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From reporter Lee Kenny:
Canterbury’s mayors have called for an additional $1 billion to improve transport in the region, but no-one can say exactly what the extra cash would be spent on.
The funding is one of three “immediate priorities” in the Plan for Canterbury 2023-2025, which says… View moreFrom reporter Lee Kenny:
Canterbury’s mayors have called for an additional $1 billion to improve transport in the region, but no-one can say exactly what the extra cash would be spent on.
The funding is one of three “immediate priorities” in the Plan for Canterbury 2023-2025, which says ensuring the transport system is “fit for purpose requires significant investment”.
The document has been drawn-up by Canterbury Mayoral Forum, which is made up of the mayors of Canterbury’s 10 territorial authorities and Peter Scott, chairperson of Environment Canterbury (ECan).
It doesn’t state exactly how the extra billion would be spent, but one transport expert said although the extra detail “would be useful”, it was still a good message to send to Wellington.
A report published on Wednesday said the additional $1b for the region’s “vast transport network” is required over the next 10 years as “current funding sources do not meet present or future [...] resilience requirements”.
When asked what specific projects the $1b might fund, Hurunui District mayor Marie Black said: “At this point it’s probably not useful to think about specific details, but actually the direction that we are looking is to create a better link and help people mind-shift into that integration.”
Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger was not available for comment, while Ecan was also unable to respond to questions about what the cash would be used for.
The Mayoral Forum report said transport strongly influences economic development, “supporting supply chains that are critical for getting our exports to market and imports back to us”.
“Current funding sources from local authorities and the National Land Transport Fund will not meet current needs, particularly when faced with resilience issues.”
Although no specific concerns or solutions are stated, “there are options to be investigated”, the report said.
Christchurch transportation engineer Glen Koorey said it was good news that transport was being prioritised by the region’s mayors but greater detail “would be useful”.
Ministers often expect people to “present a case”, when they are asking for extra funding.
“Having said that, it’s probably a useful message to be able to say to Wellington, we feel we're a bit underserved.
“Canterbury has often felt underserved in terms of funding, Wellington often seems to do better for a region the same size, if not smaller,” he said.
“I can understand (the Canterbury Mayors) asking for a bigger piece of the pie.”
The Plan for Canterbury 2023-2025 also calls for improved flood prevention and better policies to attract skilled workers to region, as Canterbury’s gross domestic product (GDP) per person “lags (behind) the national average”.
Canterbury is New Zealand’s largest region by land area, with 78,000km of rivers and streams, which present “substantial risk of major flooding events”, the report said.
The mayors are calling on the Government for “permanent co-investment in flood protection”, to shift the focus from disaster relief and recovery to mitigation of flood risks, reducing the long-term costs.
The Rangitata River burst its banks in December 2019 causing widespread flooding, while extreme rain in May 2021 led to a regional state of emergency and hundreds of evacuations.
These recent events demonstrated how vulnerable parts of the region are to flooding, said Gary Kircher, mayor for Waitaki District, which also spans Otago.
“Flooding has impacted us probably more than other natural disasters,” he said.
“Just last July and August there were multiple flood events around Omarama and Otematata, and we have those challenges across the region.”
The mayors will travel to Wellington next month to outline their aims to ministers.
“Having one voice is going to be more effective and benefit all of us,” Kircher said.
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton residents are being assured their water is safe to drink following claims from Greenpeace.
Greenpeace said its preliminary analysis of 107 samples from the Ashburton area had "extremely concerning" levels of nitrate … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton residents are being assured their water is safe to drink following claims from Greenpeace.
Greenpeace said its preliminary analysis of 107 samples from the Ashburton area had "extremely concerning" levels of nitrate contamination.
The claims resulted in a flood of concerned residents contacting the Ashburton District Council, which has assured residents connected to its 12 public drinking water supplies that the water is safe to drink, and that it complies with nitrate levels in the national drinking water standards.
