Support for Te Aroha’s Community
My first childhood memory of Te Aroha was visiting the Mokena Geyser with my grandparents. This geyser and its special waters created a boom for the town in the 1880s and they’re just one element of ensuring Te Aroha’s heyday is still to come.
I support the Te Aroha Business Association with their aspirational project ‘Grow Te Aroha’. The genesis of this strategy came from a Council-led speaker series where Paul Thomas spoke about the ‘Revive Reefton’ initiative.
Their collaboration with businesses and desire to make Te Aroha a destination again will create opportunities for the community. In light of my vision for the district, key priorities for Te Aroha include placemaking to build on the area’s identity and vibrancy. Te Aroha’s history is its future and it will be a focus to harness the township’s assets to complement the mineral spas, the river, the mountain and its trails that already make Te Aroha special.
Along with my support for the destination, I will champion maintaining infrastructure, seeking cost efficiencies to drive improvements and make our rate payer dollar stretch further. These priorities are about ensuring the council does its part to enhance Te Aroha's future as a unique place to work, live, and play.
Support for Matamata’s Community
There’s a number of key projects either under way or in the pipeline that I’m proud to deliver.
The Stadium will be completed in February 2026, with strong support within the community alongside the Ministry of Education. I’ve championed this since I first elected to council and this is a huge win for the rate payer. This facility will be optimised through shared costs between council and the college.
The Matamata Domain playground will be completed this summer, adding to the livability of our district and benefit to ours families. Again, this was a community-council partnership and would not have been possible without strong advocacy for council to work with external stakeholders.
Finally, the new waste water treatment plant is under construction and due to be completed 2027. This plant will meet the stiffer regulatory standards and cater for growth.
Overall, I’m proud to be delivering for the district and having overseen strategic investment in Matamata’s future. The upcoming Future Development Strategy will help us better understand the area’s economic opportunities, particularly with our location between Hamilton and Tauranga.
Support for Morrinsville’s Community
Due to farming in Walton, my family have frequented Morrinsville’s for many years. I know Morrinsville is on the move. Everyone knows the momentum is behind Morrinsville, so let’s keep moving with the priorities.
We must keep developing the Morrinsville Recreation Grounds and meet the growing needs of the community. The pool complex is coming up for renewal and I look forward to collaborating with the community on it’s redevelopment.
Morrinsville’s waters infrastructure continues to be my priority and as the township grows, we need to ensure the infrastructure is fit for purpose.