The intended $5 million Kapiti (Guru) Gateway. According to the council: ‘The structure itself will consist of two “pods” – a Biosecurity Pod and an Information/Ticketing/Retail Pod, which is referred to as a Visitor Centre and which will promote local tourism activities. A feature of the design is a large (9 metre [30 ft] high) carved Pouwhenua, which can be seen out at sea and possibly the Island.’ However, that last feature doesn’t seem to be included in the drawing.

Dear Councillors, 

Re: information concerning the Gateway and the “Consultation“

The Mayor, in various newspaper columns and Councillor Buswell in press releases have told everyone in Kapiti that there was resounding public support for the Gateway. The evidence they have relied on is the Maclean Park Management Plan Refresh in 2017 (“MPMP”).

The KCDC website repeats the same story.

“Improving the Kāpiti Island departure point and providing an iconic visitor experience has been a discussion point for our community for many years. It was consulted on during the 2017 Maclean Park Te Ūruhi Development Plan and funding for a Gateway is signalled in the Council’s 2018–38 Long term plan, and set aside in both 2019/20 and 2020/21 Annual Plans.web site

The KCDC Application to the PGF states:

“Extensive public consultation has been undertaken on the proposal to build a Kāpiti Gateway. This has taken place in four phases: 

1) As part of the Maclean Park Management Plan refresh in 2017, many submissions called for a Kāpiti Island Visitor Centre to be established on the south side of the Tikotu Stream.  (pages 18/34)

However, when one reads the Maclean Park Management Plan refresh  2017 one finds there were virtually no submissions made in favour of the Gateway. The MPMP says 1500 people were consulted. The number who made comment on the gateway  was only 46. The Consultation is clearly set out in the PGF Application:

Lumin have been working closely with the Kāpiti Coast District Council since September 2016 providing professional services in stakeholder engagement,…. Work to date has involved extensive consultation, with more than 1,500 people engaged (page 6)

The actual number of those who commented on the Gateway as biosecurity and supported the idea was 3,  those wanting an information centre was 17. This is the extract from the councils documents. 

“Table 2 (page 10)

Comments regarding Area A – Northern Entrance 

Kāpiti Island Gateway (46 responses) 

  • Make any development a Kāpiti Coast visitor centre (17) 
  • Collaborate with boat club (4) Improved access to the northern end (3) 
  • Small biosecurity centre (3) 
  • Too expensive (7) and needs to be paid for by business (2)”

Only 3 wanted a bio centre, 17 a visitor centre: = 20

Anyone interested in the truth would say 3 out of 1500, or at best 17 out of 1,500 shows enormous opposition, not support. To so mislead the PGF and all Ratepayers needs an apology, a retraction.

President Trump wants to use Kapiti as a superb precedent when he claims to have won the election in November, if he gets only 40% of the vote.  In fact one of his campaign advisors has already gotten hold of me and asked, “Give us folks the evidence of how the KCDC mayor and Council were able to get the NZ government to accept that 20 people out of 1,500 as being the majority. And to get $2.3 million. And having the majority councillors supporting this bullshit. Gee, this is brilliant, NZ a great little democracy knows how to sell the story and get everyone to believe it!”

Christopher Ruthe