Choices, choices, choices

Tararua District Council is holding a bye-election to replace a Northern Ward councillor who has worked out 12 months in that she can't handle the workload with other external commitments.

For those that do not know, Tararua is the bit between Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay. Commonly lumped in with Central/Southern HB, Wairarapa or even the Manawatu depending which part of the district you come from before the 1989 local body amalgamation. Yes, locals round these parts have bloody long memories.

Mount Bruce in the south to Norsewood in the north. From the hills in the west to the Pacific Ocean out east. Dannevirke, Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna are the big towns. When you come through the Manawatu Gorge from Palmerston North, you enter Tararua. Total population is somewhere just under 20K. Agriculture/rural all the way.


On offer are 9 candidates, 4 female, 5 male. Normally that by itself would reduce my list to 5 candidates, but I'll give them a fair go.


Candidate 1. 'As there is currently only one woman councillor, I have put my name forward hoping to redress this'. I note that she does not carry almagamation 'baggage' being a relative newcomer.

Wants to push wimmin's affairs by the sound of that. A definite no for me.


Candidate 2. Ex Massey student, has sucked off another council teat for some time. A Healthy Lifestyle Co-ordinator whatever that is. Arts and sports are her forte. 'I could bring fresh and innovative ideas that would benefit the community'.

Sounds like a CV for a social engineer to me. Another no. Last thing I need is more Liarbourites infesting local councils plaguing me with 'innovative' socialist ideology.


Candidate 3. Been here a long time. Has run a local business and is active in the local community.

Possible.


Candidate 4. Kipper import in recent times. Has had extensive miltary, farming and business experience. Both locally and international. Lists the reasons why he is standing. All good things like keeping rates low and on top of RMA. Pushing new businesses and agriculture.

My kind of man.


Candidate 5. Been here a long time, active member of community. Wants more transparency and accountability from council. Don't we all? Just what did those buggers spend my rates on last year apart from paving the Dannevegas main drag with gold plated pavers? I notice the council has already dug up the 2 month old SH2 road sealing in numerous places.

Possible.


Candidate 6. Was at the recently closed Oringi meat works for almost 3 decades. Been here a long time, active member of community. Was the Prez of Unions at said works.

Union man, need I say any more after my recent post?


Candidate 7. More letters after her name than you can shake a stick at. A teacher of sorts and a founding member of the local Maori Party branch. Wants to 'Create Opportunities'. I note she attends Anzac parades. Whoop de doo.

A definite no to that. She won't be invited to take 'opportunities' with my rates.


Candidate 8. Strongly involved in iwi community. Has extensive directorship experience. Wants to see ratepayers get better value for money and protect the environment/water resource. I take that as charging rent for water like down at Lake Ellesmere on the mainland.

Probably more effective continuing the wide ranging directorships on various multiple organisations.


Candidate 9. Ex local returned. Usual wishy-washy platitudes for my vote. Nice pavers, but need to concentrate on basics. Damned right.

Possible.


So many offerings, many are defeated by their on paper presentation. There is only two of them I have actually ever clapped eyes on. None of them apart from a poorly presented piece of junk mail A4 have ever shown their face round these parts.

I've made my choice and posted it. Have you?