Back on council, but not as mayor
The first progress results have been published from the Western Bay of Plenty council elections. Congrats to James, who has been returned...
Oct 12
Thank you
The polls have closed. The counting is well underway and we should know the interim results in the Western Bay of Plenty elections in a...
Oct 11
Last chance to vote for real change
What does real change look like in this election? There are suddenly a lot of candidates promising fiscal responsibility as they chase...
Oct 10
A key rates risk at our council
The next three years are critical for ratepayers in the Western Bay. The impending separation of the water supply, wastewater and urban...
Oct 5
Protecting your property rights
Two years ago, our mayor sent a submission to central government calling for foreshore freehold properties to be compulsorily converted...
Oct 3
Cracking open workshops to the public
The New Zealand Herald has joined the Ombudsman in calling for transparency in council decision making, specifically around workshops....
Oct 2
Abbeyfield blessing this morning
Congratulations Carole and team on the blessing of Abbeyfield Katikati this morning. The first residents move in in a couple of weeks....
Sep 29
Stunning Sikh parade in Te Puke
Had a lot of fun at the Sikh Parade in Te Puke. I lived in India for 3+ years as a journalist so it was a chance for me to relive the...
Sep 27
Is our council sitting on a gold mine?
A suggestion that the council sell its HQ at Barkes Corner has come up during the current election campaign, with the idea that it could...
Sep 22
A quick guide to council overspending
The biggest complaint I hear about our council is that rates are too high, and the services we get does not match the gold-plated bill. A...
Sep 19
Joyce backs Ōmokoroa school to support new housing
Too right! I do support the planned high school for Omokoroa. We need it to reboot housing growth in the area. Here is a link to my...
Sep 17
Coming to a kitchen table near you
I still love the feel of newsprint. In the 1990s, I started up and ran two community newspapers and successfully took on the big guns. ...
Sep 13
Vote for Real Change in the Western Bay
Our Council faces substantial change over the next three years. With the right mayor it will emerge streamlined and focused on the needs...
Sep 10
Talking policy in Te Puna
This week we had the first mayoral candidates meeting of the Western Bay council elections, which I attended along with most mayoral...
Aug 29
Why I am running for Mayor and Councillor
Here are the core reasons I am standing for mayor and councillor. I've distilled it into 150 words (the max) for my official election...
Aug 28
What the heck just happened with waters?
Last week, our council voted to join with Tauranga City in a combined council-owned (CCO) company to run our tapwater, wastewater and...
Aug 12
Holiday home owners enrol now to vote
If you own a holiday home or other property in the Western Bay District but live elsewhere you are entitled to vote in this year's...
Jul 16
Why Ōmokoroa growth is stalling
I would like to draw your attention to a really important Newsroom article as it shows what is happening in Ōmokoroa now, after the...
Jul 7
Waihi Beach library opens
I was very happy today to be at the opening of Te Ara Mātauranga, the Waihi Beach Library and Community Hub. This was a project that...
Jul 1
Rates information for 2025-26
You can now see online your rates forecast for the next year in the Western Bay of Plenty district. For most urban residents, the...
Jun 29
Waters update
The attached media release is an important update on the future of water services in our Western Bay, as we head to a government deadline...
Jun 4
Councillor update, June 2025
In case of interest, here is my most recent councillor report to the Katikati Community Board last week.. It covers some weighty...
Jun 4
Fluoride update
Heads up to this media release from the council today regarding fluoridation of our public water supplies, which will start in coming...
May 27
Rangiuru Business Park First Sale
This is important news for all of us. Rangiuru is a huge investment for both the regional council (through Quayside, it’s investment arm)...
Apr 10
Katikati-Waihi Beach expo
The Katikati-Waihi Beach expo is on tonight (Wednesday) in Katikati. So what is it? It will be set up like a trade show with information...
Apr 9
Food scraps convert
The food scraps bin is a favourite in my household. I was a definite sceptic when this started (before my time on council). I’m a convert...
