Te Awamutu Ratepayers & Residents Association

19/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BZwkoY476/

‘Since I have not read it, I cannot vote for it,’ said Aidhean Camson who believed newly-elected members hadn’t had enough time to read annual plan.

19/12/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Bsce4azyG/

😕 Hey Waipā! We’re currently using around 35 million litres of water a day, compared with the usual 25 million litres for this time of year.

💧 Because of this, we’re now in water restriction level one – sprinklers can be used between 6–8am and 6–8pm only (hand-held hoses can be used at any time).

30/09/2025

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YOU CAN”T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!
Where does the Left get its crazy conspiracy theories from? The classic trope is an obese bearded incel doing “research” in his mum’s basement and filming tiktoks with pulp-culture children’s toys in the background, after a failed acting career. The Simpsons parodied this with regular character Comic Book Guy.

It turns out he is real! Right down to the failed acting history and the baby Yoda in the background. This is where lefties like Waipa councillor MARCUS GOWER, Hamilton councillor Louise Hutt, and Wellington’s Andrea Vance get their “information” and political advice from. You really have to question their judgment.

I pondered not naming NZ’s Comic Book Guy, but it is actually worth doing your own research on him. Paul Barlow’s desperation for attention has led to a Youtube channel called “Paul the other one” – another trope of bad dad joke and shameless self promotion (he also has a channel about fantasy characters called “the Paulniverse”). Watch a minute of two and you will notice two things, if you get past the distraction of the anime swords, Captain America shield, and Muppets poster.

Firstly, his speaking style. He is trying to present himself as the one super-intelligent being who can see the web of interconnectedness in his conspiracies. When you don’t have the super-strength and super-speed of your heroes, you can always fantasise about being special in other ways.

Secondly, and more importantly, his SHIFTY EYES (captured in the screenshot). Even with complete control of his studio, camera, time, and editing, he is unable to maintain eye contact during his unchallenged monologue. Do you think he is being dishonest? Would you take his political advice?

If you are worried about giving his viewing numbers a boost, don’t be. His Louise Hutt interview had a whopping 7 views after two weeks. A few thousand more is still not enough for Youtube to care.

19/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YwsVFkK7G/

The government’s Retirement Villages Act review must put people before profits, Brian Peat writes. The review of the Retirement Villages Act 2003...

19/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JNiMbZHsw/

19/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GJEkyQjEg/

REASONS WE LOVE CARS #4
Cars save lives. Emergency services rely on cars, vans, and trucks every day. Don’t slow them down.

Some people hate what I am doing. That’s OK. I still hope you never have to go over a speedbump while injured in the back of an ambulance. I still hope the fire engine gets to your house in time. Stay safe.

19/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/172gLUBVvd/

WHAT DOES COUNCIL DO? #1
A series exploring the many functions of council and where improvements can be made.

BUILDING CONSENTS
Council is responsible for issuing building consents and carrying out building inspections. This is a specialist role, covered by the Building Act, and sort of independent from the rest of the council functions. Sort of, because buildings also require resource consents, water service connections, and road access.

All work is charged to the property owner, so there is no impact on ratepayers.

Except when things go wrong. Then the impact on ratepayers can be huge. The leaky building crisis cost councils billions, and ratepayers footed the bill. This is because of an extremely unfair rule in construction law known as Joint And Several Liability. Without boring you on the detail, the effect was that the council was “the last man standing” in court cases, as the other parties at fault would wind up their companies.

Yesterday afternoon, the government announced its intention to get rid of this rule, replacing it with proportional liability. Great news for councils, and something I have pushed for with the New Zealand Institute of Architects.

This gives councils a big opportunity to alter the way they handle consents. For the past decade, councils have become increasingly difficult to work with, risk averse, obstinate, confrontational, painfully slow, and unreasonably expensive. This can be turned around, but the fact is, council staff are unlikely to change unless pushed, and council management doesn’t understand the need to change.

Architects, engineers, developers, builders, tradies, and clients all need to work together to make sure councils take this opportunity. It will help if there are some councillors who understand it. The result will be better buildings at a lower cost, with more time spent on building and less on paperwork.