2 October 2026

Disclaimer: I do occasionally use AI, but almost never in any of the text for these Friday updates.

Edgar Allen Poe has a quote from the Cask of Amontillado (1846) which pretty much sums up my experience of Council this week: “Ugh! ugh! ugh! – ugh! ugh! ugh! – ugh! ugh! ugh! – ugh! ugh! ugh! – ugh! ugh! ugh!”.

Councillor Duncan here, and this week in Council has crossed a new threshold which I didn’t expect so soon and to which I see no clear path to return. Interestingly it was spurred by the same issue as last term and in a similar timeframe, about a topic I know deeply because it falls within my profession: the Taupo Northern Gateway project (or Northern Access as I have been referring to it). My challenge to the set direction was firmly sidestepped, which I knew would be attempted but was still disturbing enough that my apologies in advance if much of the following comes across as even more of a rant than usual.

So on Tuesday we had the first of our Long Term Plan (LTP) capital programme workshops (watch the full 2 hrs HERE) where as by far the most expensive item at $80M this got covered first – and it was nothing short of a predicated whitewash. Since 2022 I have taken great interest in this project with my own proposed way forward which I had been led to believe would be given opportunity to table – but just one hour before the meeting Mayor John Funnell said no! Instead all that we were permitted were questions to the staff and attending consultant (who flew up from Christchurch) about their own preferred option, and one which is pretty clear won’t be happening for decades because government funding is unlikely and forecast growth on the north side of the bridge is less than predicted (i.e. to accrue the developer contributions required to pay for around 70% of the project). So the reality is that Taupo town traffic won’t be getting better for a very long time unless we come up with something a lot more affordable. That something is what I have developed for free and which the Mayor didn’t allow me to table, instead only offering me backroom presenting out of public view – which is something I steadfastly refuse to do again after my recent Waikato Together experience that never saw the light of day on Council public record. But more dismally is that virtually all of the other Councillors agreed with the Mayors approach, largely on the basis that, and I am not making this up (my paraphrasing)“if we all were allowed to present our own ideas in Chambers there would never be enough time”!! I can only think that perhaps those others just don’t have any good ideas they are confident worth sharing.

This Council has already blown $300K on consultants to do work much of which we could have done ourselves, and are about to spend another $100K or so carrying it on. It is appalling and should be scandalous, and from my perspective most of all we have Deputy Mayor Kevin Taylor to blame – he is the one who chose to withhold information from the rest of Elected Members in 2024 which directly led to deciding on an $80M solution which might not happen in our lifetimes. To say this whole guttery episode is distressing is an understatement, and I am reluctant to participate in many future “workshops” which I now see as nothing more than brain washing sessions where alternative points of view are refused coverage. So this Council will have spent over $400K to basically achieve nothing constructive for the foreseeable future, and all because of petty politics and protecting some magnificent egos. And don’t be fooled people, it is not the system at fault here and I see this as the people you voted in to govern. Amalgamation might fix some things, but if voters keep on electing a bunch of people who are happy enough to rubberstamp everything put in front of them, then not much will change with your (probably capped) rates bill except perhaps a reduction in basic services. So its ugh alright, and for this term at least never have I viewed the place and people so low. At very least this episode should belie the fallacy that capital projects get line by line scrutinised, because this is the biggest line of all and it received none.

Okay so apart from getting that off my chest, what else have we got going on?

Sorry you feel that way: In case you were listening on Tuesday and didn’t know what he was on about, watch HERE for Mayor John Funnell’s roundabout apology for my recent labelling of dummy-like behaviour by a number of Elected Members last month. I rather think that it is time Councillors do some growing up to be able to take some criticism, but as per below it is possible something may have shifted.

Political views allowed but only just the one: On Tuesday I submitted my Notice of Motion Item 5.10 (which you can watch HERE, and for my transcript read HERE) advocating for Councillor views to get reinstated in ratepayer funded Council media (eg. Councillor Korero in Taupo & Turangi News), and also to be less censored than before. Apart from Councillor Hope Woodward it was unanimously voted down, but at least there was more than zero debate this month so was an improvement. What still somewhat astounds me though, is that we have a room full of politicians who aren’t interested in reaching people with their own views alongside the corporate messages of Council as does get practiced elsewhere – especially print media for the many people who are digitally disinclined. So I guess they aren’t as motivated springboards for change or have given up hope, because silence is the recipe for status quo to remain. Of mild interest there was a brief fracas at the beginning of that item with a member of the public wanting to make their own video recording – which was something I was going to do myself, but according to interpretation of these Chambers I apparently have less rights than a member of the public so had to ask someone else instead (the current setup does not record the rest of the room during speaker time, and the Chief Executive told me it would cost $10K to do it!). However I neglected to read the fine print from Standing Orders below, that the chairperson is meant to be notified at the commencement of the meeting when they only arrived part way through, because rules matter you know…

