This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability.
Aaron:
So you’re currently one of two representatives in the Waikato constituency for Waikato Regional Council, and you were voted by your fellow councillors to be Chairperson for the last three years. For people who don’t know – is that kind of like being the mayor of a district or city council?
Pamela Storey:
I suppose it’s a bit like being a mayor, but for the entire region – except you’re not elected by the population, you’re elected by the councillors who sit around the table.
Aaron:
Could they change their minds? It would have to be a vote of no confidence or something to change that.
Pamela Storey:
Absolutely, at any time. There’s a process that’s gone through if that’s what council chooses to do. Usually it would be a vote of no confidence or something like that. So yes, it can change throughout the triennium.
Aaron:
Obviously, that didn’t happen.
Pamela Storey:
No, it didn’t.
Aaron:
And probably doesn’t. I don’t think it happens that much, does it?
Pamela Storey:
It happened last triennium.
Aaron:
That’s a good point. Of course – how could I forget? Okay, so the Waikato constituency – I feel like I need to explain this to people. It gets confusing because it shares the same boundary area as Waikato District Council, but Waikato Regional Council goes all the way up to Auckland, to the Kaimais. How far south does it go?
Pamela Storey:
It goes down to mid-crater on Ruapehu, down to Mōkau on the west coast, and includes the Coromandel. It covers over half a million people and extends into the coastal marine area. We have over 1,000 kilometres of coastal area to look after as well.
Aaron:
Okay, so let’s talk about the difference between the District Council and the Regional Council, specifically what you guys have jurisdiction over.
Pamela Storey:
Sure, so Regional councils are much more focused on natural resource management – air, water, land quality – as well as biodiversity and biosecurity, including pest control. We also do public transport and manage Civil Defence. There are quite a few responsibilities, but mainly it’s about responsibilities that are best served at a larger scale. When we think about, say, water allocation on the Waikato River, you couldn’t have that allocation broken up into smaller entities along the river. It makes much more sense to look at it in its totality.
Aaron:
So the entire catchment, from the top of Ruapehu through to Port Waikato and the Bombay Hills – I guess that’s the other boundary?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, as well as the Waihou catchment, the Piako catchment, the West Coast catchments, and the Coromandel as well.
Aaron:
Okay. I guess there’s an element of some things just getting shoehorned in because they have to be there. I know transport is interesting, because it used to be shared with the district councils and the city council. Now, does the Regional Council organise all the transport in the Waikato region now?
Pamela Storey:
The Regional Council is the Public Transport Authority – for all public transport. What we coordinate are the buses. Where district or city councils get involved is in the infrastructure, such as establishing bus stops. So we work hand in hand with our TA partners to identify where bus routes might best serve our growing population. But the infrastructure on the ground, like the bus stops, is the responsibility of the TA.
In terms of the Regional Council’s wider involvement in transport, it’s not just public transport, we also coordinate and host the Regional Transport Committee. That’s where all the TA partners come together to plan.
Aaron:
TA means Territorial Authority?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, it includes all the districts and the city. Regional Council hosts that committee, and that’s where we establish the transport priorities for the region as a whole. That includes the roading networks, and that’s where we identify priorities across communities as a whole. From there we establish the Regional Land Transport Plan, which then goes to central government as a bid to secure funding for roading or public transport services.
Aaron:
So what happened when our rates changed – the transport part of our district council rate shifted to you?
Pamela Storey:
Yes. That’s where we introduced a regional public transport rate. Until our long-term plan came into effect on 1 July last year, we were the only council where some TAs were still doing their own rating for public transport. We were collecting rates across some of our TA partners – Hamilton City, Matamata-Piako, Hauraki and Thames-Coromandel – but not Waikato District, Waipā, Ōtorohanga, Taupō or Rotorua. We proposed to take over all the rating for public transport, and agreed to undertake the public transport rating region-wide from 1 July last year. The first rates were actually collected from 1 July this year, once the model for how we collected them was finalised.
Aaron:
So presumably it’s a bit easier to get a comprehensive vision. You went through consultation with the region, and I noticed a disproportionate number of submissions came from Raglan. I assume that had something to do with either the proposed internal bus service, or with the idea of not running buses through to the schools on the other side of Hamilton.
