Jared Suisted calls for personal responsibility to tackle vandalism and restore pride in our town

Skids on local fields, rubbish (and animal carcasses) dumped along the side of the road and river, dirt bikes doing laps around town ripping up the verges, cut ropes on the new playground, constant vandalism of buildings, property and public toilets.

It’s easy to see how Ōpōtiki has made a reputation for itself that isn’t all that positive locally, or nationally for that matter.

We simply can’t have nice things; they get vandalised or stolen. It is the above actions that constantly wear down caring locals and drive many to leave Ōpōtiki.

Imagine if our council didn’t have to spend time and money cleaning up other people’s rubbish or constantly repairing damaged property. If our parks and playgrounds didn’t bear the marks of inconsiderate people.

The money saved could be put into new community spaces or initiatives.

Our town has a problem, and we are all experts at pointing out what (and who) all the problems are.

In 1910, The Times News asked the question “What is wrong with the world?” and invited well-known thinkers and writers of the time to reply.

The well-known G. K Chesterton replied, “Dear sir, I am.” Yours G K Chesterton. Could G K Chesterton’s reply in part hold the key to our communities predominantly self-serving attitude that at times cares little for others?

Could the heart of our community’s solution lie with you and me?

Complacency, complaining and anonymous keyboard warriors aren’t going to change the engrained selfish culture of many in Ōpōtiki.

However, individuals creating and modelling change will make a difference. As parents and as a community we have a responsibility to considerately and lovingly show our children, and at times others, when their actions and behaviour are actually negatively impacting the community and not appropriate.

A few days after the recent cyclone hit, we visited one of our local parks as a family.

A council employee turned up to pick up fallen branches and clean up the debris. This provided an awesome opportunity for us as parents to show our kids how they could help. For about 25minutes our 6- and 4-year-old helped collect small branches and put them into the council trailer.

Simply picking up rubbish on a walk not only cleans an area up but also models to others watching that you care and that it matters.

When we all contribute it makes such a difference. After all, many hands make light work.

The small positive actions we make can have a big impact.

I recall an encouraging story where a young boy walks down the beach and sees the waves have washed up hundreds upon hundreds of starfish. He starts throwing them back in the water one by one.

A man walking along questions him, saying, “Why are you bothering to throw back starfish? There are thousands, you won’t ever make a difference. The little boy picks up a starfish, throws it back in the water, and says, “It made a difference to that one”.

We can do better Ōpōtiki, but the changes have to start with me and you, one small change (or throw) at a time.

The vandalism and lack of care for anybody and anything of many in this town is simply the out working of inner issues.

Boil down these individuals’ behaviour and one of the core issues is selfishness and when this is further refined, we often find that the individuals do not even care for or even love themselves, let alone anything they own.

If this is the case, how can we expect them to respect other people and their property?