The council constantly monitors and tests its water supplies, which service about 70% of the district’s population, chief executive Hamish Riach said.
Environment Canterbury director of science Dr Tim Davie labelled Greenpeace’s portrayal of drinking water testing as “misleading”.
Greenpeace used statistics based on a single Danish study rather than New Zealand’s Drinking Water Standards, set by the Ministry of Health and Taumata Arowai, Davie said.
“It’s also important that people understand that the Greenpeace samples were taken mostly from private wells on rural properties and not the main Ashburton town drinking water supply."
Greenpeace Aotearoa lead campaigner Christine Rose said the "extremely concerning" levels of nitrate contamination are the result of intensive dairying in the region.
"What we’re seeing here in Ashburton is totally unacceptable.
"The Government needs to take urgent action to address nitrate contamination at the source, to protect the health of rural communities.
"That means regulating the intensive dairy industry by phasing out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and halving the dairy herd."
But Davie said the increase in nitrate concentrations was “a result of more than a century of all types of agriculture and meat processing on the Canterbury plains”, and would take some time to address.
That was because it took a long time for nitrate-rich water to move through the groundwater system.
“The well-known issue of elevated nitrate concentrations is a key driver for change in agricultural practices in the Ashburton plains, leading to better environmental outcomes.
“We have been working on this closely with the farming community for over five years, through the nitrate leaching restrictions in our plans driving better farming practices.”
Greenpeace’s test results had 11% of the 107 samples exceeding the current nitrate standard of 11.3 mg/l, all from private bores in the Ashburton area.
It was not reported specifically where the samples were taken from or if locations were verifiable.
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
From the poem 'For the fallen' by Laurence Binyon
Don't go old-school this winter and just throw on another jersey to beat the cold. You deserve to be truly comfortable in a warm, dry home without stressing about power bills.
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From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A $600,000 revamp of Ashburton’s showgrounds has been revealed, with an aim to boost and improve usage.
And, all going to plan, big ticket events such as festivals, outdoor concerts, and major sporting events could be held at the site.
… View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A $600,000 revamp of Ashburton’s showgrounds has been revealed, with an aim to boost and improve usage.
And, all going to plan, big ticket events such as festivals, outdoor concerts, and major sporting events could be held at the site.
Ashburton A&P Association board chairperson and past president Richard Lemon said the concept plans were for “repurposing” areas to make the showgrounds more attractive to entice a greater number of events and users.
Over the past six months, Lemon and Tim Lovett, a fellow past president and current grounds manager, have been working on plans to redevelop the layout.
The association board and committee have backed the plans and the user groups were “99%” in favour, he said.
Stage one of the redevelopment would shorten the oval into a “rugby playing zone”, with the extra area created becoming a multipurpose space.
Three new specialised equestrian rings would be developed on the western side of the grounds.
There had been a perceived health concern with humans and horses sharing the safe grassed area, which would be solved by the redevelopment, he said.
The other aspect was damage from equestrian activities, maintenance for which cost $18,000 last year.
They also plan to enhance the dog training area on the western side where a clubroom and a toilet block would be added for use by both groups.
The plans also enable the showgrounds to be split in two so events could run independently on either side.
There were also plans for planting trees, new lighting, and a repurposing of the grandstand and changing facilities.
The initial focus was sourcing the funding for stage one – the ground redevelopments – with the cost estimated to be about $600,000.
“Half of that is just soil and sand,” Lovett said, adding it would also include an upgraded irrigation system.
There would be two additional stages and the total cost for the project was unclear.
Lemon and Lovett have presented the concepts to the Ashburton District Council, seeking its endorsement and signalling a future discussion on any possible financial assistance.
Mayor Neil Brown said the showgrounds were a community asset.
“It needs to be retained and enhanced and you’re doing that,” Bown said.
The council supported the plans, but a requested dollar figure would be needed for any financial assistance as it was heading into the long-term plan process at the end of the year, Brown said.
