The front page of Friday 7th edition of The Gisborne Herald
had a headline usually reserved for the outbreak of war.
It focused on the
same day Prime Ministerial-announcement of $153 million being pumped into the
local economy from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund, mostly based on
applications from Gisborne District Council.
My research tells me
similar amounts are likely to be added during the life of this Government. They
must think we’re worth it.
On this basis, why
would anyone even try to rationally assess the real impact of this huge dollop
of largesse on the region?
Well, I for one don’t
agree with most other commentators who claim this is the “game changer” we have
been waiting for. In fact, far from being the shiny example of well-informed
co-operation that the politicians would have us believe, I believe we have been
duped.
We could have
expected so much more from the promise that initially looked like being the
keys to prosperity. Instead we have been sold a pup!
It is ironic that a
majority of the local and central government members who were preening
themselves as the Prime Minister personally delivered the good news, had
previously been identifying the negative effects of climate change as the
greatest threat to this region’s, and the rest of the country’s, economies . .
. yet we are being asked to accept this “mutton dressed up as lamb” panacea as
the answer to our problems.
At first glance, it
all looks so impressive but when you examine the fine print, you will find
- a "game-changer” it is
not!
Am I exaggerating?
Not at all. In fact,
the truth will shock you.
A lot of the projects
designed to significantly increase earnings from the tourism sector are either
misplaced or based on piecemeal proposals, when we should be doing everything
possible to combine our disparate parts into one big whole that will compete on
the international stage.
We all need to
contribute to the telling of our iconic cultural history in a centralised way
that is accessible to those who want to visit and learn. We can’t do that by
having bits of our most valuable attraction scattered around the countryside.
It would appear that
those advising the Government on this issue are incapable of recognising this
basic truth.
Regarding climate
change and its associated likely effect on our pastoral economy, I have
genuinely tried to match the identified priorities for expenditure announced in
this package with anything that could qualify as an attempt to provide solutions
that have the ability to deliver the gains we need.
Unfortunately, most
of it can best be described as band-aid measures that will only prolong the
agony of waiting for a permanent fix.
So, if our local
leaders were acting responsibly, it follows that most of the Government’s money
should be going into researching and introducing programmes that will
restructure our long-neglected infrastructure — and I’m not talking about
fixing existing roads and bridges, or paying for feasibility studies into the
restoration of a proven uneconomic railway line just because it fulfils a
promise to a coalition partner.
For our region, the
focus of this work should be on the development of sustainable, clean fresh
water reserves and the distribution of this valuable lifeblood to all the
sectors that have the capacity to turn it into thousands of well-paid jobs.
This is one of the few areas where we have untapped resources to burn, yet they
are being ignored in favour of projects that pander to special interest groups.
Tragically, the
council’s Long Term Plans includes virtually nothing of the type of visionary
thinking we desperately need.
Like Old Mother
Hubbard, the cupboard is bare!
Clive Bibby is a commentator, consultant, farmer and
community leader, who lives in Tolaga Bay.
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