Mar 26
Regional Deal
This is an important initiative to advance our Western Bay region. It does not include everything we want (the govt required us to...
Feb 27
New Rescue Hub Starts in Bowentown
Great to witness the ground being broken today for Waihi Beach Surf Lifesaving Club’s new Bowentown Rescue Hub. This project has been...
Feb 23
Rangiuru Interchange Opened
This morning, the Rangiuru Business Park near Te Puke took a big step forward with the official opening of its motorway interchange by...
Feb 15
Water qualilty and Health Warnings
I recently published a couple of health warnings about popular swimming holes in Katikati - the Henry Road ford on the Uretara River and...
Dec 23, 2024
New Proposal for Community Boards
A new proposal has just been published that would substantially change the way community boards operate in Waihi Beach, Katikati and the...
Nov 15, 2024
Funding Infrastructure
Some very valuable points are made here today by my brother, Steven Joyce . The one thing I would add is the very real risk, if water...
Aug 24, 2024
Highway Barriers Meeting
Great turn out tonight to the protest meeting opposing the blocking of side roads on SH2 by median barriers. The meeting has opened...
Jul 23, 2024
Matariki in Waihi Beach
Broke out the thermals for the first time in a few years for this morning’s Matariki viewing in Waihi Beach. A stunning morning. Special...
Jul 4, 2024
WBOP District Council backs a Maori ward
I am very happy to be part of this important decision to adopt one or more Maori wards at the next two local government elections. The...
Aug 19, 2023
My WBOP meeting speech in favour of a Maori ward
This is my speech for the Maori ward decision this week. I realise more than a few people struggle with this idea so this explains why I...
Aug 19, 2023
Have your say on council rates and spending
Western Bay district council’s draft annual plan is out for public feedback this month, with a proposed 7.41 percent average rates...
Apr 17, 2023
Merry Christmas and Thank You
Merry Christmas and thank you to the many voters who put their trust in me to represent them at the Western Bay of Plenty District...
Dec 28, 2022
WBOPDC rates due today
A friendly reminder that today (Friday, Oct 7) is the last day to pay your WBOPDC rates and avoid a 10% penalty. Confused? Here is...
Oct 7, 2022
Vote now for real change
What do you want from the new Western Bay council after the current election? Do you want more of the same or do you want real change? If...
Sep 23, 2022
Time to chat in Katikati tomorrow
I'll be back at Eileen's Market, Katikati tomorrow morning (Saturday), along with Richard Logan - Candidate Western BOP District Council,...
Sep 23, 2022
Te Puna meeting readout
Some very interesting and difficult issues discussed tonight for both district and regional council around land use conflicts in Te Puna....
Sep 19, 2022
Maketū sunshine
Lovely morning in Maketū at the community market. Having fun in the sun - great stalls and good coffee! Promise made: if I win, I’ll be...
Sep 18, 2022
Waihi Beach meeting readout
Another great community election meeting in Waihī Beach this morning. What really impressed me again was the quality and varied...
Sep 17, 2022
Voting starts today!
Voting papers go out to Western Bay of Plenty residents today for the new mayor, council and community boards. It is time for real change...
Sep 16, 2022
THE OTHER THREE WATERS RISK
When we talk about Three Waters, it is (for most of us) with disgust about the government’s plans to wrest control of this huge chunk of...
Sep 15, 2022
3 Waters: Privatisation by Stealth
It has been clear from the start that this flawed process has been driven by multinational companies eyeing lucrative contracts to run...
Sep 12, 2022
WBOP Debt Mountain
The wave of red ink on the attached chart shows the WBOP District Council’s official borrowing figures. Up until this year (the blue...
Sep 6, 2022
Out in Maketu
Working on my fitness in Maketu with Ryan, my youth advisor. A lot of work to be done to get my body match fit!
Sep 4, 2022
Press coverage in the Weekend Sun
Press coverage in the Weekend Sun. Nice to see a newspaper go beyond the council press releases. Sorry about the photo. I won’t win any...
Aug 29, 2022