Yet another mayor lured by the offer of jobs and economic growth. Like Westport and Hokitika before him, Mayor Rowley is seen to put his support behind W-t-E proposal before any real details emerge. When asked for a “supporting statement,” Mayor Rowley obliged.
Rowley said it was an exciting proposal which could create many benefits for the district.
“This would include new employment opportunities and is yet another example of the district’s appeal to commercial operators. “This initiative has yet to go through the required consenting process, but we know the growth these major enterprises can create – and that’s a big positive for the Waimate District.”
These comments came after the Waimate District Council received a pitch from SIRRL director Kevin Stratful on July 27, 2021. In a pitch that one of the councillors in attendance described as that of a used car salesman, the councillor said it was that bad they felt embarrassed for him.
At the time, Waimate did not need any further employment opportunities; the district struggled to fill the already available positions.
Company request list of "Towns key influencers"
SIRRL’s public relations representatives working closely with Waimate Council senior staff asked for and were provided with a list of the “Town’s Key Influencers,” to ensure public support. Was Mayor Rowley using his key role as the council’s public spokesperson in line with the council’s commitment to community engagement or simply providing endorsement for the betterment of the company’s public relations drive?
Below, read more about Waimate District Council’s involvement with Project Kea, dating back over a year before the proposal was released to the public.