The annual income of the volunteer-run association was about $250,000, the majority of which relied on the annual two-day A&P Show and fine weather, Lovett said.
Maintenance and operations of the grounds and having a grandstand, valued at $5.2m and costing $25,000 annually on insurance, and running the show were the priorities, so they would also be seeking support from the community.
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The 2023 General Election is to be held on Saturday 14th October 2023 - that's less than 6 months until you make your vote!
In the lead up to the election, what issues are you most wanting to hear from parties and their candidates about?
Type NFP if you want your comments excluded from … View moreThe 2023 General Election is to be held on Saturday 14th October 2023 - that's less than 6 months until you make your vote!
In the lead up to the election, what issues are you most wanting to hear from parties and their candidates about?
Type NFP if you want your comments excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
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The comparison you've been waiting for! Are you team Apple or team Samsung?!
Both companies have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to technology and it can get pretty heated. It's always best to check before you invest - so compare the pro's and con's of … View moreThe comparison you've been waiting for! Are you team Apple or team Samsung?!
Both companies have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to technology and it can get pretty heated. It's always best to check before you invest - so compare the pro's and con's of Samsung and Apple now with this easy guide.
Telecommunications are an integral part of our lives, so when things go wrong it can be frustrating. Do you prefer to keep tight lipped, or are you willing to speak up?
The Telecommunications Dispute Resolution service, or TDR for short, is here to help. It’s ok to complain and we encourage … View moreTelecommunications are an integral part of our lives, so when things go wrong it can be frustrating. Do you prefer to keep tight lipped, or are you willing to speak up?
The Telecommunications Dispute Resolution service, or TDR for short, is here to help. It’s ok to complain and we encourage you to speak up and raise issues early.
For phone and internet disputes, talk to your provider first and give them a chance to sort it. If it remains unresolved or if you need some extra help, you can talk to TDR – your free and independent complaint service.
To get in touch or find out more, visit www.tdr.org.nz or freephone 0508 98 98 98.
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A perceived road cone overkill may not come to an end any time soon.
Councillors have been warned a change in traffic management philosophy may not reduce the amount of cones on Ashburton streets.
Instead, it could get worse, council chief … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A perceived road cone overkill may not come to an end any time soon.
Councillors have been warned a change in traffic management philosophy may not reduce the amount of cones on Ashburton streets.
Instead, it could get worse, council chief executive Hamish Riach cautioned.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency’s regional relationships manager, James Caygill, told the Ashburton District Council there is “a transition from one regime for traffic management to another one” in New Zealand.
In the past there had been an "exceptionally prescriptive'' approach, he said.
That was transitioning to a risk-based approach instead.
“They will no longer have the ‘there must be X cones’, so you should see over time a transition.”
Councillors had initially taken it as positive news to counteract the public’s perception of road cone overkill.
But Riach warned that a shift to a risk-based approach could put costs up.
“It will be saying 'have you done everything to mitigate the risk', and when contractors turn their mind to that question, they may decide to do more, not less.”
Council’s infrastructure and open spaces manager Neil McCann said the council was still waiting to see what impact the new approach would have.
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CDANZ estimates that around 250,000 dogs are chained up for their entire lives in Aotearoa. Animal welfare inspectors from the SPCA can do little for them and only in the most extreme cases can dogs be seized, and owners prosecuted, due to the resources involved. Do we need to have better welfare … View moreCDANZ estimates that around 250,000 dogs are chained up for their entire lives in Aotearoa. Animal welfare inspectors from the SPCA can do little for them and only in the most extreme cases can dogs be seized, and owners prosecuted, due to the resources involved. Do we need to have better welfare rules for dogs?
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
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The market for many antiques, collectables, vintage watches, artefacts, gold and silver items has been buoyant these past few years. So if you are considering selling any of these or … View moreWANTED WANTED WANTED:
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