Pamela Storey:
Yes. That consultation informed our long-term planning as we went out to tender on bus services. One of the things we’re really focused on is developing fast and frequent services in metropolitan areas – that’s obviously Hamilton city. The idea was to get people from outside the city into a central point, and then connect them to internal services within Hamilton. That was the proposal we were testing.
I understand nobody likes changing buses; I understand it can be inconvenient. But we have to strike a balance between convenience factor and establishing reliable, effective routes for public transport.
Aaron:
I think adults were comfortable with changing buses in Hamilton. The issue was children having to change – getting off one bus and onto another. That was the concern. Did I see that, at least for the short term, you’re staying with the status quo on that?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, for the short term we are staying with the status quo. Council approved that just last Thursday. We’ve now established short, medium, and long-term goals for public transport across the region. In the medium term, the proposal is that all Raglan–Hamilton trips will start and end at the transport centre in central Hamilton.
Aaron:
So eventually it will change to the way you’ve proposed. But do you think people should be sending their kids to school on public buses? Shouldn’t there be school buses? Is it the Regional Council’s responsibility to worry about the kids?
Pamela Storey:
Oh, we worry about all of our citizens, Aaron. [laughs]
Aaron:
I know, but judging by the number of submissions, I’d say the parents are concerned.
Pamela Storey:
Yes, and I understand that. There’s always some tension between the bus services provided by the Ministry of Education and the public transport services regional councils provide. It’s not just a Raglan–Hamilton issue – we see it particularly in rural areas. As soon as Regional Council puts on a public bus, the Ministry of Education can decide not to provide a school bus. But the services don’t always line up, and that creates real concerns that comes out from citizens. I think the Ministry needs to work more closely with regional councils, and also recognise that with growing communities, establishing communities, especially those further away from schools, we need proper planning for how students get to and from education.
Aaron:
Okay, I don’t want to get bogged down in the detail – this is a candidate interview. Can you just say yes or no: has the proposal for an internal Raglan bus stayed in the plan?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, it has.
Aaron:
We can talk more about that later, otherwise we’ll run out of time. You’ve got all the details – I know. Let’s move to the candidate part of the interview. Why are you coming back for a third term?
Pamela Storey:
I’m honoured to stand for re-election to the Waikato Regional Council. My husband Ian and I have been farming in Te Hoe alongside our two daughters for many years, and I’m deeply committed to this region. It has been an absolute honour to represent the hardworking families, farmers, business owners, and communities of the Waikato constituency for the last six years – and the last three as chair of council.
I recognise the challenges our communities are facing, especially affordability. I’m proud to have led a council that, over the past three years, delivered the third-lowest rates rise out of all 78 councils in the country. That recognises that affordability is an issue in our communities, but we still need to provide the services regional councils are tasked with delivering. I feel we’ve done that in an affordable and responsible way, and I’d love the opportunity to continue doing that for our communities.
Aaron:
Do you want to be chairperson again?
Pamela Storey:
I would love to continue providing leadership for this region. Waikato is very complex – we have more local governments than any other region, with 11 territorial authorities. That unity is important. There are a huge variety of communities across our region, but when we can come together around the needs of the Waikato, and how we connect into neighbouring regions, that’s when we can provide solid planning and advocacy. It means we can make sure the right provision and planning are in place, and we can deliver the outcomes our communities want.
Aaron:
So as the chair — I’m curious, is it a high-stress job?
Pamela Storey:
I always say this is the best job I’ve ever had in my life. Every day I get to represent a region I’m proud to be part of, and I can’t think of anything better. It’s such a privilege.
We have so much going for us. Of course, we also have challenges, and we all know that. You see the growth coming our way right here in Raglan — and if you map that across the entire region, the scale becomes clear. Hamilton is the fastest-growing city in New Zealand. To the north we’ve got Auckland, our largest city, and to the east Tauranga, at times the second-fastest-growing city.
Those connections from Auckland through the Waikato and into the Bay of Plenty mean we must plan for growth, whether we like it or not. That’s essential – identifying transport corridors, deciding where housing will develop, where industry will base itself. And that requires considered, solid planning, real community engagement, and clear communication with central government. Some of the provision will come locally from ratepayers, but we also need those clear lines of communication with central government.
Aaron:
Are they listening?
Pamela Storey:
We work really hard to make sure the Waikato’s voice is heard. I take every opportunity to speak with ministers about this region.
Aaron:
That doesn’t sound like an endorsement of their listening ability.
