PLEASE SHARE - An Open Letter on the TVNZ Sunday programme An Open Letter to Hon Chester Borrows MP, Mayor Annette Main & councillors, and to the editor and general manager of the ‘Wanganui Chronicle’ TVNZ ‘Sunday’ programme of 21 September I have had the opportunity to both view and read a transcript of the above current affairs item screened on TV One on Sunday 21 September, and also of reading the published reaction of yourselves to that programme. As I understand it, the show was based upon a book published by the chief economist of the NZ Institute of Economic Research, Dr Shamubeel Eaqub, entitled ‘Growing Apart: Regional Prosperity in New Zealand’. In that book, Dr Eaqub identified provincial areas of New Zealand that were lagging economically. One of them was the Wanganui province. A central thesis of his book was that it would be better to apportion government resources to regions and economies that were growing, rather than those that were in a continuous state of decline. The central North Island and particularly Wanganui/Rangitikei was identified as one those areas and the descriptive phrase “zombie town” applied. In July, the ‘Wanganui Chronicle’ decided to invite Dr Eaqub to Wanganui to dispute his analysis. I’m not aware of any other town, city or region that has done so. (‘Shamubeel, visit us and we promise not to eat you’ 23 July 2014). Unfortunately, as it transpired, he accepted that invitation with a film crew from TVNZ’s ‘Sunday’ programme in tow. On 29 August he spoke to a select gathering of local civic, business and community leaders and reports indicate that he laid “a challenge to Wanganui to tackle regional decline and create prosperity. But a new way of thinking was required.” Later media reports indicated that his message of the need for change – and combined community leadership – was heeded and accepted. There was no published challenge to his observation that the Wanganui region was in economic decline. Around this time, I was contacted by the producers of the ‘Sunday’ programme as to my potential involvement. I have researched, written and broadcast on the issue of provincial decline, quite apart from my local government experiences, for over 15 years. My central argument was that of Dr Eaqub: that a number of provincial cities and towns were sliding backwards and in great danger of becoming becoming failed communities. And that central government intervention was required to arrest that decline. Certainly, the Wanganui province does stand as a good example for the following factual reasons; • Its population has declined for every Census since 1991 • Its wider province – especially the Rangitikei and Ruapehu – had the most marked population decline of any NI region between 2006 and 2013; • The demographics of the Wanganui region are older, poorer and less educated than the national average; • It is recognised by the Ministry of Health as one of most deprived areas in New Zealand along with Northland the eastern Bay of Plenty • There have been significant job losses over the past 15 years including loss of government sector jobs (and 21 ‘Wanganui Chronicle’ jobs last year) • House prices have declined by around 23% since 2007 • Despite a ‘rock star’ national economy, Wanganui’s local economy is stagnant with few employment opportunities • There is no boys’ secondary schooling option in Wanganui (unique in NZ) • Retail business is over capacity and struggling • Proposed earthquake legislation threatens the Old Town precinct’s survival • Tourism development is poor and visitor numbers are the second worst in NZ (after Clutha) • Wanganui consistently ranks in the lower reaches for district economy activity [BERL Report, January 2014] along with Rangitikei and Ruapehu. Despite ‘quality of life’ assurances, the fact remains that without the expansion of existing businesses and the attraction of new ones, Wanganui cannot offer the same number of employment opportunities as many other regions. The ‘tipping point’ is that this fate becomes entrenched and that competition from other provinces and provincial cities hinders any improvement to the status quo. An ongoing decline of population is predicted by both the Department of Statistics and the Ministry of Health and has financial consequences for existing government funding, including that for health services. Interview with Rachel Smalley, ‘Sunday’. I was interviewed in Timaru a couple of Fridays ago and over a period of four hours. Obviously the vast majority of my commentary and interview did not make it into the final 13 minute segment broadcast on Sunday evening. However, at no stage did I assert that Wanganui was a “zombie town”. Neither did Dr Eaqub. What we both said was that unless there was change – in both local and central government thinking and actions – then the threat existed. That said, there was nothing that I was quoted upon in the programme that I had not stated publicly last year nor around the district council table. For reasons of employment, and to offer my children improved lifestyle and education options, I have relocated from Wanganui to South Canterbury. This is a personal decision that literally thousands of Wanganui families have made over the past decade. Indeed of the district council elected just a decade ago, around one-third of those elected have made such a choice. This is not to say that we did not like Wanganui, nor find many of its attractions to be satisfying and enjoyable. It is just that better opportunities and jobs were available elsewhere. That remains Wanganui’s greatest challenge: retaining skilled persons and their families and attracting new ones. Shooting the messengers Much of the local reaction to the TVNZ ‘Sunday’ item has been emotive and ill-informed. The misquotation of both Dr Eaqub and myself has been repeated as fact by local media sources. The level of personal and racist abuse does the perpetrators no credit nor advances their argument. The ‘Sunday’ programme also accurately reported a difference of opinion by Dr Eaqub and myself. He suggests that provinces and towns that are struggling be left to their fate. I am suggesting direct government intervention, including the relocation of central government bureaucracies. The closure of government departments and agencies in Wanganui over the past twenty years, has had a dramatic effect upon the province’s ability to recover from other economic reverses. The ‘Wanganui Chronicle’ led the way itself last year by dis-establishing 21 jobs and transferring functions outside of the region. One thing is clear to me: those that argue that Wanganui is fine and that no change is required, are part of the problem. They always have been. And they have been in the ascendant in the reaction to the ‘Sunday’ programme. Yours sincerely Michael Laws Mayor 2004-2010 District Councillor 2010-2014 DHB Board Member 2007-2014.
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 21:57:37 +0000
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