4.0 COMMUNITY ATTITUDES

4.1 RESPONDENT PROFILE

4.2 INFORMATION

4.3 ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

4.4 HOUSING

4.5 COMMUNITY SERVICES

4.6 COMMERCIAL/PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

4.7 PROMOTION OF WAIHI

4.0 COMMUNITY ATTITUDES
A total of 342 of the 2500 Community Attitude Surveys were completed and returned (just over a 10% return rate). The return rate is considered to be sufficient to enable conclusions to be gained from the responses.

The Maps in Appendix E illustrate the geographical spread of the respondents to the June 2000 Community Attitude Survey. The extent of the survey area is commented on in Section 2.1 above. The survey form is included in Appendix D.

4.1 RESPONDENT PROFILE
In order to obtain details for a ‘respondent profile’ the first section of the Community Attitude Survey asked respondents to complete several questions regarding their household composition, the number of years lived in Waihi, whether they owned or rented their houses, and whether any member of the household is directly or indirectly employed at the mine. Details of the ‘respondent profile’ are set out below and in Figures 5-8.

4.1.1 Household Composition
The survey asked respondents to provide details of their household composition. This provides a baseline against which future surveys may be measured against to determine trends. In addition, it is used to ensure that a representative sample of the community has been obtained.

Response to the 2000 Survey provided representation from all categories of household composition (refer to Figure 9).

The comparison of the 1996 Census with the 2000 Survey results shows that responses were obtained from all categories. The percentage of responses from the 2000 survey responses were significantly greater in the "2 Adults" category and significantly lesser in the "2 Adults & Children" category.

Figure 9 : Household Compositio

4.1.2 Number of Years in Waihi
The survey asked respondents to indicate how many years they had lived in Waihi. This provides a baseline against which future surveys may be measured against to determine trends.

The survey results in Figure 10 show that the respondents to the 2000 survey include short, medium and long term residents, with no predominance of any one group.

This is a random result, but shows that the subsequent questions will have been answered by people with a reasonable depth of historical knowledge of Waihi. The responses are therefore likely to be realistic and representative.

Figure 10 : Number of Years Living in Waihi

4.1.2 Ownership/Rental Accommodation
The survey asked respondents to indicate whether they owned or rented their accommodation.

The survey results in Figure 11 show that the proportion of respondents who owned and rented their homes is not significantly disproportional to the 1996 Census data. The lower numbers renting may reflect a depressed property sales market, lower interest rates and changes in mortgage lending policies, making it easier for residents to purchase their own home.

Figure 11 : Type of Living Accommodation

4.1.3 Number of Respondents Employed by WGC
The survey asked respondents to indicate whether they were employed by WGC. This would indicate whether the survey results were weighted towards one sector of the community (e.g. if a large proportion of respondents were from mine employees this may influence the results provided in the survey).

The survey results in Figure 12 show that the majority of the respondents to the survey are not employed by WGC. It should be noted that to protect people’s privacy and to enable open expression of opinion, the supplying of name was optional. This is not unexpected given the proportion of people employed by WGC (refer to Section 3.2) and the proportion of people employed in the category of "Mining & Quarrying" (refer to Section 3.1.2 d)).

Figure 12 : Number of Persons Employed by WGC

4.2 INFORMATION
The community was asked a series of questions to determine awareness of the mine extension through newspaper articles, contacts at Hauraki District Council and WGC. Respondents were also asked whether they had visited Martha mine. The survey revealed the following:

• Virtually all of the respondents knew that the extension to Martha Mine had commenced and were aware of the regular information articles in the local newspapers about Martha mine.
• Two-thirds of the respondents confirmed that if they had any concerns about the activities at Martha mine that they knew who to contact at the Hauraki District Council and WGC.

4.3 ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
The community was asked to identify if there were any environmental or health effects caused by the activities at Martha mine (positive or negative) which were affecting them. The survey results in Figure 13 show that approximately half of the respondents felt that the mining activities were having an effect on the community.

Figure 13 : Environmental Effects - Overall

4.3.1 Environmental Effects - Positive
The survey asked respondents to indicate whether they experienced any positive effects on the environment resulting from the activities at Martha mine. Of those that stated the Martha Mine was having an effect (refer to 4.3 above) approximately a quarter of those considered that there were positive effects. (NOTE : Some respondents identified more than one effect, while some respondents who stated the mine was having an effect did not state any specific effects). The results are shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14 : Environmental Effects - Positive

4.3.2 Environmental Effects - Negative
The survey asked respondents to indicate whether they experienced any negative effects on the environment resulting from the activities at Martha mine. Of those that stated the Martha Mine was having an effect (refer to 4.3 above) approximately a half of those considered that there were negative effects. (NOTE : Some respondents identified more than one effect, while some respondents who stated the mine was having an effect did not state any specific effects).

