Totara Vale, Auckland

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1151 days ago

Future of Rubbish

John Gillon from John Gillon - Kaipatiki Local Board

Some parts of Auckland pay each time their rubbish is collected through rubbish tags (called "Pay-As-You-Throw") while others pay an extra charge on their rates. On 14 October, Auckland Council is going to be considering whether to adopt a standard method across Auckland, or continue with… View moreSome parts of Auckland pay each time their rubbish is collected through rubbish tags (called "Pay-As-You-Throw") while others pay an extra charge on their rates. On 14 October, Auckland Council is going to be considering whether to adopt a standard method across Auckland, or continue with a mix. They will also be considering whether to reduce the number of collections from weekly to fortnightly after the food scrap collection begins in 2023.

A recent review by Council has found that:
* there is NO evidence that Pay-As-You-Throw reduces the amount of rubbish per household, and
* Pay-As-You-Throw is "less cost-effective for the council than rates-funded solutions because of more complex systems, duplication of workloads by multiple suppliers, and the council's need to offer the service to properties across the entire region."
* Pay-As-You-Throw results in "more truck kilometres per year to deliver the service, resulting in worse outcomes for vehicle emissions, road wear, street amenity, health and safety and traffic congestion".

On Wednesday the Kaipātiki Local Board resolved that it:
* supports a transition to a rates-funded refuse service
* supports moving the general rubbish collection from weekly to fortnightly (3 board members including myself opposed this)
* supports retaining bins rather than bags for general waste
* supports retaining a fortnightly rates-funded recycling service
* supports the introduction of a rates-funded food scrap collection
* request that the council work with the Government to put a greater onus of reducing waste onto manufacturers and retailers, through systems such as the German Green Dot (Der Grüne Punkt) scheme
* requests that the council work with other councils in New Zealand to develop consistency in recycling practices.

This feedback and feedback from other local boards will now go to council's Environment and Climate Change Committee on 14 October to make a decision on the way forward.
If that decision is to change from the planned move to PAYT for everyone, then there will be public consultation in 2022/23.

If you'd like more info on the review and the conclusions it came to, you can read the memo here:
www.johngillon.co.nz...

1124 days ago

Looking for a job?

Competenz

Looking for a job and keen to get qualified? Our job board has new opportunities being listed regularly across our 37 sectors!

And good news, we have an exciting new function available – our CV builder. Now, anyone looking for an apprenticeship or job opportunity through Competenz can use our … View more
Looking for a job and keen to get qualified? Our job board has new opportunities being listed regularly across our 37 sectors!

And good news, we have an exciting new function available – our CV builder. Now, anyone looking for an apprenticeship or job opportunity through Competenz can use our CV Builder tool to create a professional CV with the right information to get the attention of employers.

Check out our CV builder here. Or keep an eye on our Job Board for new opportunities!
Check out our Job Board

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1124 days ago

How important is sustainability to you?

NowNext

Take the survey and be in to WIN a share of $2,500 worth of prizes - including a luxury escape in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand’s food and wine country – where a sustainable weekend away tastes absolutely delicious!

Plus, each entry will also go in the draw to win 1 of 5 $100 gift vouchersView more
Take the survey and be in to WIN a share of $2,500 worth of prizes - including a luxury escape in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand’s food and wine country – where a sustainable weekend away tastes absolutely delicious!

Plus, each entry will also go in the draw to win 1 of 5 $100 gift vouchers from the Restaurant Association of New Zealand.
Find out more

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1125 days ago

Grow an extra row

Yates

While some Kiwis are enjoying home grown vegies, many are going without vegetables altogether.

This National Gardening Week we’re encouraging gardeners to grow-an-extra-row to share with neighbours, community pantries, food banks and other local food donation agencies.

To help get your … View more
While some Kiwis are enjoying home grown vegies, many are going without vegetables altogether.

This National Gardening Week we’re encouraging gardeners to grow-an-extra-row to share with neighbours, community pantries, food banks and other local food donation agencies.

To help get your extra row underway Yates is lending a helping hand.

Just register online HERE between 1st and 25th October to receive a FREE packet of Yates Vegie Seeds.

