Yet another fanfare.
Yet another name.
Yet another $2m of ratepayers money on the line.
With the demise of the wine industry drowning in an ocean of cheap wine ,the once lauded ‘hook’ for Hawkes Bay,founded by successful Sileni Winery owner Graeme Avery, has been binned ,emasculated, removed from the marketing name like a grape bunch from the vine.
Wither to now?
The change to ‘Hawkes Bay’ is one of desperation in these tough economic times and one that will not achieve results.
It is infuriating to read of the claims of the multiplier effect from extorting money from ratepayers to employ staff to promote tourism.
Our primary industries have huge multiplier effects and some like the huge horticultural industry in Hawkes Bay along with farming,have been treated like lepers.This is where the real base of the economy lies .
Why is it the word subsidy is still bandied about as an abhorrence connected with farming as in the eighties but it is OK to extract millions from ratepayers to subsidise motelliers and a host of other tourism related industries for their so-called multiplier effect.
A levy on tourism related businesses is what is required.