Shane Walsh believes he has what it takes to represent Te Awamutu ratepayers fairly on the Waipā District Council.
Shane Walsh
The Te Awamutu Business Chamber chief executive, Waipā Community Facilities Trust chair and Destination Te Awamutu chair, Walsh said a position as councillor would ensure the town’s best interests were heard.
“As a Te Awamutu rate payer, I’m reflecting on the concerns that Te Awamutu rate payers have. One concern is the increasing rates and the level of debt, but everyone’s got that concern,” Walsh said.
“The other concern is the council not listening. I think that’s demonstrated by the fact that the Te Awamutu Kihikihi Community Board, which is supposed to advocate on behalf of Te Awamutu people in terms of feeding back concerns and any good ideas, have been ignored. Therefore, nothing is happening. Te Awamutu deserves better than that.”
Local Choice
Walsh is also concerned about wasteful spending and the council “not getting things done”.
Born and brought up in Te Awamutu – he returned in 2020 after 40 years away – Walsh has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Waikato University and has held senior management roles and executive roles in both the dairy and fishing industry. These have ensured a financial savviness.
“They’ve given me a good understanding about how things work in large complex organisations. This experience will be useful if elected as a councillor,” Walsh said.
“An example of wasteful spending is the Te Ara Wai Museum. It’s a fantastic idea, with a lot of community support for it. A lot of money has been spent, buildings have been bought, but no progress.
“That’s really frustrating because it would be a great asset for Te Awamutu.”
Walsh is concerned about a disconnect between community and the council.
“Examples of this is the council stopped funding the i-Site and cut event funding. Te Awamutu may lose their visitors centre and has missed out on events such as Black Friday Blowout and the Art Trail, events that help to make Te Awamutu a more liveable town.”
He believes the council needs to re-establish trust and connection with the community. They need a reset.
If Walsh were to be elected, he would step down from all other positions
“I would walk away from all those positions. I’d focus 100% on being a councillor.”
Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce chief executive Shane Walsh, left, watches the powerpoint presentation from Impact Hub co-founder and director Nanise Ginnen and shareholder Emma Emery-Sinclair while Waipa Economic Development manager Steve Tritt watches on.
