The Te Puke Highway song contest is 'done and dusted” according to Mark Boyle, managing director of the Te Puke Economic Development Group. He's adamant.

'Robert Rakete's winning song is absolutely finished, it was finished on the day and it was never unfinished.”

Mark Boyle, managing director of the Te Puke Economic Development Group. Photo: File.

Mark is reacting to simmering concern about the duration of Robert's competition entry, which clocks in at just one minute and 56 seconds, and questions about a supposedly incomplete song being judged the winner of the local competition.

'How could the judges know what the finished product would sound like if the winning entry had to be changed?” asked one letter writer to The Weekend Sun.

'Well I guess it [the song] was cute and commercial but unfinished,” said another writer. 'He [Rakete] admits to needing to complete the lyrics soon… no offense (sic) Robert, but you really didn't deserve to win.”

And yet another: 'The winning entry was not even a complete song, more a jingle, still to be finished. I am sure I am not the only one thinking along these lines.”

'It's mischief making,” says Mark of the reader's comments.

Questions about the outcome of the song contest were, in part, prompted by radio jock Robert Rakete himself.

After winning the song contest, he told The Weekend Sun he was 'writing another verse” so the song would be long enough to get air time and give Te Puke some exposure.

One of the song contest judges, Simon Alton, told The Weekend Sun his only criticism of Robert's work was that it was very short.

'I like the idea, but it hasn't been developed,” said Simon at the time. He believed the song could afford a little more work, so Robert was going back to add a verse.

But Simon wasn't asking Robert to change the essence of the song. 'Rakete's entry was a bouncy song with a summery feel that stood out from the beginning.” And for Simon, the song reflected Te Puke.

They were comments which could have fuelled undeserved criticism and misunderstanding about the winning song. They were comments which it's been suggested may have been better not said.

'There has been some banter between the winner, the media and one of the judges about extending the song, but it was just banter.”

Mark says he can only deal with the facts.

'Firstly, Robert Rakete's song complied with all the rules. He incorporated the words ‘Te Puke Highway' and ‘Goodness Grows Here' as stipulated.”

There were no rules governing the duration of the song entries. Despite Robert's song being just one minute 56 seconds, Mark is insistent. 'It was a finished song and was never unfinished.”

He says that song, as presented to the judges, was judged to be the winner. 'The entries were judged by an independent panel of experts and management of the event and the judging was thoroughly professional.

'There hasn't been any adjustment to the song and there won't be. The song that was judged to be the winner is the song that was published and made available to download.”

He says any talk of problems with the duration was just a friendly exchange of ideas and thinking in an environment of goodwill.

Mark says the event at Jubilee Park, where some of the contestants sang their songs, was not a judging event.

Robert may have forgotten his words during his performance, but it did not impact on the outcome as the winner had already been decided.

What about the prize – travel to Route 66 in the USA?

Robert indicated to The Weekend Sun that he might not make the trip. He said he probably couldn't afford the time from work, had been lucky enough to travel extensively and would prefer for someone less fortunate to make the trip.

Mark says they talked 'nicely” to Robert, then discussed it for a couple of weeks and decided it was a no.

So the prize was awarded to the winner, it is not transferrable and is sitting there waiting for Robert to claim it.

And Te Puke has a new anthem, which the Economic Development Group says adds value to the initiative to define the district as a destination.

'The song is delightful and inviting, and will help promote Te Puke Highway as a road worthy of travelling to reach a unique and sensational part of New Zealand,” says Mark.

The song can be heard and downloaded at: www.tepukegoodnessgrowshere.com