Federated Farmers circulated the following set of questions to all candidates standing for the Timaru District Council. With around half of the expected votes already cast, the candidate responses will likely have little impact on the election outcome. However, it still represented an excellent opportunity to engage with one of the regions most outspoken and influential interest groups. The questions and my response are as follows:
The District’s Long Term Council Community Plan observes that the “Timaru economy is strongly influenced by its agricultural heritage.”
1) Do you believe that agriculture will continue as the dominant factor in the District’s economic wellbeing in the next 20 years? YES/NO
1A) If “Yes” what measures can the Council take to ensure that this industry remains viable in the District into the future?
There is no doubt that Agriculture will remain the powerhouse of the local economy over the next twenty years.
To ensure agriculture remains viable as a business we need to ensure that the District is performing similarly or better than other Districts throughout the Country.
We also need to ensure there is enabling infrastructure in place to support the agriculture industry and that the infrastructure is operating efficiently. Prime Port is an excellent example of an enabling infrastructure, with its break bulk, cold storage and container facilities all predominantly geared towards agricultural products. Although in recent times, Prime Port has been operating far from its promised efficiency. Many sizable investments have been made for the purpose of one customer, namely Fonterra, without tying that customer to term contracts. As a result the Port has been unable to pay a dividend to Council for two consecutive years and many staff have either been laid off or casualised. I will look to put Prime Port under tougher scrutiny.
1B) If “No” what factor do you see as being likely to contribute most significantly to the District’s economy, in the future?
N/A
In the past 5 years the rates for a typical residence in Timaru have risen by 22 per cent ABOVE the national CPI. This represents a considerable erosion of the discretionary spending power of a majority of the District’s citizens. (Figures taken from LTCCP and District Annual Plans 2005 – 2010). The (2009) LTCCP forecasts further rises of some 27.5% ABOVE the inflation rate over its term.
2) Given that national demographics indicate that almost one third of the District’s population will be over 65 years of age in 20 years time (with a predominant number reliant on national superannuation) and that a further high proportion of the District’s wage earners are restricted to income increments set approximately at CPI, do you believe that this is sustainable? YES/NO
2A) If “Yes”, please give reasons, explaining how the Council can offset the erosion of real income.
N/A
2B) If “No” how can Council reduce the rate of increases while still providing essential services?
Not only are rates going up at an extraordinary rate, but so too is Council debt. The Council’s total liabilities are forecast to grow from $58 million this year to $158 million by 2016. By 2016 the Council will have the 5th worst debt asset ratio of all 56 District Councils in the country. Coupled with this is the fact that the Council’s long term plan received an adverse opinion from the Office of the Auditor General because it wasn’t inflation adjusted.
Our sewers, waste water facilities, water treatment plants and many bridges are nearing their end of life. They require extensive maintenance or replacement. As a council, we cannot avoid increases in both rates and debt, but what we can avoid is extravagant spending.
The Aquatic Centre is an example of this. We need to look more closely at what other Councils are doing and we cannot afford to support initiatives that are out of proportion to what other Councils are spending.
Federated Farmers receives a number of complaints from members on the decline in the standard of upkeep of unsealed (rural) roads.
3) Do you believe that increasing investment in seal extension in the rural areas would be of long-term economic benefit to the District?
I haven’t seen any analysis around the cost and maintenance of metal versus sealed roads and would ask for such analysis before making a decision. One thing I do know is that the cost of road sealing is going to become increasingly expensive as the supply of petroleum based materials continues to come under pressure.
Ultimately I would base my decisions around roading surfaces on a business case as opposed to lobbying from interest groups.
Central Government has made a number of changes to Local Government structure in recent times (e.g. establishing the Auckland “Super city” and replacing Canterbury Regional Councillors with appointed Commissioners).
4) With these changes in mind, what is your vision for the future of local government in South Canterbury/Central South Island?
I am open to investigations and discussions around a Unitary Authority for the South Canterbury region. It’s important that we are able to review whether the structures of governance are working towards ensuring that the people of South Canterbury are both able to take part in and be guided by, good governance. Although I see it being of the upmost importance that the democratic rights of the people remains.
The removal of the ECan Councillors may be seen by some as a move in the right direction but it has been at a very high cost. We can’t afford to continually disenfranchise communities by stripping their democratic rights.
My vision is to ensure democracy is returned to South Canterbury and to seeing that both Regional and District Authorities are prepared to work together towards the best interests of the communities that they represent.
5) Do you support further development of water storage and irrigation schemes in South Canterbury, such as the proposed Hunter Downs scheme? YES/NO
5A) Please give reasons for your answer
Growing up on a dairy farm, I can appreciate how difficult farming can be and how weather patterns can have an enormous impact on the year to year viability of a farm.
To prosper, farmers need certainty and in South Canterbury one of the greatest certainties you can give a farmer is a water supply. But farmers also need to be aware that there is an existing natural environment that is totally dependent on a continued flow of water in our streams and rivers.
We are currently losing our biodiversity at an alarming rate throughout the Timaru District, due to increasing levels of farming intensification. I support the development of irrigation but only where it is done in collaboration with all stakeholders and where maintaining or increasing biodiversity in our natural waterways is promoted.
I have taken part in the Canterbury Water Strategy workshops and meetings and support the collaborative approach that the Strategy has taken.
6) Do you support the roll out of fibre optic broadband to the rural areas or should this be confined to the towns and cities?
Fibre optic cable is just one technology that can deliver broadband throughout the country. I think it’s important not to get tied down in the technology, but the end solution. A broadband connection could have many uses, from television and phone through to internet and future applications.
What broadband needs is to be robust, cost effective, and most importantly available. Robust broadband is already available to many centres throughout the country. Where it’s not available is in some outlying urban areas and many rural areas.
There are many applications where farmers would find a robust broadband connection invaluable, from simply being able to do the banking and paying the bills online through to stock auctions, finding product information, purchase of supplies, education, sharing of farming techniques, extensive weather forecasts and supplying on-farm information to the end buyer.
The extent to which broadband could be an enabling infrastructure to the Districts agriculture sector is largely quantifiable. Councils have an obligation to promote the use of broadband and many Councils have done extensive work in this area. If elected then I will do my bit to ensure that the Timaru District Council is amongst them.
I would like to thank Federated Farmers for taking an interest in the Local Government elections and for giving me the opportunity to respond to your questions.
Regards,
Andrew McMillan