Family considers moving to double accommodation supplement
By David Hill, Local Democracy
A Pegasus mum says her accommodation supplement would almost double if she lived in the neighbouring Canterbury town of Woodend, just a few minutes down the road.
The woman, who Local Democracy Reporting agreed not to name, rents a three-bedroom house in Pegasus for herself and one child at $560 a week and receives an $80 accommodation supplement on top of her ACC payments.
If she lived in Woodend or Rangiora - 3km or 8km away - she would receive $155 a week.
Every area is divided into one of four accommodation supplement zones, which can determine how much support they can access.
‘‘When I first came here seven years ago the rent was $400 a week.
‘‘It has gone up by $60 a week in the last 12 months and the accommodation supplement doesn’t keep up with that.’’
She has been looking to move Woodend or Rangiora, but there are few rental properties available.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said the accommodation supplement classifications were ‘‘completely out of date’’.
‘‘It is my understanding that the maximum payment setting for the accommodation supplement has only been reviewed twice in more than 20 years.
‘‘It has never cost so much to run a household and having the extra money in the accommodation supplement will be life changing for some people.’’
Gordon said he planned to raise the issue at the Canterbury Mayoral Forum.
A quick search on Trade Me found just 28 properties for rent in Pegasus, Woodend, Ravenswood, Rangiora and Kaiapoi with three or more bedrooms, all ranging between $540 and $680 a week.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has confirmed Pegasus is classified as ‘‘area 4’’, which is the lowest of four classifications.
‘‘Every town, city and rural area across New Zealand falls into one of four accommodation supplement areas,’’ general manager housing and employment Hayley Hamilton said.
The classifications were established in the Social Security Act 2018, when the Government updated accommodation supplement area boundaries and increased the payment rates, she said.
People living in ‘area 1’, including Auckland and Queenstown, may qualify for the highest maximum accommodation supplement weekly payments, while those living in ‘area 4’ qualify for the lowest rates.
Area 2 includes Christchurch, Rangiora, Woodend, Oxford and Amberley, while Kaikōura and Hanmer Springs are listed in area 3.
Hamilton said some people may quality for temporary additional support.
Any changes would be a decision for government ministers, she said.
In March, Social Development Minister Louise Upston announced she had commissioned advice on changes to the accommodation supplement.
It followed concerns the area classifications were not keeping up with urban growth in the Queenstown area.
‘‘The use of outdated geographic information and classifications by MSD has seen some households receive a lower accommodation supplement than they otherwise would,’’ Ms Upston said at the time.
‘‘The issue is particularly pronounced in Queenstown and exists in a small number of other areas where there has been rapid urban expansion.’’
There is no update on when this will be resolved, leaving people struggling to keep up with rising rents.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Proposed Canterbury landfill faces huge opposition
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
More than 500 submissions have been received in response to a proposed managed fill landfill in North Canterbury.
Christchurch-based Protranz International Ltd has applied to Environment Canterbury and the Waimakariri District Council for resource consents to establish and operate a quarry and landfill operation at White Rock.
Waimakariri District Council planning manager Wendy Harris said the applicant was up against ‘‘probably the most organised local group I’ve ever seen’’.
‘‘They organised a protest march, they’ve got signs all around and they’ve got a website and a Facebook page.’’
She said the 548 submissions was more than the 421 submissions to the draft Waimakariri District Plan, which was notified in 2021.
A proposed housing development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, in 2022 received 630 submissions.
While the details of the submissions have yet to be released, it is understood the majority are opposed.
Harris said planners from the two councils will plan joint hearings early next year.
More than 100 people marched from Southbrook in Rangiora to the Waimakariri District Council lawn in High St in September to express their opposition.
Organiser Mike McCaleb said residents are concerned about the potential environmental damage to the Karetu River, which feeds into the Okuku River, and then the Ashley/Rakahuri River.
He said he was surprised there were not more submissions but said he was aware of several people who had issues with Environment Canterbury’s website timing out.
‘‘It will be interesting to see the details of the submissions.’’
Protranz is seeking to restore the Whiterock Quarry, at 150 and 174 Quarry Rd, North Loburn, to near its previous landform, by filling it with managed fill, building and demolition waste and contaminated soil material, including asbestos.
The company bought Whiterock Quarry in 2022 with plans to fill it with soils and inert construction rubble removed from building and land development sites in Christchurch and North Canterbury, which are sent to Kate Valley Landfill.
‘‘Sending this stuff to Kate Valley adds a massive cost to developers, homeowners and community organisations who have dirt to move, and fills Kate Valley with material that can be better managed somewhere else,’’ Protranz founder Gerard Daldry said.
He said Protranz commissioned a wide range of testing including site investigations, technical assessments and design of the managed fill to support the resource consent applications.
The reports found environmental risks were ‘‘extremely low and able to be mitigated’’, Daldry said.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.3% Yes
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14.2% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
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