Once you’ve grown your vegies to share (or if you have spare now) please visit HERE to find a list of the organisations that would welcome your donation of fresh homegrown vegies.
Find out more

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1125 days ago

Why should I update my will?​

Public Trust

Just like times change, so should your will – so it’s important to keep it up to date. ​

You’ve built a life around the things and people that matter most. An up-to-date will is the best way to protect your legacy and share it with the people you love. ​

If you last made… View more
Just like times change, so should your will – so it’s important to keep it up to date. ​

You’ve built a life around the things and people that matter most. An up-to-date will is the best way to protect your legacy and share it with the people you love. ​

If you last made a will back in the days of cassette tapes and telethons, it may be time for an update. ​
Find out more

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1146 days ago

Birkenhead Avenue T3 Lane and pedestrian crossing

John Gillon from John Gillon - Kaipatiki Local Board

From Monday 18th October to Monday 22nd November, Auckland Transport will be installing a new T3 lane on Birkenhead Ave between Recreation Drive and Zion Road, and a signalised mid-block pedestrian crossing near Waratah Street.
This proposal was consulted on in March 2019, and after concerns were … View more
From Monday 18th October to Monday 22nd November, Auckland Transport will be installing a new T3 lane on Birkenhead Ave between Recreation Drive and Zion Road, and a signalised mid-block pedestrian crossing near Waratah Street.
This proposal was consulted on in March 2019, and after concerns were raised about the T3 ending too close to Onewa Road, it has been pulled back to just before Zion Road.

Once completed, the T3 lane will be operative from 6:30-10:00AM Monday-Friday.

More info: at.govt.nz...

The project includes:
* Creation of a 400m South-bound T3 lane on Birkenhead Ave from Recreation Drive to Zion Road.
* Installation of a signalised mid-block pedestrian crossing to the North of Warratah St.
* Removal of existing pedestrian crossing outside 147 Birkenhead Ave.
* Changes to the lane configuration on approach to the Onewa Rd intersection to support the transit lane.
* Relocation of bus stop from outside 98 Birkenhead Ave to outside Birkenhead War Memorial Park.
* Installation of broken yellow lines along the western kerb from 80 to 90 Birkenhead Ave, as there won’t be sufficient road width to accommodate on-street parking.
* Removal of broken yellow lines outside 147 and 149 Birkenhead Ave.

A brief history of the project:
* March 2019: AT goes out for public consultation on the T3 lane, blindsiding the Kaipātiki Local Board and MP Dan Bidois, as the project had never been mentioned in numerous transport discussions.
* March 2019: MP Dan Bidois launches a petition against the T3 lane and gains over 1000 signatures.
* April 2019: The Kaipātiki Local Board gives conditional support for the plan, as long as two changes are made: That the general lane and the T3 lane both continue around the corner onto Onewa Rd so that vehicles aren't forced to merge prior to the intersection, AND that a clearway is installed along the new T3 lane outside of T3 hours.
* May 2019: The Kaipātiki Local Board is informed by AT that they had considered 4 other options to reconfigure the intersection and provide a much better outcome that would allow the T3 lane to connect into the Onewa Rd T3 lane, but had not put them out for consultation or advised the Kaipātiki Local Board before it gave feedback. Instead it had consulted on a cheaper solution with worse outcomes. See: www.stuff.co.nz...
* November 2020: AT confirms that the T3 is going ahead with minor changes around Zion Rd, subject to funding.
* September 2021: AT confirms that funding is confirmed and that construction will begin on 18 October 2021.

1127 days ago

Do police need to tighten the Auckland-Waikato border case cases rise?

Todd Niall Reporter from Community News

Kia ora neighbours, With Covid-19 daily cases in Auckland forecast to double, police won't say whether boundary controls have tightened since rural locals reported higher volumes of traffic on cross-boundary back roads. Read the story below:

1134 days ago

Were you there? 1960s photo of Auckland Star employees restored

Ripu Bhatia Reporter from Auckland Stuff

A photograph capturing the staff at the Auckland Star in the 1960s has been discovered and restored.

Tony Lawson, 85, received the photograph from his friend Don Armitage, whose father Jack is pictured in the photograph.

“The photo came to me in a very poor condition,” he said.

View more
A photograph capturing the staff at the Auckland Star in the 1960s has been discovered and restored.

Tony Lawson, 85, received the photograph from his friend Don Armitage, whose father Jack is pictured in the photograph.

“The photo came to me in a very poor condition,” he said.

“However, my youngest daughter's close friend who is a graphic artist has done a few hours work on this and has come up with an amazing improvement.”

Lawson started working for the Auckland Star in 1964.

“In those days it was hot metal, as they called it, a line of type writers going like the clappers,” he said.

“The noise was something, it’s a wonder we’re all not stone bloody deaf. It was 1976 they were all gearing up to go into the computers.”

He estimates the photograph was taken in the 1960s.

Do you recognise anyone from this historic image?

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1126 days ago

Fresh posy

Min from Glenfield

Let me know if you need any fresh posies. I'm raising fund for my donation to UNICEF and Cancer Foundation, so I'm selling posies for $10 each and bouquet for $20 each.

Price: $10

1126 days ago

Kickstart your vegie patch

Yates

Join this supportive & fun online community, for local help to successfully grow your own vegies.

Yates are growing an online community of gardeners, and it’s free to join! Whether you’re just getting started, or an old hand – we can all do with help & support on the journey of … View more
Join this supportive & fun online community, for local help to successfully grow your own vegies.

