Putting Whangarei First

Submitted by Vince on Sun, 19/09/2010 - 11:26am

An email that I have received asks about the slogan that I used... "Putting Whangarei First"

Just to clarifiy "Whangarei" of Putting Whangarei First is refering to the whole District, the people, the community, the iwi, the businesses, and the farmers, not just the city.

It is time for us the district to be proud of who we are.  We are a community, a people that work together when times are tough, and we support each other, just like at christmas time or at a rugby game when Northland is winning.

It is time that we pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off, and move forward together.  Changing our district as we go, for the good of others.

Comments

WD

Mon, 20/09/2010 - 12:13am

I am a little confused by this post.

Is the present council not putting Whangarei First?

I am drawn to the comments of Alan Dick writing in NZ Today:
"I have the feeling that Whangarei has been governed more out of self interest than vision" (I think I got this right).

Is this what you are meaning?

Vince

Mon, 20/09/2010 - 7:26am

Hi Wayne,

The question that was originally handed to me was in relation to the slogan that I've been using, and some of the community in Ruakaka were thinking that I was only referring to Whangarei city.  This was not the case.

Putting Whangarei First, means we, as a community need to be proud of whom we are, we need to be inclusive, open to new ideas and ways of doing things.  It was just the other week, where one of the hapu approached me and explained an idea that they had for the entrance to the city.  It was great! Totally new concept.

I'm standing for Mayor, not on any personal benefit to myself.  I'm newly married and plan to lead and govern this council as Whangarei needs, but right now we need engineering solutions to environmental issues.

WD

Mon, 20/09/2010 - 8:04am

Clearly people in Whangarei have ideas.
It's just that this council actually refuses to listen to people.

Hopefully the new mayor will at least listen to people instead of abusing them.