Wairoa mayoral candidate wants council-run cannabis business
Photo:
LDR / SUPPLIED
Wairoa mayoral candidate Camden Gaskin wants to green light a council-run medicinal cannabis business in the district.
He envisions it would employ 200 contractors and deliver significant economic benefits.
Photo:
There are four mayoral candidates in the small northern Hawke's Bay town, with Gaskin going up against incumbent Craig Little, current deputy mayor Denise Eaglesome-Karekare and Kurawari Panere.
Gaskin said, if a medicinal cannabis licence was obtained by council, a mail-order business would bring cash flow and employment opportunities to Wairoa.
"Every cannabis business that has tried to grow under lights has gone broke, apart from the ones that import product. All you need is sunlight.
"At a retail price of $100 an ounce, a mail order business will bring desperately needed cash flow and employment opportunities to Wairoa, but it would have to be kept away from under 18-year-olds."
He said if elected he would also like to help revive a culture of pub drinking, and bring horses back to Wairoa racecourse.
"The racecourse is the strongest marketing asset in town. We could have race meetings, concerts, and other events that would attract visitors to our region."
Gaskin said his father was an alcoholic, but he never knew that until he was 17.
"He would always drink at the pub. Reviving this tradition would stop drinking and smoking in households where children live."
Gaskin, now 70, said he ran a taxi business for 30 years in Wellington and then lived in Christchurch for 10 years.
He landed in Wairoa in 2018 after Googling the cheapest section available in New Zealand and coming across the town.
"After living in concrete jungles and having Boeing 747s flying overhead, I love it here where it's all birds and bush," Gaskin said of his residence.
"It's God's little acre."
Gaskin said the town should consider running its own telephonic network, delivering free Wifi to its residents.
"That would save ratepayers a hundy a month."
He would also, if elected, push for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the flooding in Wairoa during Cyclone Gabrielle.
He has multiple plans for the town if elected, including a container retirement village.
He said methamphetamine use was rife in the town and was an issue he wanted to talk about and address.
"If you want change, you have to vote for it."
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
2 hours ago
- Scoop
Exporter Confidence Holds Strong Despite Trade Tensions, According To Export NZ DHL Export Survey
The majority (two-thirds) of New Zealand exporters have increased or maintained their export levels over the previous 12 months Concerns about an ongoing international trade war have increased, but exporters are looking to diversify and mitigate the effects of possible future tariffs Auckland, New Zealand, 13 August 2025: Despite rising global trade tensions and looming tariff changes, New Zealand exporters remain optimistic and resilient, with two-thirds (79%) maintaining or growing their export volumes over the past year, according to the 2025 ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer. The annual survey, which tracks exporter sentiment and trends, reveals that 59% of Kiwi exporters expect to increase their exports in the coming 12 months, even as concerns over trade wars and proposed tariffs intensify. Selina Deadman, Vice President, Commercial at DHL Express New Zealand said, 'It's encouraging to see that the majority of New Zealand exporters have continued to ship internationally over the past year. International trade has faced increased scrutiny due to upcoming barriers, it's a positive indication that exporters are optimistic about cross-border trade, and it will be interesting to see how these expectations evolve in 2026. This also reflects the confidence that DHL Express has in globalisation and its importance in economic growth.' Recent trade policies enacted by the USA have dominated headlines this year. When this survey was completed, New Zealand was at the baseline 10% tariff level and the elimination of the 'de minimis' was scheduled for 2027. This resulted in 53% of survey respondents remaining relatively focused on the US market through 2026. However, now that New Zealand's reciprocal tariff has increased to 15% and the elimination of the 'de minimis' has been brought forward to August 2025, the rest of the year will serve as a test to that exporter confidence. Advertisement - scroll to continue reading Executive Director of ExportNZ Joshua Tan said exporters who may be affected by proposed tariffs have sought to diversify by entering other markets. 'This year's survey results show strongly that Kiwi businesses are considering new markets outside their traditional, with the likes of the United Kingdom (41%) and Japan (27%) both seeing an increase of 4% in exporter interest. In the case of the UK, this shift is likely influenced by the New Zealand-UK Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in mid-2023 and is starting to deliver outcomes'. Exporters identified the largest barriers to exporting as the cost and availability of transport and logistics (49%), as well as the high cost of doing business in New Zealand (31%). However, the most notable shift from last year was a sharp rise in concern over an escalating trade war, cited by 27% of respondents. 'Increased concern around trade wars becoming a barrier was expected, with a 15% rise from last year. Concerns over high tariffs due to a lack of trade agreements also saw a 7% increase,' said Tan. Exporters remain divided on the level of external support they were willing to accept, with a quarter (25%) of respondents saying they didn't require any assistance from NZTE in overseas markets. Meanwhile, 22% indicated they would like more help, with 20% seeking support for R&D and another 20% wanting access to market research. In this year's survey, exporters voiced strong support (32%) for 'More Free-Trade Agreements with new partners', alongside 'Support for attending trade shows' (32%) as the most desired forms of government assistance to help boost export activity. The full 2025 ExportNZ DHL Barometer Report will be released in late August, following an online webinar on Wednesday, 20th August, hosted by DHL and ExportNZ. Speakers Selina Deadman and Joshua Tan will discuss the key findings of the report and provide exporters with advice on how to reduce their exporting costs. Further information on the upcoming webinar can be found on DHL Discover. 2022 Export Barometer Report 2023 Export Barometer Report 2024 Export Barometer Report About the ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer A joint initiative between ExportNZ and DHL, a total of 333 New Zealand exporters were surveyed for the 2025 ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer. The ExportNZ DHL Export Barometer is an initiative aimed at analysing export confidence in New Zealand and identifying export trends. It is based on nationwide research, examining the business outlook of exporters, highlighting changes in overseas market demand, and providing insights into the factors impacting New Zealand's export trade. The research was conducted between 01 June and 30 June 2025. The increase in participation was accounted for mainly by an upsurge in the number of responses from the Auckland region. The number of responses from Canterbury remained unchanged, but the number from the Wellington region fell. There was also an increase in the number of sole-traders and small businesses participating. As in previous years, the respondents were most likely to have been in business for more than 20 years, but there was also an uptick in the proportion of those who had been in business for 10 years or less. DHL – The logistics company for the world DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as 'The logistics company for the world'. DHL is part of the DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 84.2 billion euros in 2024. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
The Panel with Heather Roy and Tim Batt Part 1
Te Aro School teacher Serah Mehrtens reads 'At the Marae' to her class. She says her pupils have not struggled with Māori words in the book. Photo: RNZ / John Gerritsen Tonight, on The Panel, Wallace Chapman is joined by panellists Heather Roy and Tim Batt. First, the Education Minister ordered an almost total ban on Maori words in a series of books used to teach five-year-olds - the panel hears from the Education Institute president. Then, house prices have slumped to their lowest since the Covid-era boom. What's driving the property market down? Coality principle property economist Kelvin Davidson explains.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Swarbrick recieves one of most serious Parliament punishments
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has been 'named' by the Speaker, one of the most serious punishments Parliament can hand out. Swarbrick returned defiantly to Parliament today, refusing to apologise for her comments yesterday suggesting coalition MPs grow a spine and sanction Israel. It was all part of what turned into a tense afternoon at parliament, with the Prime Minister dishing out some tough words about his Israeli counterpart, saying Benjamin Netanyahu has lost the plot. Giles Dexter reports.