Yates are growing an online community of gardeners, and it’s free to join! Whether you’re just getting started, or an old hand – we can all do with help & support on the journey of growing our own food.

Yates expert Sarah O’Neil will be on hand to help with problems too. Plus there are over $4000 worth of prizes up for grabs!
Find out more

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1126 days ago

Equifest is postponed to February 2022

Equifest

The equine world will be rearing to attend postponed equine festival Equifest, 4 – 6 February 2022. Join us for a celebration of Education, Competition, Shopping and Nightshows.

With more than 140 educational sessions, where else can you learn about all your favourite disciplines in one … View more
The equine world will be rearing to attend postponed equine festival Equifest, 4 – 6 February 2022. Join us for a celebration of Education, Competition, Shopping and Nightshows.

With more than 140 educational sessions, where else can you learn about all your favourite disciplines in one weekend?

So what are you waiting for? Grab your tickets and get ready to celebrate everything we love about horses!
Buy Now

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1126 days ago

Hobson Bay Adventure

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

Running along the coastline, shielded from the Waitemata by Tamaki Drive, lies the Hobson Bay Walkway. This urban adventure can be joined at a number of access points; from Shore Road and also via flights of steps that lead down to the bay from a series of Parnell streets. Some parts of the walkway… View moreRunning along the coastline, shielded from the Waitemata by Tamaki Drive, lies the Hobson Bay Walkway. This urban adventure can be joined at a number of access points; from Shore Road and also via flights of steps that lead down to the bay from a series of Parnell streets. Some parts of the walkway are tidal and require manoeuvring over sand and stones, silty mud or under low hanging bows of pōhutukawa. Other parts are approached over a series of formed paths and built-up wooden boardwalks.

I have been fortunate, through this extended lockdown, to have time to observe the walkway in more detail and am captivated by this natural world at our doorstep.

1126 days ago

Premium NZ kibble for cats

Brian Damon from The Paw Store Ltd

Discover the latest and best additions to our store!

It is our beloved feline's turn to be spoilt this weekend, so we're giving all you cat moms and dads 10% off our Addiction and Wishbone range of cat kibble. Sale starts today!

Use code FELINE10 at checkout. Sales ends Sunday, 17 … View more
Discover the latest and best additions to our store!

It is our beloved feline's turn to be spoilt this weekend, so we're giving all you cat moms and dads 10% off our Addiction and Wishbone range of cat kibble. Sale starts today!

Use code FELINE10 at checkout. Sales ends Sunday, 17 October 2021. We offer free shipping for all purchases over $75. Buy on subscription and save even more.

Shop on our website at thepawstore.co.nz... or click the Shop Now button. For more information about our products email us at sales@thepawstore.co.nz.

Thanks for supporting local.
Team The Paw Store

Price: $31

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1127 days ago

Mental health advocate wins $10,000 for work supporting first responders

Ripu Bhatia Reporter from North Shore Times

A woman has won $10,000 to go towards her efforts to set up a mental health homestead for first responders.

Takapuna resident Rebecca Nelson’s charity Te Kiwi Maia envisions a place where first responders can go to feel supported and access therapy.

The 33-year-old has been recognised in … View more
A woman has won $10,000 to go towards her efforts to set up a mental health homestead for first responders.

Takapuna resident Rebecca Nelson’s charity Te Kiwi Maia envisions a place where first responders can go to feel supported and access therapy.

The 33-year-old has been recognised in the 2021 Westfield Local Heroes community grants program for her work.

Te Kiwi Maia was born 18 months ago while Nelson was visiting the UK.

“I went to an establishment called Tedworth Health, a beautiful place over there where one of my dear friends actually went to get some help,” she said.

“It had everything you required as a veteran, music therapy, animal therapy, it had lots of art, and families could go and stay there too.”

Nelson, who is a member of the New Zealand Navy, questioned why similar support was absent back home.

She has teamed up with first responders like the army, airforce, navy, police, ambulance and firefighters to make it a reality.

“Our aim is to get a homestead or a working farm here in NZ, so there our people who are currently serving or are ex-service can go to get the therapy they require due to wounded injured or ill through line of duty,” she said.

While fundraising continues for the homestead, Nelson will start taking away first responders for a week of respite.

She is working with Massey University to create a programme that is based around people’s needs.

“A lot of veterans are relieved excited. I know there’s a lot of them who have potentially gone through stages of their careers where they would have liked to take some time out and to decompress from whatever the situation was that they witnessed,” she said.

“It’s about time, they’ve been saying, and they’re really glad that we’re collaborating to make this happen.”

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1127 days ago

Photocopying and laser printing

Karen from Totara Vale

If you need this kind of help I can give it. 027 2032533

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