Canterbury council leaders support plans to scrap reforms
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury's council leaders are supportive of Government plans to scrap a raft of reforms, but are keen to see more details.
Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said the new Government has listened to the concerns of rural councils about the difficulties implementing a range of policies.
"The issues are complex and I look forward to seeing what balance a new approach can bring."
The new Government has announced sweeping changes including the repeal of Resource Management Act and Three Waters reforms, as well as changes to the National Policy Statements on Freshwater and Indigenous Biodiversity.
Dobbie said he would like to see a resource management system which was more accessible, with "good checks and balances to scrutinise more complex matters".
While rural communities like Hurunui have few government services, the district did receive government funding to deliver services, so any funding cuts could have significant impacts.
Waimakariri District Council chief executive Jeff Millward (pictured) said it was "too early" to determine the impacts of the reversal on reforms.
"It is a fairly difficult economic environment at present and I think the Government recognises the issues being faced by our communities and businesses."
Millward said the council had lobbied for changes to the Three Waters reform.
He hoped the new Government would support "better and more affordable models" being proposed by councils.
Kaikōura District Council acting chief executive Peter Kearney said his council was supportive of the proposed legislative reviews.
"Where there is opportunity for us to proactively approach government for additional funding that will add value to our community we will certainly be seeking to explore those possibilities.
"At this stage there is still much for the new government to work through and we remain optimistic the detail will provide a constructive and pragmatic way forward."
The coalition Government has agreed to review the National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity, while the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater will be replaced.
Work on the new Significant Natural Areas, which aims to give greater protection to important native habitats, will be stopped.
New resource management legislation will focus on property rights as a guiding principle.
The new medium density residential standards, which was introduced as a joint Labour and National initiative, will now be optional for high growth councils such as Waimakariri.
The changes would be accompanied by ACT's plan to share a portion of GST from new builds with councils
New Zealand First has also secured a $1.2 billion regional infrastructure fund.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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I can be written, I can be spoken, I can be exposed, I can be broken. What am I?
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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48.3% Yes
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2% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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