Other bits and bobs: There were a few other mentions during Tuesday meetings which I can recall: my of course repeating about rubberstamping exercises in Chambers; a dubious decision about power of attorney that I was apparently alone to not understand but four others voted against (watch HERE); my mention that the fireworks cancellation was not decided in Chambers (watch HERE for the outraged squeals); and my mention that although Water Services won’t be rates capped we can voluntarily chose to do so (watch HERE, including some later responses that we need to follow the rules and the Commerce Commission will apparently save us from overspending – which I know they have told us they won’t). Oh yes there was also the Part 2 LTP capital works brainwash session on Thursday which I declined to attend, a marathon 5 hour effort which I downloaded the transcript to instead produce this AI summary – in future I’ll be doing this more to save myself the hassle of attending, and if I have any questions can always LGOIMA them through to staff.

Five Mile Bay part VII: I have been writing to the Minister of Conservation Hon Tama Potaka about the illegitimate occupation of public reserves, and was recently forwarded this response from the Department of Conservation which boils down to this: Usually a public reserve administered by a public body if they aren’t living up to their obligations, could be subject to Section 27 of the Reserves Management Act (see below) to revoke ownership administration back to the Crown – but because these were part of a Treaty Settlement it doesn’t apply. So if the Te Kotahitanga O Ngāti Tūwharetoa (TKNT) failure to live up to its obligations and put in a Reserve Management Plan with public access (now at least two years overdue) is to be challenged – that appears to mean by individual citizens or organisations in the High Court. My response to the Minister is asking just what he is prepared to do about this very unsatisfactory shortcoming in the legislation and his supposed jurisdiction. Will keep you posted.

Don’t be fooled: Its nice to waste less, but our landfill consent which expires the end of 2027 wouldn’t be a significant problem except Taupo District Council have left it much too late to clear Environment Court hurdles and we will quite likely be paying up very large because of it.

Giving it away: Much better spoken than myself Rotorua Councillor Robert Lee lost a battle last week to apparently prevent the giving away of $250K of Council income to local Iwi via some revesting of Council administered reserves, previous gifts now being reclaimed. But if you watch the linked “debate” – ugh, its almost impossible to properly debate anything at all when the chairperson uses their position to disrupt the flow of conversation, not to mention flippant point of orders by other members. I would like to say it is just ignorant behaviour but too often its intentional, and having said that the Rotorua chambers come across as a little more civilised than here.

Back from the brink: Santas parades back on the cards for 5 December thanks to a last minute efforts by SB Events managing director Shannelle Barrett and I gather Mayor John Funnell also lent a helping hand – so he does have his uses even if he is liable to give short shrift to democracy in Chambers and therefore to you.

Ever wonder what they get paid? I was forwarded an interesting spreadsheet of Taupo District Council staff salaries from a LGOIMA request as per snippet below, its only indicative but gives you a glimpse to decide if you think they are under or overpaid:

Auckland scraps postal voting for local elections despite the “eye watering” cost of $10 per ratepayer which seems good value to me, apparently mainly due to integrity and fraud concerns in South Auckland last election. Yes, I think that could be good for here too, what do you think?

Iwi in or Iwi out? Iwi want to demolish the Chateau read about it HERE. Now I don’t know all the details and am only reading the tea leaves as I see them: The reason that the Chateau is not commercially viable is because of Iwi, and Iwi now want it gone. Please tell if you think I’ve got it wrong.

Crux of the matter: Read here for Queenstown Crux media taking on the Council for a $200M blunder. I wish we could have as polished local investigative reporting here in Taupo, then I could take a rest.

Criminals in charge: Yesterday Dr Matt Shelton begins a two week disciplinary hearing before the NZ Medical Council for which he has waited for five years unable to work as a doctor for the duration. His “crime”? In August 2021, while practicing as a GP, Dr Shelton apparently sent the following text to his 600 patients enrolled at his clinic: “Hi [name], your GP, Dr Shelton here. I cannot in conscience support Covid vaccination of, particularly, children, and pregnant and fertile women, from my assessment of current risks and benefits, best explained at [NZDSOS website) All to make their own best decision”. You can send your messages of support for Matt HERE

Fridays foolish catchy tune, but is he madman or a genius?