Buy-back and amnesty for prohibited firearms and parts
After changes to firearm laws, the government introduced a six month amnesty period. This means that anyone with firearms and parts that are no longer legal have until 20 December 2019 to hand them in to Police.
Police are providing a number of ways for people to hand-in their firearms or parts, including Police-run collection events - bit.ly...
If you can’t make a collection event, check whether there is a dealer near you - bit.ly...
If you think you have a unique prohibited item and are eligible to apply for compensation, find out how you can do that here - bit.ly...
Some firearms can also be modified and there is also a list of approved gunsmiths eligible to do the work - bit.ly...
FAQ’s here - bit.ly... or call 0800 311 311.
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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28.5% With a city-wide public fireworks display
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20.3% Small fireworks displays in each community
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7.7% Keep it as is
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32.9% We shouldn't celebrate it!
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10.3% Anything but fireworks
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
Swipe cards in, taxi chits out for Mobility Scheme users
By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
West Coasters with mobility problems will soon be able to use a swipe card for subsidised taxi trips, instead of paper vouchers.
The regional council, which administers the Total Mobility scheme on the Coast, is switching from taxi chits to a card system, bringing the region into line with the rest of the country.
More than 900 people on the West Coast are Total Mobility users.
The scheme is 75% subsidised by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), 20% by the regional council and the user pays the remainder, with a cap of $30 per trip.
A staff report to Tuesday's Resource Management Committee said the paper vouchers were outdated.
“The chit system is unreliable, difficult to administer, susceptible to fraud and poses problems for those who wish to travel between regions.”
Staff were proposing a change to a digital system, and contract with three companies to provide software, print the cards, and supply card readers for taxi companies as needed.
It would cost $35,000 to make the change but with NZTA subsidies of $21,500 the set-up cost to the regional council would be $14,354 plus GST.
The council’s ongoing costs with the new system would be an extra $3 per taxi trip - $1159 a year.
Council chairperson Peter Haddock told LDR the West Coast was one of only two Total Mobility operators in the country still using paper vouchers.
“The swipe card system brings us into line with most other regions and it’ll be more convenient for people with mobility challenges - and it’ll save our staff time and be lot easier to administer.”
CCS Disability Action’s West Coast manager, Kelly Blomfield, is welcoming the change.
“Having a card will make it much easier for our people, not having to trek back and forth to the council asking for vouchers when you can’t get around easily to start with.”
The cards had the approved user’s photo on them, making them much less vulnerable to fraud, Blomfield said.
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