In a way I don’t suppose I can blame the hierarchy for snubbing me because I do give them a hard time whenever I see them misbehaving.
Timaru Mayor – Janie Annear
I like Janie as a person but I dont like the way she behaves as a political leader. The first time I met her was at a council meeting. She was just a councillor back then and Wynne Raymond was Mayor. Using the public forum I addressed the council on the subject of a 5 star hotel and conference Centre which has been my hobby horse ever since I came to Timaru The owners of the Hydro Grand Hotel had not delivered on what they had promised the community so I suggested that the Council lease Maori Park to a hotel chain. Mrs Annear moved a motion that the idea be put on an agenda for discussion but that never happened and Janie Annear was elected Mayor. I spoke to the council several other times on other subjects using the public forum and not one of my suggestions ever got put on the agenda for discussion so I felt insulted.
Mayors High Chair
At a council meeting the Mayor sits on a high chair dressed in her chains and looks down on you. Any public forum guest speakers are asked to speak sitting down from the back of the room. The last time I spoke at a council meeting was just before the final decision on the aquatic Centre and because what I had to say was important and needed to be addressed to all the councillors I asked the Mayor if I could come forward and speak from the front of the room but my request was denied. I later made an appointment to see the Mayor in person but she refused to grant me an interview. I’m afraid Timaru has been given a mayor who uses her power as a dictator not a motivator and quite frankly I feel sorry for her in that regard. I always wanted to work alongside Janie and be her friend but I cannot help her if she refuses to communicate with me.
Timaru Herald Management
I have been writing letters to the Timaru Herald for the 30 plus years I have been in Timaru and in that time I have built up a strong following of readers. I am the type of writter you either love or hate because I am not afraid to speak my mind and call a spade a spade. I fell out with the Timaru Herald some years ago when I started my own newspaper in opposition to them. Ever since then they have been reluctant to print anything I say and I was told that if I had something to say then I could only write a letter to the Editor. This worked for a while until a new Editor David King came to town. He took sides with the Aquatic Centre debate and since then the Timaru Herald have become major sponsors of the Aquatic Centre Supporters Club. The Timaru District Council are the Timaru Heralds major client and the newspaper is being used as the Aquatic Centre Supporters club fundraising newsletter. Thousand of dollars worth of aquatic centre advertising all paid for by the TDC ratepayers and I object to that and I have told the herald so. I’m not even sure how it fits with any code of conduct or ethics they may have as newspaper. All I know is that their answer to me is that they now refuse to print any of my letters to the Editor therefore publicly denying me freedom of speech.
Rejected Letter to the Editor
Below is a letter to the Editor of the Timaru Herald that I sent last week and it never got published. I wonder why?
The Editor
Timaru Herald
Dear Sir
Merry Christmas
I would like to take this opportunity to wish a very Merry Christmas to the readers of my letters and to those who voted for me in the last 2 local body elections.
A very special Merry Christmas to the many individuals and businesses that have supported me in my campaign to promote our district in a bid to make it a better place to live. Unity is my prayer for all of South Canterbury in the new year and that requires a major shift away from the current what’s in it for me attitude. The time to practice Unity is when you first wake up in the morning Sit up in bed and shout out in a loud voice “Thank you Dear God for giving me another day of life, who can I help today?”
Ron E Bishop
General Manager
Timaru Tourist Promotions Ltd
