Kia ora — Jamie Cleine, Mayor of Buller, hosts a candid episode about youth life on the West Coast, focusing on the inaugural Buller Youth Festival. The episode explores national youth policy, regional challenges, and the festival’s practical workshops and inspirational speakers who aim to build pride, resilience and future pathways for local rangatahi.

Listeners hear stories from organisers, performers and young locals, learn about funding and community support, and are reminded that youth in Buller are the heart of the region’s future.

In this episode of The Cleine Line, Mayor Jamie Cleine explores the groundbreaking Westport master plan, "Cutting Our Own Track." This community-led initiative looks beyond traditional approaches, aiming not just to mitigate natural hazards but to shape the social and economic landscape of Westport. Join us as we discuss the challenges of climate and geological risks, the strategic interventions of the Resilient Westport Work Programme, and the pivotal role of community input in securing a vibrant future. Discover how Westport is embracing resilience by fostering sustainable growth and preparing for the challenges ahead.

In this episode of The Cleine Line, Mayor Jamie Cleine takes us through a detailed reflection on the 2025 Local Government New Zealand Conference held in Christchurch. Focusing on the significant outcomes and directional changes revealed at the conference, Jamie shares insights from key political figures including Simon Watts, David Seymour, and Chris Bishop. The episode delves into central government's expectations from local councils, upcoming legislative reforms, and the potential impact on local governance and community services. Jamie emphasises the importance of collaboration between central and local government and highlights the necessity of steady leadership and community engagement in navigating these changes. Through honest dialogue and audio clips from the conference, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of what's next for Buller amidst the evolving political landscape.

In this episode of The Cleine Line, Jamie Cleine discusses the new Local Water Done Well reforms that mandate councils to develop a Water Services Delivery Plan. He explains the implications of these reforms for local councils, particularly in Buller, and the decision to form a multi-council Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) to manage water services. The conversation delves into the complexities of water management, the necessity for investment, and the potential future of water services in the region.

This episode discusses the importance of Bathurst Resources and their Stockton coal mine to the Buller economy and our community.   This means utilising the coal resources available including the Denniston Plateau to ensure a decades long time period to plan and enable a just transition of the economy and the people of the Buller.  Making a plan for when the coal runs out.

This episode points out that stopping mining and developing new economic initiatives aren't mutually exclusive, they can and need to work in parallel.  A successful coal sector provides the economic backbone to explore, underwrite and deliver diversification but this work, although started already will take decades.  Fortunately, there is decades worth of viable coal reserves to do just that.

The Cleine Line is hosted by Buller Mayor - Jamie Cleine and is a place for honest conversations about local government, life on the Coast, and everything in between.

This isn’t the official council line — it’s a personal take on what’s happening in our communities, around the council table, and sometimes from the halls of Parliament too.

Each episode, I’ll share what I’ve been up to, what I’m hearing on the ground, and what I think it means for Buller.

We’ll talk about local challenges and opportunities — from infrastructure to climate, housing to health — but also the people and stories that make our district such a unique and diverse place to live.

New episodes dropping soon — short, sharp, and grounded in real local leadership.

If there’s a topic you want covered on The Cleine Line, a question you’d like answered, or someone in the community we should hear from — flick me an email at [email protected].