Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

This is the time of year when we look forward and make resolutions on how differently we want things to be in the year ahead.

Faced with a new year, it is also fun to make predictions and then look back to see if they came true. I checked my predictions for 2012 and found they were pretty much on the button.

The international turmoil resulting from economic and political instability is continuing. The good news is the world didn't end in December with the end of the Mayan calendar (not that I thought it would), but we all have to take action to ensure that our world as we know it is protected. Despite the naysayers on climate change, we are seeing much greater climatic extremes and associated natural disasters. The debate about whether these are natural cyclic variations or exacerbated by man's actions rages on, but I think we are reaping the impacts of our intensive and rapid development.

We have seen a lot of legislative change coming through – there will be a lot more in 2013 and it will build on changes we have seen based on streamlining, reducing bureaucracy and cost. There will be local body elections in 2013 and I don't think we will see change in the Bay of Plenty by then, but certainly by the following elections in 2016.

When considering my New Year's resolutions for this year I reconfirmed all the old ones about exercise, work-life balance and family priorities – but also decided to run for the Regional Council elections again in 2013 to try to see the changes through.

We will see major change in our political and economic landscape in the years ahead. However I see it as a real opportunity for us to work positively together to make our place, a better place. Bring on 2013!

If you have any views on this or any other issue, please email me: neesj@xtra.co.nz or phone 07 579 5150. Or you can check out my website: www.janenees.co.nz