Pamela Storey:
I think… You know, politics is politics. We’ve got a central government election next year, and politicians will be trying different ideas to see how they resonate with voters. But I think it’s really important we expand our thinking beyond catchphrases. And that applies not just to central government but to local government elections as well. We need to exercise our minds beyond a few pithy words that might sound good in the short term. Because long term is what we’re here for.
Aaron:
So you’re talking about phrases I keep hearing – “back to basics,” “cut waste.” There’s even a rate control group, and I know they’ve got a candidate running for the Waikato constituency. So they’ll be competing with you, I’ll be interviewing him next week. The message is always the same: rates are too high, we’re paying too much.
But there’s no nuance. No one’s asking what we’re paying for, or whether we’re getting value for money. You could have a council with really low rates but run so badly that the money’s wasted anyway. Where do you sit in that debate? You’ve said you’ve kept rates pretty low.
Pamela Storey:
Third lowest in the country out of all 78 councils, and I think that’s significant.
Aaron:
That’s what you’ve done, but this debate — I mean, how do you feel about it? Because we’ve also got the Taxpayers’ Union, and they’re clearly on a mission to push the idea that rates are too high, full stop, without any nuance. That’s their purpose right now. And I’ve had new candidates in here who’ve never been on council before, and all they say is, rates are too high, we need to cap them, we need to hold councils to account. But they don’t talk about vision, they don’t talk about outcomes — not until I start pressing them. I’m frustrated with this debate. I’m hoping you’ve got some nuance for us. You must have feelings about their campaign.
Pamela Storey:
I encourage people to ask the question, okay, you want to cut rates — where specifically are you going to cut them? Do you understand what goes into the rates that are collected and the variety of services councils provide? It’s important people understand the difference between a district council and a regional council, because what we provide is fundamentally different.
Over the last three years, I feel we have provided the essential services we are tasked with, but in a way that respects the affordability issues our communities are facing. I understand the idea that rates should be capped at CPI. But people need to understand that most of the services councils provide are infrastructure-related. This isn’t about the grocery bill that informs CPI. This is about construction costs.
One of Waikato Regional Council’s key assets is our flood and drainage networks. These protect communities, homes, businesses, productive land and transport corridors. Much of that infrastructure was built in the 1950s and 60s. The climate we face today is not what that infrastructure was created to protect against, so we need to upgrade it, and that is expensive.
One thing I am proud of this Triennium is securing $12.5 million from central government for flood protection infrastructure. Four of those projects are in this constituency. By securing that money we reduce the burden on local ratepayers and at the same time protect communities, transport corridors, and productive industry that supports the GDP of this region.
Aaron:
So you mentioned in there about capping rates to match CPI. Was that a reference to the fact that construction costs are going up faster than CPI?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, at the moment.
Aaron:
Okay, so do we know how fast they’re going up in comparison?
Pamela Storey:
I don’t have those specific figures, but it’s very easy to talk about CPI. People understand CPI. What I’m encouraging people to understand is the work that councils (TAs and regional councils) undertake – and ensure that you’re assessing the rates increase against the work our Council is providing.
I should say that in our first year of this triennium our rates increase was well below CPI.
Aaron:
I’m wondering if we criticise you for not doing enough work then? If you’re keeping rates too low. [laughs]. I kind of say that in jest, but that is the other side of the debate and we’re just not hearing it all – which is; are councils doing enough.
And I know Regional Council isn’t responsible for things such as what happened in Havelock North, where people got sick and died because their three waters infrastructure wasn’t up to scratch. But we’ve forgotten that. We’re still trying to clean up that mess, and already people are saying we need to cut rates. That’s a little alarming, I think.
Pamela Storey:
I agree with you. Again, it’s easy to have catchphrases in campaigns that resonate in the short term, but what we do is about long-term planning – around regional spatial planning but also around infrastructure provision.
If we keep things too tight for too long, it’s like a house: if you don’t maintain it, eventually it starts to fall down around you. If we have too long of a history of keeping rates ineffectively low, then we’re not maintaining or developing infrastructure to meet the needs of future populations. Eventually it breaks down, and that’s when we have a crisis of pipes bursting in the streets, for example. That’s not Regional Council’s responsibility, but it’s an illustration people can relate to.
Aaron:
There was an article a while ago about four different Waikato district and city councils saying government funding for some roading had been cut. So, has the government cut any of the funding it sends through Regional Councils?
