$4.2m 'better off funding' not buying Three Waters support
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The Ashburton District Council says it won’t be muzzled by receiving $4.19 million in the Three Waters ‘better off’ funding.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said the council will continue to oppose the Three Waters reforms, in its current form, but didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to receive valuable Government funding.
“It’s money that is lying on the table and if we didn’t take it we won’t get the opportunity again,” Brown said.
“Three waters is legislated now so, under this government, it is happening but we can still voice our opposition.”
The funding will go towards getting additional projects completed without an impact on the ratepayers, he said.
The council submitted seven projects for the first tranche of the Government’s Three Waters Reform support package, termed better off funding.
The council tried to include an amendment to the agreement that confirmed the council can maintain its opposition without risking the funding.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) didn’t accept it or any of the proposed changes to the funding agreement.
He said the DIA did acknowledge that signing the agreement in the DIA’s required format does not restrict councils from independently expressing their views on the reform programme.
“These comments from DIA give council clear confidence that we can oppose the reforms in their current form, while accepting the better off funding for the benefit of the community,” Riach said.
The funding approved by the DIA includes $2.3m to help relocate Ashburton’s rail freight hub from the centre of town to the soon-to-be under-construction Fairfield Freight Hub at Fairton.
That covers the council’s contributions towards the $14m project being led by the Wareing Group, which also has a $2.5m Government contribution from Waka Kotahi’s NZ Upgrade Programme.
Council business support group manager Leanne Macdonald said the projects had to meet certain criteria to qualify for funding, which included it couldn’t be used on three waters projects or projects already budgeted for in the annual or long-term plan.
Macdonald said now the funding has been approved work on the projects will begin, and the DIA will monitor their progress and manage funding.
The council is eligible for a further $12.6m of better off funding in the second tranche, earmarked for 2024.
The council will also receive $437,000 of transition support funding to assist with the three waters transition work it is required to do.
Better Off Funding projects
$2.3m: Fairfield Freight Hub
$900,000: additional new footpaths around the perimeters of Ashburton, Methven and Rakaia.
$250,000: New toilets at Digby Park in Ashburton.
$200,000: urgent repairs to five playgrounds
$200,000: changing rooms at the Rakaia and Hinds swimming pools, water treatment upgrades for all five district pools, and design work for a future upgrade of the Tinwald pool
$190,000: equipment in specialist spaces in the new Ashburton Public Library and Civic Centre, Te Pātaka a kā Tuhituhi and Te Waharoa a Hine Paaka.
$150,000: to relocate the South African War Memorial from Baring Square East to Baring Square West, as part of a major redevelopment of Baring Square East
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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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48.2% Yes
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49.8% No
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1.9% 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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