This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability.
Aaron: You’re running for Community Board for a third time. Tell us about that decision – why do you want to do that a third time.
Satnam: I found the feedback from the community has been that I’m easily accessible. I own the local supermarket in town, so people can come to me any time and voice their concerns. The last two terms have also been a learning curve for us and myself, building relationships with key stakeholders and members at Council. That’s what the Community Board is about – building the right connections and making sure things get done in Raglan.
Aaron: One of the things we talked about last time, three years ago, was how busy you were. You said you were hiring more people at the managerial level to give you time. But my observation is you still don’t have a lot of time to put in to the Community Board.
I’ve checked the numbers, and of the four returning members, you’re much lower in terms of meetings you’ve turned up to. And at the meetings I’ve been at, you often arrive late or leave early. Do you really think you have enough time for this job? I have to ask that question.
Satnam: That’s fine – you’ve asked other members that question as well. This term, I was overseas for two of the meetings I missed, and one I had COVID. So I’ve only missed three meetings.
Aaron: You’ve missed more than that – I’ve checked the minutes.
Satnam: I’m pretty sure it’s three in the last two years.
Aaron: We’re looking at the last three years.
Satnam: Okay, last three years. I haven’t got the exact numbers, but off the top of my head I know I’ve made an extra effort this time.
Aaron: Okay. Each Community Board member had a role – chair, deputy, Tony Oosten was on several committees– but you didn’t. You were the only member that didn’t have a role.
Satnam: Yeah, I haven’t had one, but I’ve volunteered. They just get snapped up pretty quickly.
Aaron: Okay, and the other thing is – and I have to be hard on you here, because that’s my job – I don’t like doing this but I haven’t found anyone who says you do much on the Board. I’ve asked around, and people say you’re too busy.
Satnam: Sometimes things get done behind the scenes, you know.
Aaron: Well, I’ve asked behind the scenes too, lots of people. So are you sure you’ve got the time for this job?
Satnam: Yes. Actually, when I handed in my nomination – it was late, second-to-last day – it was because community members came to me and said, “You need to go for a third term.”
Aaron: All right, let’s put that aside. As someone operating a business, you’ve been quite astute about reading the community. I’m always interested in your perspective – what is this community about? What are the values and the things you’ve picked up?
Satnam: So Raglan, I’ve been here nine years. Raglan is growing rapidly, year on year. One concern from the community is that locals want the town to grow and thrive, but they don’t want it to become like a major city. They want to keep the values of Raglan – being a coastal town, a town that cares about the environment, and making sure everyone is welcome.
What I’ve noticed in the last nine years is the growth has been so rapid that we haven’t been able to adapt to the Raglan culture. Raglan has always been at the front foot environmentally – for example, we’re lucky to have Xtreme Zero Waste here. It’s about keeping that connection: being a welcoming town, but also maintaining and holding on to the Raglan presence.
Aaron: Growth isn’t really determined by us – it’s determined by how many properties are available for sale. Do you think we need more control over that as a community?
Satnam: It’s about making sure we’ve got the right infrastructure so we’re set up to have that growth. We need to be set up for an increase of people coming to town. That means working with Council. Rangatahi subdivision is happening, and I don’t think we can control anything at a community level, but we can work with key stakeholders to make sure the infrastructure is set up for the future.
At the last two meetings we’ve had the town planner come out and give feedback. It’s about building that relationship and seeing what they can do and what’s planned for Raglan.
Aaron: Traditionally it’s always been boom and bust in Raglan. Whether it’s summer or winter, over the time you’ve been here, has that changed at all? Do you think winters are still really hard for some businesses?
Satnam: It’s a seasonal town right, but year-on-year winters are getting better. I wouldn’t say they’re normal yet, but year-on-year it’s getting busier – more people are residing in Raglan and commuting to Hamilton. It’ll take time, but summers will always be ten times busier than winters. The key is maintaining the Raglan vibe. It’s a surfing town, and a lot of people come here during winter when it’s summer overseas, like in Europe. It’s about welcoming them and making sure they fit into the community.
