a good person to have around the decision-making table, please act on that and help make my contribution possible.
At the very least my hope is that despite the outcome of the election there will be a mature and respectful debate about the options that are available to ratepayers to effectively deal with the cost of living and how out local democracy is managed.
Thank you for reading my message.
Ngā mihi nui
