Haven Falls Funeral Home Ki Rotorua
Haven Falls are very blessed to be opening their new branch in Rotorua.
Located at 271 Old Taupo Road, Rotorua these facilities offer a large chapel, dining hall and extended off road parking.
We invite you at anytime to pop in and speak with one of our team members and have a look around the facilities offered.
We operate 24 hours 7 days a week.
0800 428366
Q&A: Ask a question about...Online Safety
Continuing with Neighbourly's online Q&A with experts in their field, this week we are tackling online safety with Jandy Fiske from Netsafe.
Jandy Fiske has been with Netsafe for nearly 8 years. Starting on their helpline, she's now Netsafe's Community Engagement Advisor. Jandy says: 'I'm passionate about online safety because I strongly oppose bullying and want to support those affected by it.'
Jandy is passionate about protecting vulnerable communities and is promoting online safety to ensure no one falls prey to online scams. She can answer your questions about any type of online scams, and also about online harm such as online bullying.
↓ Ask your question below now and she'll be online on Wednesday, 11th September to reply to you ↓
Ashburton’s new bridge a done deal, except for the dollars
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
It’s all good to go but who’s going to pay for it?
That still remains the big unknown for the second Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge after the Government confirmed it would be part of its $32.9 billion plan for New Zealand’s transport network over the next three years.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has unveiled the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), which focuses on more state highways, road maintenance, and greater public transport in the country's main cities with a 35% increase in funding compared to the last three years.
He said it includes plans to work with Ashburton District Council to progress the second Ashburton Bridge as a road of regional significance.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said having it included in the transport plan "cements that the project will go ahead”.
"We will be getting our second bridge.
"It’s a tremendous achievement for all that have been involved in it over the last 15 years.
"Hopefully we’ll have it (funding and timeline) sorted in the next few months.”
But the big question remains on how constructing the 360-metre-long bridge across the Ashburton/Hakatere River, and associated new road infrastructure to link it to the existing network, will be funded.
That in a cheeky way was put to Rangitata MP James Meager when he presented an update to the council on the Government’s work programme.
Mayor Brown welcomed him with a tongue-in-cheek quip that Meager is "a busy man no doubt, getting funding for bridges etc”.
The commitment to get the bridge started in this term of Government is unchanged, Meager said.
Whether it comes from tax, rates, or user pays, someone ends up paying for it, he said.
"It sits with the council and NZTA now to have those conversations and discussions about what the funding mix is.”
What being a road of regional significance means for the NZTA contribution also remains to be seen but Meager suggested it could result in "an uplift” of the Government’s contribution from the minimum 51%.
Council chief executive Hamish Riach confirmed that they had already applied to the Government’s regional infrastructure fund, while Mayor Brown said they have put in for a fast-track consent for the project.
The council included $7.5m for the second bridge in its long-term plan and was aware that figure may not be enough.
Being included in the plan guarantees at least the minimum 51% funding from NZTA as costing of $113m, based on the 2022 business case, but that estimate is now closer to $130m.
At the $113m price tag, NZTA’s 51% contribution ($56.6m) and the council’s $7.5m (6.7% of the total cost) leaves a shortfall of $48.9m.
How that funding gap is bridged has been a focus for some time and will need to be finalised soon.
"We have been working with NZTA for a while now around how that might work, and those discussions are well advanced,” Brown said.
***More than a bridge
The bridge was the big Mid Canterbury project in the Government’s transport plan but wasn’t the only one.
There is a planned asphalt upgrade for the SH1 Ashburton – SH77 junction to the Ashburton Bridge.
The section of the road will be dug out and re-asphalted to cater for heavy traffic use.
Safety improvements will be designed for the Selwyn River to Ashburton stretch of SH1.
There will also be a rockfall fence in the Rakaia Gorge along SH77 on the south side of the river to protect motorists and the highway, and to give reliable journey times.
LIVE Q&A: Financial well-being with Cat Rikihana
Today (Wednesday) we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with Cat Rikihana who is a financial mentor, educator and financial capability practitioner at Financial Freedom Trust in the Manawatū.
Cat Rikihana (Ngai Tahu) like many financial mentors around Aotearoa, works with individuals, groups and whānau to successfully navigate financial stress and hardship. Mentors work alongside whānau to increase confidence and skills in personal money management and advocate with and for clients. Cat enjoys delivering online and face-to-face workshops which provide opportunities to normalise money conversations and encourages people to make time to consider their financial well-being.
Cat is also an independent financial well-being coach, educator and indigenous life coach at Restore Wellness Network. She is a published writer and currently in the process of writing her first non-fiction book: 'A financial self-care guide for women in Aotearoa.'
She'd love to answer any questions you may have around your budgeting and spending habits, strategies for saving, retirement planning and debt. (Don't be shy, but be mindful about what you disclose!)
↓ Share your questions now and Cat will reply to your comment below ↓
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