Aaron: Well, I mean, is it a stress on your business – the winters? You’re not exactly a tourist destination, but tourists do shop there.
Satnam: Yeah, staffing-wise we notice a winter dip, but after nine years we’ve learned to forecast and plan a bit better. There are still tourists in town, but in the last couple of years, especially after COVID, I feel winter tourism has definitely dipped in Raglan.
Aaron: I’ve heard a lot of people saying this winter has been difficult because of the economic conditions in the country. What about for the future? Where do you see Raglan going over the next while – how big are we going to get?
Satnam: Obviously it’s going to grow, but for me, success means making sure the community grows well. If I’m elected this term, over the next three years I’d like to improve our sporting fields. I feel that a lot of kids in Raglan don’t have the same opportunities they’d get if they were playing in Hamilton. At the grassroots level – rugby, soccer – we need better playing platforms. Even things like cricket nets would make a big difference.
Aaron: I don’t know if there are any cricket nets in Raglan.
Satnam: There’s a cricket pitch at the rugby ground,
Aaron: I’ve never seen anyone play cricket on it. Are you a bit of a cricket fan?
Satnam: I am. We normally play on Mondays.
Aaron: So do you have people playing here, or do you go to Hamilton?
Satnam: No, we play in Raglan. During summer we’ll be starting back up again.
Aaron: Okay, and can I ask who you support on the international level?
Satnam: India of course. New Zealand second.
Aaron: Fair enough. One of the issues that came up at the Community Board in the last few months was whether there’s enough space for businesses in town. What was that about? Is there enough land designated for commercial activity?
Satnam: It was raised in the meetings that there isn’t enough land designated around town, especially around the CBD. We’ve been working with the town planners to see what they can do. There was talk of using a strip off Wallis Street, closer to the CBD but before the wharf. I haven’t had any updates on that yet.
Aaron: There’s also been some discussion about whether Rangitahi also becomes a little business centre as well, maybe with shops over there. Do you think Raglan is big enough to have a CBD and then another community of businesses operating somewhere else?
Satnam: It depends on the type of business they are. I think they’re going to have a café or restaurant that could work – people might head out there for coffee, lunch, or dinner. But retail stores, like a surf shop or clothing store, or even a supermarket or dairy, might struggle. It would be Raglan West and the Rangitahi community that will find that handy and convenient.
Aaron: But eventually there are going to be nearly a thousand houses over there. Given enough time, that changes things. I guess whenever I ask that question, I should clarify how far into the future. In the foreseeable future, though, you don’t see much happening?
Satnam: I don’t. The main business and attractions will always be in the CBD. The focus needs to be on getting the CBD right. Last summer I actually thought the car parking issue was pretty good – I found that was quite smoothly operated.
Aaron: You’re one of the few businesses with adequate parking in town, which I guess is because you’rea newer business and the council required a certain amount of space.
Satnam: Yeah, and I felt it worked better last summer. People seemed more educated – I saw them parking at the rugby grounds and walking into the CBD. Locals were more prepared for the influx. They’d come in the mornings or late in the evenings, avoiding the CBD when they could. It just worked better.
Aaron: So we’re getting used to it?
Satnam: Yeah, we’re getting used to it. Obviously, sometimes we get frustrated. So I live out in Raglan West, and with the one-way bridge and I felt it was smoothly operated last summer. There were one or two days that were really congested.
Aaron: We have Soundsplash day – is that a bit of a pain that day, as a business owner or just personally?
Satnam: From a business perspective it doesn’t. The traffic goes past our store in the mornings and it’s chaotic for two or three hours.. As a local living in Raglan West, if there’s two or three days where they have the stop-and-go signs at the one-way bridge, it doesn’t really bother me, it’s just tourism for the town.
Aaron: Yeah, it’s not enough for three days of the year, to justify spending a lot of money?
Satnam: Yeah. It just puts Raglan on the map. I first came to Raglan as a Year 6 student at the camp – it was called something else then.