The survey results in Figure 15 show that respondents have identified negative environmental effects typically associated with construction activities.

The distribution of respondents identifying negative effects is as follows (approximate proportions only):

• Outside Waihi Town (12%)
• Eastern side of Martha Mine i.e. east of Barry Road (45%)
• Southern side of Martha Mine i.e. east of Rosemont Road (5%)
• Western side of Martha Mine i.e. west of Rosemont Road/Morseby Ave (24%)
• No address supplied (14%)

Comments:

Conditions are included in the resource consent for the mine extension to control such environmental effects.

These survey results are not unexpected as they reflect the construction period effects. It is anticipated that these effects will reduce or become unnoticeable during the mining (operation) phase.

It is also noted that some of the negative environmental effects identified by respondents may have been associated with other activities taking place in the main part of town and are not related to the mine extension activities, for example, effects of noise and vibration associated with the changes to traffic patterns resulting from the closure of Seddon Street, and noise, dust and vibration associated with the Main Street streetscape work.

Figure 15 : Environmental Effects - Negative

4.4 HOUSING
The survey asked respondents to indicate whether they had noticed any deterioration or improvement to the quality of housing on their streets since the mine activities were extended in 1999.

The survey results in Figure 16 show that approximately half the respondents either did not specify any change or noted that there had been improvements to housing conditions.

The details provided by respondents to describe the deterioration or improvements to housing included the following:

• Deterioration of houses included:
  • problems with sale of houses
  • a greater number of empty/vacant/run down houses
  • damage to houses/sections (cracks)
  • poor street conditions (footpaths, road surfaces)
• Improvement of houses included:
  • a new scout hall
  • a greater number of new houses
  • some upgrading of houses (especially houses owned by WGC)
  • some improvements to roads and footpaths

It is noted in Section 3.3 that WGC owns 71 houses (approximately 4% of the housing stock) in Waihi Town. Any changes to housing quality are likely to be a reflection of general trends in the community, rather than being attributable to WGC.

Figure 16 : Housing

4.5 COMMUNITY SERVICES
The survey asked respondents if they had noticed any change to the availability of community services in Waihi since the mine activities were extended in 1999. The survey revealed the following:

• That three-quarters (253) of respondents did not identify any change to community services since the mine extension.
• Those respondents who did identify a change to community services in Waihi, noted the following:
  • assistance to schools, clubs and community groups from WGC
  • new community facilities (eg Events Centre, completion of the Marae)
  • an increase to Police numbers
  • the closure of Seddon Street not allowing an easy route for through traffic and creating problems for access to Information Centre
  • deterioration in the selection of shops
  • improvements required to roads/streets
  • health services (fewer and expanded)
  • upgraded library

Apart from the contribution by WGC to schools and community groups, none of the above changes can be directly attributable to the extension of the mine.

4.6 COMMERCIAL/PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The survey asked respondents whether they had noticed any change to the availability of commercial and professional services in Waihi since the mine activities were extended in 1999. The survey revealed the following:

• That three-quarters of respondents (256) did not identify any change to commercial or professional services since the mine extension.
• Those respondents who did identify a change to commercial and professional services in Waihi, noted the following:
  • closure of the ANZ bank
  • other businesses closing/suffering
  • businesses less accessible
  • new KFC restaurant
  • improved variety of services
  • increased number of real estate agencies

Those changes to commercial and professional services in Waihi identified by respondents are unlikely to be associated directly with the mine extension activities. In the case of the ANZ bank the closure was due to a rationalisation of regional banking services, and in the case of KFC was associated with national expansion of outlets to smaller towns.

4.7 PROMOTION OF WAIHI
The survey asked respondents whether they were actively involved in the promotion of Waihi to visitors. The survey revealed:

• That three-quarters of respondents are not actively involved in the promotion of Waihi to visitors.
• The survey also asked what people liked best about living in Waihi. The survey identified a range of best features of Waihi:
  • central location – it is accessible to the bush, sea, bigger cities, services within the town
  • good climate
  • rural/small town character
  • unique mining heritage
  • a strong and diverse community spirit
  • quiet, low stress, slow pace, lifestyle

1 Introduction | 2. Methodology | 3. Community Profile | 4. Community Attitudes | 5. Summary | Apppendices

RETURN TO TOP