Timaru Mayor Puts her Head in the Sand

Timaru Herald Sat 20th Oct 07 reports that the Ministry of Social Development predicts the Timaru Districts population will drop by over 150 people per year over the next 15 years. This is something that the Timaru District Council should be addressing to turn the trend around but what does the Mayor Janie Annear do?

As always she buries her head in the sand and tries to pretend it is not happening based on the number of job vacancies in the Herald. The reality is that business people cannot get staff because our population is aging and our younger people are heading overseas leaving a gap in the middle age workforce.

President of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Mr Steve Lyttle has identified the problem but like many in the management of the Chamber of Commerce they spend far to much time in China and Japan looking after their own personal interests.
A good example of this is that the Timaru Mayor has her photo displayed free of charge on the wrapper of a new Japanese icecream filled with honey supplied by Timaru honey producer and president of the Chamber of Commerce Mr Lyttle.

Don’t be surprised if you see the Timaru Mayor and her election campaigning friend and councillor Dave Jack have another trip to Asia like they did soon after the previous elections.

Some may say my opinion is only sour grapes because I ran last in the mayoral race. The only reason I stood for Mayor was to try and make the council realise that they must do something about our declining population.
Tourism and agriculture are the biggest industries in New Zealand
and we have the opportunity to use tourists to showcase our diverse agriculture to the world.
Since the elections I have wiped my hands on the council and their self centred ideas and instead I am currently working with campervans and rental car companies on a plan that will see many tourists using state highway one again. They will come to see our green pastures, crops, animals birds and fish.

If you want to know more about what Timaru Tourist Promotions Ltd is doing about increasing South Canterburys population then watch this space.