Do North Canterbury's mayors need more powers?
North Canterbury’s mayors are backing a call by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) for more powers to be given to local leaders.
LGNZ says Cyclone Gabrielle has exposed the enormous challenges facing the regions and it wants a radical rethink of how public services are delivered.
Do you think our mayors need more powers? Read the full story from local democracy reporter David Hill below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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The Hurunui, Waimakariri and Kaikōura councils have made submissions to the draft future for local government report, which closed on February 28.
LGNZ president Stuart Crosby said councils were calling for a reboot of the relationship between central and local government.
He said New Zealand was one of the most centralised countries in the OECD, with 90% of taxation going to central government.
‘‘Cyclone Gabrielle has exposed many of the pressing issues that have been bubbling away over decades.’’
Hurunui mayor Marie Black said councils needed to be better resourced to allow local leaders to be more influential in a crisis.
‘‘There is nothing more comforting to local people than to see their local leaders and this action can work in tandem with regional/national support.
‘‘A local flavour should be the heart of the recovery plan with financial capital from central government and the ability to build back better through locally led actions.’’
Black said councils were well-placed to take a lead in tackling climate change and social issues, if the resourcing was there.
‘‘I see the need to resource councils to prepare for climate change and resourcing could come in a variety of ways, to fund the knowledge and consider options for adaptive planning.
‘‘Councils are well poised to be a stronger champions in the provision of social services, we understand the housing market but are often hampered by process to be influential to effect positive change.’’
The Hurunui District Council already funded health care services through Together Hurunui, while the Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust worked across both the Hurunui and Waimakariri districts, making use of local knowledge.
But these services relied on significant external funding to be effective.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said local authorities had a strong connection to their communities.
‘‘We believe this contributes to better localised place-making outcomes, genuine opportunities for citizen-led participatory democracy, and the provision of services on the ground that reflect the needs and aspirations of communities.’’
He said there was an opportunity for councils to take on more responsibility, in partnership with central government, rather than the move to more centralisation.
‘‘The anticipated impacts of climate change is one example of this, but this could also be extended to consider housing and healthcare.’’
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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48.1% Yes
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50% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Here's Thursday's thinker!
I am lighter than air, but a hundred people cannot lift me. What am I?
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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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