The Far North has come under fire from a well-known broadcaster who slammed the wider region as being “Third World” and “a breeding ground for crime”.

Prominent travel journalist Allan Dick’s impressions of Northland while
touring in a motorhome with his wife also highlighted “endless” roadside litter indicating a “lack of pride”.

But Northlanders have brushed off his comments as they spoke to the Advocate about the love they have for their hometowns.

Dick posted the disparaging comments on his Facebook page, some of which were shared on the Northland Grapevine and have generated hundreds of comments.

“The pub at Rawene is closed and it has danger signs on it,” he wrote on November 3.

“I have to say that on much of this trip l have felt like l have been travelling in a Third World country.

“We have been tiki touring back roads with endless visions of rotting, tumbledown houses decorated with fleets of rusting cars, waist-high grass, discarded washing machines, microwaves etc. It is everywhere.

“Quite depressing.

“And don’t get me started on the sickening amount of roadside litter – it is endless. A lack of pride is evident.”

The next day Dick posted:

“The squalor and living conditions l have seen in the past few days here in parts of Northland are heartbreaking.

“Hard not to think it is a breeding ground for crime and unrest.

“As a New Zealander/Aotearoan l can’t understand how this has happened and how it continues to happen. We must try harder for equality.”

Dick didn’t stop there; the Horeke Hotel near Ōkaihau came under fire “with one of the rudest and most arrogant signs l have ever seen on a business”.

He also took a potshot at the “grimy” Kawakawa building used by Northland MPs Willow-Jean Prime and Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis as a shared office.

Boatshed Café owner Brianna Patino, whose partner’s family has lived in the area for 30 years, said she was “disappointed” to read the post.

“Northland is a bit different and the Hokianga is definitely grassroots, it’s a lot different from the city or suburbs. But people enjoy that slower pace of life.

“There are lots of people buying homes to escape to that.

“It’s definitely all about perspective. I’m quite happy it’s not commercialised.

“The Hokianga has a lot to offer.”

Patino said the Rawene pub was closed because the owners were doing renovations on it.

“It has danger signs on it because it’s a construction site,” Patino said.

Far North Mayor Moko Tepania wasn’t concerned about Dick’s remarks.

“If we reacted to the comments of every Tom, Dick or Harry, we’d be exhausted. We let our own reputation speak for us.

“If you look at travel guides or other international or national media, I’m very happy with the reputation the Far North has.”

Roadside rubbish was not isolated to the region, Tepania said, but more funding was needed to tackle the problem.

The council received a one-off payment from the Government’s Covid-19 response and recovery fund which went toward employing people to pick up rubbish last year, he said.

Tepania would like that repeated, along with more education to stop people discarding it in public places.

When questioned about his comments, Dick told the Northern Advocate he’s been on the road in Northland for nearly two weeks and was shocked at the roadside litter.

Dick, the editor of the magazine NZ Today who spent 25 years as radio talkback host, said it’s not the first time he’s visited the north.

He was here this time to visit his wife’s family connections.

“I’ve been up here a lot, I travel a lot, up here is not new to me.

“We spent a fair bit of time on the west side of the Far North.

“I’ve never seen so many unwanted cars in one small area in all my life.

“There are tens of thousands of scrap metal sitting there and no one seems to care.

“The litter up here is appalling. On every road side there are empty cans, bottles, plastic bags and plastic waste.

“Somewhere I saw two foam mattresses dumped at the side of the road.

“It’s also on the eastern side as well.”

Dick, who lives in Oamaru, said he’s not sure whether the region has gotten worse since his previous visits or whether it was because he was doing more “backyard touring”.

But it was an eye-opener, he said.

“I’ve seen people living in little more than tents surrounded by rusted motor cars.

“I’ve been aware that’s the way the north is for a long time but this time…I’ve had eyes opened to the haves and have-nots.”

Dick did also highlight some positives.

Totara North was a “fantastic lovely part of the Far North” and Hihi was “very smart” with a “good no-nonsense feel”.

As for Whangārei, apart from rubbish at the top of Parihaka, Dick was impressed with the Town Basin area which he dubbed “really special”.

“The Hundertwasser centre in Whangārei absolutely captivated me today.

“I loved everything about it from the location, the colour, vibrancy, the people running it, an absolute knock out of a place.”

The Advocate’s picks for places that showcase Northland’s beauty