Minister approves Lakefront project

Regional Economic Development and Forestry Minister Shane Jones talks to Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick, left, and locals at the Rotorua Lakefront.

Maori leaders must not frustrate plans to reshape Rotorua's Lakefront.

This message was delivered by Shane Jones, the Minster of Regional Economic Development on Monday.

With an injection of nearly $20 million from the Government, a local project should meet with approval without qualification.

Shane Jones has given a nod to moves to alter the Lakefront.

'We've all got to do the heavy lifting,” he says under a banner which said ‘What Happens Next?'

The upgrade the Lakefront southern shoreline has been criticised by some in the city who think the overall sum of $40 million, or at least $20m ratepayer money, should best be spent elsewhere.

'There have been quite a few projects – I won't go into the in any detail – but if there's not pragmatism…” Shane Jones says.

Key local Maori partners welcomed the Minister at the Lakefront, following a morning round of feel good, glad handing and joi de vivre.

He noted Maori under the Te Arawa Lake Trust owned Lake Rotorua and urged Ngati Whakaue 'not to frustrate the process”.

'Make sure your trustees do not frustrate this,” Shane says.

He also learned the Queen Elizabeth spa hospital, which was slated to move to Whakarewarewa, may now stay at the Lakefront. Elders nodded their assent to his assumption.

'I think that's a good idea.

'Then there's the council's vision which is essentially to upgrade the entire [lakefront] environment – it's a win, win situation.”

Approved one local, 'We're working very strongly toward that.”

The project had also met with the approval of Rotorua's NZ First Deputy Leader, Fletcher Tabuteau (who was not present today), with interests from the commercial sector to see it through.

Shane says the integration of intention between Maori interests and the council was 'my expectation”.

'There's commercial discussion among yourselves but there's expectation the pūtea [money] is what we want to get on an equal thread – not one and one equals zero.”

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