MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 27 June 2007

Ian Balme urges Federated Farmers to collaborate over regional council performance

Ian Balme met with the Waikato Federated Farmers executive committee yesterday (Tuesday 26 June) to urge them to look for common ground between his campaign and the Feds-initiated rates coalition. It would be totally counterproductive, he said, "to have reached this point and then to work against each other".

After three years as a regional councillor, Ian said he now had a very clear understanding of the council's workings, its strengths and weaknesses, and where it is failing to deliver to people's expectations.

"I've now got a I have a clear view of what needs to be done to lift the council's performance, and I have made some significant gains in this term," he said.

"What I see is a complex $90 million organisation with a lot of talented staff committed to managing the region's natural resources well. I have never met anyone - inside or outside EW - who doesn't believe the region's natural resources should be well managed."

In addressing the organisation's problems, it was vital that its strengths were not undermined in the process, he said.
"What I can tell you is that there is nothing scary in that organisation, nothing that can't be fixed relatively easily with some more intellectual muscle and backbone around the council table."

Ian said Environment Waikato was very comfortable writing policy but less than convincing in translating that into action. Equally, it gave little recognition to excellent environmental performance.

"The issue of water quality is typical - no one is satisfied. In the farming community, polluting farmers feel targeted and those who do invest in good environmental practice feel unfairly tarnished by association. And meanwhile the Waikato's water quality continues to deteriorate.

"What needs to happen here, as in so many other areas, is not to shift the goal posts - because everyone agrees we want good water quality - but to decide whether this is a core activity and, if it is, get on and do the job. Stop the worst polluters, reward the best performers, set fair targets, get out and talk to people and apply our knowledge and resources effectively. Treat people fairly and let there be no surprises."

This wasn't difficult, he said. "It just needs council leadership with some backbone and commitment to issue the organisation with clear directions and hold them accountable for the results, instead of wombling on towards some vague 'outcomes' that can't be defined."

Ian has argued this year for the introduction of performance-based pay for Environment Waikato's CEO but he wasn't supported by any other councillors. "I won't let that go because I believe it's one of the most useful things we can do to improve the council's performance," he said.

"My vision is to be able to stand in front of you in three years time and for you to tell me confidently that you consider Environment Waikato is delivering value for money. You will know that because we will be much smarter about how we decide what to invest your money in, and we will report back to you and everyone else in the region what we've spent, what results we've got, and what we want to do next. At the moment we get wish lists from the community, the government, and our regional partners and we take all that on board then have to rate the living daylights out of people to pay for it. I don't know what you think about that but it seems like a fundamentally flawed way of operating any organisation - public good or not."

Over the past three years Ian has established an excellent track record. He works hard, does the reading and his own research, and he stands firm on matters where he believes poor decisions are being made.

For example, he doesn't support EW keeping the buses because "the reports and evidence don't tell me that's the best option".

"I have also been alone in consistently standing up against the proposed rates rises, and I exposed the organisation's misrepresentation of the 19% average rates rise. As a result of my forceful challenge on that issue, the organisation has cut $4.2 million from the proposed budget, reducing the proposed increase to 11%. I think that's still too high relative to other regional councils, but it's definitely on the right track."

Ian said the Federated Farmers rates coalition shared his goals of lifting the council's performance and dealing with the rampant rates increases. "Therefore I urge you to take a constructive approach and for us to work together on this. I believe it's in the best interests of you, me, the council and the region as a whole.

"I have spent the past few weeks encouraging good candidates to come forward, and there is now a handful who will stand around the Waikato. These are good people - sound, independent, hard working, and committed to achieving the same things as you and me."

Ian was approached to be part of the rates ticket and decided to stand aside from it.

"My reason for not joining the ticket is that I firmly believe every candidate should be able to get elected on their own merits. A single-issue focus won't cut it, any more than it would to run your farms by only watching your bank account and ignoring your land and stock and all the other elements of good farming. Equally, if someone needs to be told what to think or do, you will end up with a team of lackeys and ineffective councillors running a vitally important organisation."

By working together, Federated Farmers could achieve its goals without the potential damage of being seen to directly meddle in a public sector organisation, Ian said.

ENDS

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