Sustainable Waikato questionnaire to Waikato Regional Council candidates 2013
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sustainablewaikato.org.nz
WRC candidate name: John Paenga Ngā Hau e Whā Electorate
1.
What do you think are the top three challenges facing the Waikato region that WRC could
influence over the next five to ten years?
1) Funding: Government priorities and where the Government see the Waikato Region within their
funding priorities, accessing funding sources for the Waikato Regional Council and of course
ratepayer funding. The Waikato Regional Council will influence all these factors. 2) The population
demographic within the Waikato Regional Council is an aging population. The Māori demographic
is 65% of the Māori are below the age of 35. How or what does the Waikato Regional Council
support this demographic? What does this mean in terms of employment, volunteers, or
sustainability of projects currently underway? With an aging population is there successions plans
in place from environmental organisations to fill the gap that will be left with a retiring population?
Is the current environmental workforce going to maintain sustainability for the future? 3) Ensuring
the sustainability of the two newly created Māori Representative seats on Council.
2.
What are your views on the proposed changes to the RMA, particularly with respect to the
changes to Sections 6 and 7, and what do you think they will mean for (a) Regional Council
operations, and (b) the environment?
In its current form sections 6 and 7 allow sewerage to dumped in to the sea damaging the
preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment of Whaingaroa. In its current form
sections 6 and 7 allow the continued degrading of the Waikato River destroying the relationship of
Iwi, hapū and whānau, with their Tipuna Awa. Change is good if the two examples I have
mentioned are changed for the better to allow operations to protect the environment which is the
purpose of the RMA. Regardless of changes to sections 6 and 7, section 8 is a further protection
under the Treaty of Waitangi, that is also being overlooked operationally and as an environmental
protection tool.
3.
What are the main issues for protecting biodiversity within the Waikato region, and how can
WRC best address them?
The continued loss of natural habitats and ecosystems. The challenge for Waikato Regional Council
is to educate or promote our natural habitats and ecosystems and instill in all the values that are
seen in growing our Kiwi, the silver fern and koru. You would think that the RMA might be a major
player here but seriously. It comes back to the economic development puts people in better
decision making spaces in regard to their own competing interests; family wellbeing versus
biodiversity. You can put a price on businesses but you can’t put a price on the wellbeing of your
family.
4.
What are the main contributors to the loss or degradation of high quality soils in the Waikato
region, and how could WRC more effectively minimise the problem?
People their practices and economics. I think it would be incorrect to target any particular practice.
The spectrum is wide, the use of plastic, the incentives for carbon credits which might be currently
viewed as a negative incentive, forestry practices, farming practices and individual choices, how
much plastic continues to go out of supermarkets, the money cost of being environmentally
friendly. How can the Waikato Regional Council minimize this? Keep doing what that are already
doing; education and research. Supporting organizations/groups who are leaders in making betters
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Sustainable Waikato questionnaire to Waikato Regional Council candidates 2013
choices. Businesses growing the economy utilsing proven economical models that are not always
environmentally friendly might benefit from research.
5.
What are the priority freshwater issues in the Waikato region, and what do you think WRC needs
to do to address them more effectively?
Tangata whenua relationships with the Rivers, and the Sea. The pollution of waterways is a concern
for Māori and Māori social, cultural and economic wellbeing and development. I think that the
Waikato Regional Council
6.
What are the priority coastal marine issues in the Waikato region, and what do you think WRC
needs to do to address them more effectively?
Sewerage discharge in to the sea is polluting the sea. Stop polluting the sea and the marine life will
return. Stop polluting the sea and social, cultural and economic wellbeing will put today’s
generation in a better space with better social, cultural and economic wellbeing for tomorrow’s
generation. Land based solutions that need to be negotiated. This however may take more
collaboration with a wider range of decision making stakeholders including government.
Stakeholders that Waikato Regional Council already have relationships with. So not reinventing the
wheel but more using existing relationships to their fullest potential.
7.
What do you see as the priorities for transportation in the Waikato region over the next five to
ten years, and how could WRC bring about transportation improvements?
Catering to an aging population. What does this mean in terms of public transport and roading
developments? Is the highway development to Auckland older age friendly or does this just ease
traffic congestion. Independence has come to mean a lot for our aging population how is this
reflective in transportation priorities?
8.
How do you think WRC can best assist community groups and individuals who undertake
environmental initiatives?
Continue to provide funding if it’s in the policies, provide mentoring through Waikato Regional
Council networks, provide research, do research, and promote success. Things I am sure Waikato
Regional Council are already doing.
9.
What can WRC do to support businesses, schools, families and individuals to make more
sustainable choices?
Research is one key to this. However research needs to be community driven and not researcher
driven. The research project needs to be more action research driven than the outputs or
outcomes of a contract driven project.
10. What have been your most significant contributions to enhancing environmental, social, cultural
and/or economic wellbeing in the Waikato region?
I believe that the Treaty of Waitangi is a positive template for developing and sustaining
relationships within Bi-cultural and Multi-cultural views. I have a Bachelor Degree in Social
Sciences, an LLB and LLM all from The University of Waikato. Currently I am a Kaiako at Te
Wānanga o Aotearoa Mangakōtukutuku Campus at Glenview with our Environmental degree, Te
Tohu Paetahi Mana Ao Tūroa, (Taiao). I have held governance positions in social organisations for
the past 8 years. My most significant contribution to the Waikato region and to Hamilton City
would be the Funding Committees I have been a decision maker with. I currently hold a Ministerial
appointment as a Trustee with Trust Waikato; a major funder within the Waikato Region. I have
been on the Community Organisation Grants Scheme Committee for the past 5 and a half years
and been Chair for the past 2 years. I Chaired the Hamilton City Council’s Māori and Pacific Project
Fund Committee for the past three years and this year sat on the Hamilton City Council’s Wellbeing
Grant Committee. I have been part of the social and cultural wellbeing for the Waikato region
having worked in the Social Services Sector for the past ten years.
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