Aaron: The Bible camp toward the surf breaks?
Satnam: Yeah, I came out here as a year 6 student and it just put Raglan on the map for me, I knew where Raglan was.
Aaron: So that’s how you found out about Raglan?
Satnam: Yeah. That’s our connection. So I feel all these kids and teenagers coming to Raglan, partying and building memories out here – even if they come out once every five years for a random holiday weekend, it’s still good for the town.
Aaron: What about rents? There’s been a lot of discussion over the last few years. Do you think commercial rents in town are too high?
Satnam: It’s all supply and demand right? There’s high demand and less supply, so obviously rents are going to be higher. I’d say they’re about the same level as what you’d pay in Hamilton’s CBD.
Aaron: Would you weigh that up and say it’s a bit high?
Satnam: Yeah, it’s higher for a coastal town. But once more land is allocated to commercial use and more spaces are available, demand will drop and supply…
Aaron: There are a few plots already designated commercial, but they’ve got houses on them. Someone has to actually do the work of converting them into shops.
Satnam: Yeah so the council controls the zoning changes, right? And then it takes time for someone to either develop the land or sell it on.
Aaron: So with your business, do you own the site or are you paying rent?
Satnam: It’s owned by a family member – not by me.
Aaron: Do you consider yourself a businessman, or are you a grocer? “Grocer” feels like an old-fashioned word, but you know what I mean.
Satnam: Just a grocer, I enjoy what I do. I don’t get up in the morning thinking, “Damn, I have to go to work.” I enjoy coming to work every morning.
And just to touch on your last question about rent – I think at the moment in Raglan there are only one or two shops that are vacant. Everything else is occupied, that sort of tells you.. If only two shops are vacant…
Aaron: Things are tight. I’ve even heard rumours one of those vacancies is about to be filled, and it’s winter.
Satnam: And that’s always going to be the case, right? As a business owner, I’m never going to say my rent is cheap [laughs].
Aaron: I’m sure [laughs]. A question I wanted to ask you about is around the referendum at this election on Māori wards. Were you born in New Zealand?
Satnam: Yes, born in New Zealand.
Aaron: But you still feel those ties to India if you support the Indian cricket team, I presume. I’m interested in your perspective on Māori wards. There’s a debate going on, and at the extremes people seem a bit frightened. How do you feel about having the Māori wards on council? I know you’re running for Community Board, which is different.
Satnam: I think it’s good. Obviously I’m born here, but it’s important to have someone on the board or at council level who understands and has connections with rangatahi [that part of the community]. It’s also about understanding Māori culture and values, knowing the key stakeholders. It’s good because we need that sort of communication. I don’t have an issue with it. We need them at a council level.
Aaron: As an Indian guy, do you feel like you’re represented? Or maybe that’s a silly question because you’re on the board– but generally do you think the Indian community generally feels represented?
Satnam: Probably not. At council level, we only got a handful of community board members. At a political level we’re underrepresented. But I think it’s a change that will come in the coming years as more young people put their hand up.
Aaron: Okay, I know you’ve got to get back to work. Just to finish – give us your pitch. Tell voters why they should vote for you.
Satnam: This is my third time going around, and over the last two terms I’ve learned that at Community Board level it’s all about building relationships. If you want things done, you need those connections with council. I’m also easily accessible – at the supermarket five or six days a week.
Aaron: So you dont’ mind people coming in and sort of, I’m saying, “Satnam I’ve got to tell you about this thing.”
Satnam: Yeah, I’ve always got it, and it’s more about educating the community – showing people where to go, how to report things. And if not, they can come to the community forum, which has been good recently with more people coming along and sharing concerns.
Aaron: And we’ve got a Board meeting this Wednesday, right?
Satnam: Yes, tomorrow at 1:30 in the Supper Room.
Aaron: Sorry, I interrupted – go ahead.
Satnam: If you think I’ll be a good candidate and do the job well, feel free to vote for me. I’ll make sure your community voice is heard at Council.