What a year this has been for us all. This government has continued to make decisions which has widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The South Island has been put on the back burner. Personally, Rosemary and I have both had health challenges, but are completing the year in a … [Read more...]
Garry writes 8 October 2024 – South Island woes…
Surely, it’s time for us all to respond to a government which considers Te Wai Pounamu, the South Island, as a mere side show. I feel it’s time for the Mayors of the South Island to develop a strategy to challenge this government. Ratepayers expect Mayors to have a spine and to speak for us and to … [Read more...]
Garry’s thoughts 19 March
A few people have asked when the Tuesday Club is going to recommence this year. We apologise for the delay which has been for a genuine reason. As a 73-year-old male I have experienced a common challenge for aging men. A swollen prostate. My GP kindly prescribed a pill which shrinks the prostate. … [Read more...]
Garry’s thoughts 5 December 2023
Since the 1st of December 2023 CCC has been led by Mary Richardson as “Interim” CE. It has been a tumultuous period for the Council over the last period. Now is the time for the CCC staff to be settled down through good internal systems and better accountability to them and to the Council … [Read more...]
Garry’s Thoughts 28 November 2023
Elected reps need to understand that they make the decisions and must balance staff’s advice with their personal contacts and experience... It has always been an issue for me that too many people get elected to office and they just take the advice they are receiving from staff as gospel. It is … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 9 August 2023
One of the roles of elected reps is to monitor the Council financially and, shall we call it, the “spirit” of the organisation. It is important to look for signs, like why is the staff annual survey not improving. Christchurch Council Staff Vent Anger On Leadership | Newsroom Or why is the … [Read more...]
Garry Writes 9 May 2023
I’ve been reading a book called “lessons” by Ian McEwan. It has some of the finest descriptions of everyday life I have ever read. Many of the sentences are so descriptive they are poetic. I recommend it as a serious description of the life of a family. One paragraph which struck me, was when … [Read more...]
Garry’s thoughts 28 March 2023
I loved recently reading a comment under an article which said: a quote from a Rudyard Kipling poem "I keep six honest serving men, they taught me all I knew; their names are What and Why and When, and How and Where and Who". This sentence summarises for me how we should address public … [Read more...]
Garry writes on changes at CCC
There was the inevitable clean out when Dawn Baxendale arrived from the UK to become CEO. That happens when a governing board, in this case the City Council, selects a change manager to turn around an organisation. CCC had become a bit like a cruise liner drifting in the high seas without power … [Read more...]
Garry writes 21 February 2023
Kim Hill said it accurately when she started her programme on Saturday morning saying that she felt helpless when she viewed the disaster which had hit this country. She had a house which was dry. Her roof didn’t leak, and she just sat and thought what could she do? Who couldn’t relate to that in … [Read more...]
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