Ed Said - Change is gonna come

 

A couple of years ago on a local social media page, someone asked ‘what business would we really like to see in Mangawhai?’ and then listed a trading bank and a supermarket. At the time, as now actually, if you weren’t in construction, real estate or self-employed there wasn’t a lot of full-time employment available. I watched this for some time then couldn’t resist listing McDonalds and The Warehouse, though I could even hear the cries of derision as I typed. 

Despite my offering being partially tongue-in-cheek there was little negative response. While some opinions saw an adverse effect by the Red Shed on existing small businesses and the burger giant was criticised mostly because ‘burger’ was becoming a dirty word, most responses were, in fact, positive. I had written that the negatives would be overruled by the employment opportunities for literally hundreds of part-timers of all ages from teens looking for after school jobs through to Mums with school aged children or pre-schoolers. Such opportunity would be a boon to single income families with a willingness to fill in that 9am to 3pm time slot. 

Short shifts are now nothing new. I once had reservations too about ‘job sharing’, one employee working three days and another taking over for the other two, but providing all parties are willing this works well in a number of areas.

Apart from the W and McD words aforementioned I think Mangawhai could benefit from more clothing shops, men’s and women’s, certainly a women’s shoe shop and possibly a jewellers but these will come in due course.

‘Build it and they will come’ is the old theory, and in most cases has been proven true. Whether we like it or not Mangawhai Central is going to happen. Though it may not be fully operational for five to ten years the ongoing growth of Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and its immediate surrounds will see that any slack in the business/employment chain will be readily taken up. 

In this issue we have full page coverage of a new subdivision opening up in Wellsford with six lots already sold. The Auckland movement north is not about to slow anytime soon. Complaints about rising rates will continue as they have for decades and councils, though nutting out ten year plans, will need to revisit those regularly to keep up with the demands for more and better infrastructure and services.

Don’t criticise our Council for being behind the proverbial eight-ball. All the brains and money in the world has failed to get Auckland under control as a fully functioning city, all day, every day. Everyone in office is doing their best. Everyone else is quick to criticise.

The NRC, who have a big input in our coastal environment, have a late August start to their regional plan hearings. Among the changes are new limits on taking water from rivers, lakes and aquifers, making it easier to get permission for mangrove removal – something I, personally, would like to see for Mangawhai. Several years in the making, the proposed plan represents substantial input by numerous stakeholders along the way, but despite this will be less than a quarter of the combined size of the three plans it will replace.

Change is not easy to make, nor is it easy to accept, but it is inevitable.
Just my opinion.

Rob