GDC: Three Year Plan

The Gisborne District Council have just completed their public consultation of the 3 Year Plan. It's a plan that identifies 'Oranga Wai, Oranga Whenua, Oranga Tangata' as our key priorities. Healthy water, healthy whenua, healthy people and healthy futures. 

It is a plan with the focus of recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. 

The harsh reality is that we have a recovery bill of $1.1billlion for our infrastructure and assets. $725m of that is damage to the local roading network and $150m for woody debris clean-up. The figures are eye watering.

We have to build back and fix what was broken and reinstate critical infrastructure. This includes damaged roading, flood protection networks, strengthening wastewater, stormwater and drinking water systems. 

We need to build back stronger so that we may be better prepared to deal with future weather events, we know they are coming. 

If that isn't enough reality for you, I have a little more. . . we have received government funding towards helping us with some of these activities, not all, there is still a lot we can not afford to do. 

We have pulled every string and lever there is and done what we can to keep rates low but this is the situation we all find ourselves in. Rates are proposed increase 11.4% 

It's not news I want to front. There is a cost of living crisis and a weather warning every second day. Public Service job cuts and industries struggling. Groceries, fuel, mortgage and rent payments. We are doing it hard, no doubt about that. 

But here's the thing, we are in this predicament because there was not enough investment in our primary infrastructure over decades. We are shouldering the burden of decisions made well before us. 

We must make better decisions now so that our children and their children who have not yet been born will not have to. 

It is far from the sexy plan I had hoped for, it is bricks, metal and pipes, but once we get this right, we can start dreaming of a beautiful, thriving Tairawhiti. 

For now, we dig deep and face it, head on.

Rawinia Parata - GDC Councilor