And are you being expected to do more with less?
Pamela Storey:
Yes, always. In terms of doing more with less, there are two components. One is councils being asked to respond continuously to policy change from central government. Every time there’s a new policy setting, our councils have to gear up to respond to that. We have to respond during the development phase. We have to engage with government and say, “Hang on a second, you haven’t thought of this or that.”
That happened recently with the second amendment to the Resource Management Act. I had a last-minute conversation with a minister, just illustrating that if it went through in its current wording, it would automatically trigger a need for resource consents from 2,800 farmers in the Waikato and Waipā catchments. That was not aligned with what the government was saying about removing red tape and making things for farmers to remain productive.
Aaron:
So were they rushing the legislation? Why didn’t they pick that up?
Pamela Storey:
I’m not sure why they didn’t pick it up. We did put it through in our submission to select committee, and I wrote letters to ministers highlighting it. I’m sure that they get an avalanche of information from many places. That’s why the relationship between Regional Council and central government—particularly ministers—is key. Because that is our avenue to say, “Hang on a second, what you’re proposing will have a significant impact. A significant impact in terms of productivity, significant impact in terms of the resourcing that would be required to deliver on the legislation.” That’s where we can say; “Hey, hang on a second, here’s something that you haven’t considered.” I’m pleased I have the relationship with ministers to get that change reflected.
But back to your question about funding. Policy direction often creates a burden on local councils, and there’s no funding attached to that. Our only source of income is ratepayers.
The second part is change of priority. An example of that would be public transport. In our regional transport long-term plan, we mapped out the roading corridors we need and the public transport services communities have asked for. We had commitment across the region around public transport buses. But this government’s Government Policy Statement for transport decided to put more funding into roading and far less into PT. That meant we couldn’t provide some of the services we’d hoped to.
This circles back to the Raglan–Hamilton routes we talked about earlier. While we’ve got short, medium, and long-term plans around bus provisions, fulfilling those plans comes down to securing a matching commitment from central government. NZTA pays 51% of public transport. If they won’t put in their share, our ratepayers do not have the ability to make up that gap. There’s all sorts of tension in the system.
Aaron:
How much would that be? We don’t know how much they cut. But for those who haven’t got this information in their heads, our regional council rates are an order of magnitude less than district council rates—maybe not quite a tenth, but around 15 percent. It’s a much smaller number.
Pamela Storey:
We have a much larger rating base, obviously. We have, I believe, about 224,000 rateable properties.
Aaron:
We’re nearly out of time, but I do want to ask this. With our local council candidates, we often talk about a vision for Raglan or what the culture here is. That’s easy to do for a small community with a strong identity. But can you talk about the Waikato region like that? Does it have a characteristic, what’s its personality? What is the region about?
Pamela Storey:
Oh, gosh. I think the word that comes to mind is hard-working. We are a hard-working region. We love our recreation – as I know everyone out here in Raglan does – but what we contribute to national productivity and prosperity cannot be underestimated
That’s across the primary sector, tourism, and energy production. Waikato Region produces 33% of New Zealand’s electricity generation, and in dry years we’ve provided more than 50% of the country’s generation needs. We are the region that keeps the lights on.
We are critical in the success of this country. I recognise that there are so many unique communities of interest and I love that about this region. The diversity is what creates the opportunity in this region and it has been such an amazing pleasure and privilege to get to know so many different communities across the region – that’s where the richness and the opportunity lies.
Aaron
So are councils going to continue to exist in their current form, do you think?
Pamela Storey
I think that local government is up for a conversation around how we make the form follow the function. There are a whole bunch of needs for our communities, and some of those things are best provided at central government level. Some are best provided at a very local level, where you know intimately the community, what makes it up, what its needs are. And some things are best delivered at scale, beyond the very localised viewpoint, but still taking that into account in providing services at scale.
So I think now is the time for us as a country to look at all of the things that our communities want provided for them. That’s what government is here to do — to provide the services that the private market does not. And then let’s figure out the best scale to do that at, and develop a form that delivers on those functions most effectively.
Aaron
Alright folks, we’ve been talking to Pamela Storey, the current chair of the Waikato Regional Council and our representative in the Waikato constituency, running for a third term. Good luck at the election. Are we going to see you at our Meet the Candidates day on the 14th?
Pamela Storey
Absolutely.