Make New Plymouth the official New Zealand sister city for Austin, Texas!

Make New Plymouth the official New Zealand sister city for Austin, Texas!

Started
13 May 2019
Petition to
Neil Holdom and 1 other
Signatures: 20Next goal: 25
Support now

Why this petition matters

Started by Texas BBQ Foods

Ash Peters, founder of Texas BBQ Foods, is mounting a campaign for his hometown of New Plymouth to become Austin’s official New Zealand sister city.

The launch of the sister city campaign has been inspired by the results of a recent Texas BBQ Foods survey, which has revealed that people from New Plymouth share a surprising number of similarities with those from Austin, Texas. Ash ran the survey online to find out more about what his New Plymouth customers thought of their hometown. More than 700 people responded with the results showing that:

- More than 97 percent of New Plymouth residents love barbecued food.
- Thirty-one percent of them eat BBQ food a couple of times per month, 28 percent eat it once per week and 26 percent eat it a couple of times per week.
- More than half (59%) think that New Plymouth has the best barbecue skills in New Zealand.
- They think that New Plymouth is best known for its music (60%), art (53%), food (52%), outdoors lifestyle (44%) and the waterfront (25%).

“I have been travelling to Texas for years and have always noticed that there are more than a few similarities between New Plymouth and Austin,” explains Ash. “The survey results show that it’s not just me that thinks so! Both cities are extremely proud of their barbecue skills, as well as loving their arts, the outdoors and being right next to the water.

“New Plymouth and Austin are also both passionate about their festivals. Among other events, New Plymouth has the iconic three-day WOMAD festival, while Austin’s official motto is ‘Live Music Capital of the World.’ No other New Zealand city is paired with Austin – I think it would be the perfect match for New Plymouth and would be a fantastic relationship to have.”

New Plymouth currently has two sister cities, Mishima in Japan and Kunming in China. Austin would be the city’s first American sister city.

Show your support for the New Plymouth - Austin, Texas Sister City Campaign by signing this petition! You can also share your thoughts over on the Texas BBQ Foods Facebook page or directly with either Sister Cities New Zealand or the Mayor of New Plymouth, Neil Holdom

Support now
Signatures: 20Next goal: 25
Support now
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Decision makers

  • Neil Holdom
  • Sister Cities New Zealand