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Coalition confirms $24m for Gumboot Friday charity I Am Hope
Coalition confirms $24m for Gumboot Friday charity I Am Hope

22 May 2024, 12:34 AM

The coalition government has confirmed this year's Budget will include a $24 million spend over four years for the I Am Hope initiative Gumboot Friday, providing counselling to young people.But the opposition is calling for more transparency around mental health services procurement.Mental health campaigner Mike King and I Am Hope chair Naomi Ballantyne joined Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey to announce the move at Parliament on Wednesday morning.Peters said the money would enable the charity to provide access to free mental health counselling services for more than 15,000 young New Zealanders per year, more than doubling its reach.A commitment to $6m in extra funding for the charity was included in the NZ First-National coalition agreement.National also promised during the election campaign last year to set up a $20m Mental Health Innovation Fund which would help providers and other NGOs.Doocey said prevention and early intervention were a critical part of dealing with mental health, and Gumboot Friday played a vital role in enabling young people with mild to moderate mental health needs access to counselling services earlier.He said research had found every $1 invested with I Am Hope resulted in a social return to New Zealand worth $5.70.Mike King. Photo: RNZ / Dom ThomasHe believed the "mental health debate is largely driven by young people in New Zealand", suggesting they were articulate about mental health in a way older generations had not been.King said every cent would be reported and accounted for."Every single cent, $24 million, is going directly to counsellors. Mike King is not putting a single cent in his pocket, I Am Hope Foundation is not putting a single cent in its pocket, this is about the kids," he said."They say it only takes 16 years to be an overnight sensation ... I've been working with I Am Hope since 2009. In all that time we've not been funded one cent, everything we have built up we have built up with the backing of ordinary New Zealanders who have been funding this operation."He thanked the coalition government for "believing in what we do", and pointed as well to Deputy General of Mental Health Robin Shearer and her team.The funding would also allow I Am Hope to bring in another 300 counsellors, he said.He said the charity was data-driven, and their figures showed the interaction between parents was one of the main concerns for young people.Doocey also pointed to further work planned in mental health crisis response."When you call 111 with a physical health crisis, you get a health response. When you call 111 with a mental health crisis in New Zealand at the moment you get a criminal justice response."I want to thank the police for turning up, they do a good job but clearly ... we need a better mental health response and that will be a key piece of work going forward."Labour's Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said Doocey needed to be fully transparent about the procurement of mental health services."Any help for youth mental health services is welcome news, however the blatant leveraging of the good name of a charity with no transparent procurement process by a Minister with no recognised clinical expertise is questionable practice," she said."In his desperation to distract from the Suicide Prevention Office debacle, the Minister has sacrificed due process for political expedience, despite warnings in Treasury documents."She said no one questioned that charities like Gumboot Friday had a role to play, but funding it in this was was "just plain wrong"."Taxpayers have a right to know that their contribution to youth mental health has been procured fairly and transparently, involves no conflicts of interest, safeguards recognised clinical standards of care, and provides value for money."This story was originally published by RNZ

Flooding in Auckland, heavy rain warnings for North Island
Flooding in Auckland, heavy rain warnings for North Island

20 May 2024, 6:37 PM

Torrential rain and thunderstorms overnight in Auckland had Fire and Emergency responding to 71 callouts for flooded or weather-damaged homes.MetService said up to 100mm of rain fell in places between 9pm and 11pm on Monday night.Homes were flooded in the east and south of Auckland, including water pouring through ceilings, Fire and Emergency said.Fire and Emergency said it received 71 callouts, mostlu in Kohimarama and St Heliers.It comes as a 'Tasman Sea Special' is on its way, bringing stormy weather to parts of the North Island.A string of heavy rain watches and warnings for the next few days have been issued by MetService.The low-pressure system will also bring strong winds.A severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua this morning till 10am.That brings the possibility of a coastal tornado, and MetService is also warning of torrential downpours of more than 40 mm/h, especially in coastal areas.There is a heavy rain warning in place for Hawke's Bay until 6pm Wednesday.On Monday night 80.6mm rain was recorded in Leigh, north of Warkworth, and overnight 63.0mm was recorded in Whangaparaoa.MetService meteorologist Josh Griffin said severe or heavy rain warnings were usually based on 100mm of rainfall over 12 to 24 hours. "We were seeing that amount in about two or three hours. So we were seeing some torrential rainfall."MetService said the rain had mostly moved on from Auckland."A complex low-pressure system - a 'Tasman Sea Special' - is currently approaching Aotearoa/New Zealand, with an extended band of rain already affecting parts of Northland," MetService meteorologist Dom Barry said."As the low moves southeastwards across the motu, we can expect areas such as Marlborough and Northern Canterbury to encounter some wet weather from Tuesday, with the rain mainly remaining in the eastern North Island."Meanwhile, the west of the South Island will be the place to be for some sunshine.This story was originally published by RNZ

Weather Forecast
Weather Forecast

19 May 2024, 6:11 PM

Warkworth RegionAuckland Radar Outage -The Auckland radar is currently offline. While our teams work to resolve the issue, composite data from nearby radars will be displayed for the 300km resolution, however accuracy will be reduced for the Auckland region.Monday 20th May - Cloudy periods and isolated showers. Rain developing this evening, possibly heavy at night. Easterlies.Tuesday 21st May - Showers, possibly heavy. Southeasterlies, easing in the afternoon.Wednesday 22nd May - Fine. Southerlies.Thursday 23rd May - Cloud increasing, with occasional rain developing. Southeasterlies.Friday 24th May - Fine with southwesterlies.Saturday 25th May - Fine. Southwesterlies.Sunday 26th May - Fine with southerlies.MangawhaiMonday 20th May - Cloudy periods and the chance of a shower. Rain developing towards evening, possibly heavy and thundery. Easterlies, strong for a time this evening.Heavy Rain Watch Period: 12hrs from noon - midnight Mon, 20 MayArea: NorthlandForecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning criteria. Thunderstorms are possible from Monday evening.Tuesday 21st May - Showers, some heavy for a time in the afternoon and evening. Light winds.Wednesday 22nd May - Fine. Southerlies.Thursday 23rd May - Partly cloudy, with showers developing, some heavy. Southeasterlies developing.Friday 24th May - Showers, clearing and becoming fine. Southwesterlies.Saturday 25th May - Partly cloudy. Southwesterlies.Sunday 26th May - A few showers with southwesterlies.

Givealittle page set up to support the Elwin Family
Givealittle page set up to support the Elwin Family

18 May 2024, 10:11 PM

A Givealittle page has been set up by Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade to help support a local fire fighter and his family in Snells Beach.Anthony Elwin is well known in the Snells Beach community as a local builder, rugby coach, school parent, and as an indispensable member of the Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade.The Elwin family (Anthony, Danielle and their two young children) are very much entrenched in the community and are a special part of our brigade whanau.Unfortunately Anthony is facing an unexpected and life-altering medical issue that has left him very unwell and has meant several stints in hospital since January. He has been too unwell to work and, as a self-employed builder and main earner for his family, this has strained the family’s finances. While they are receiving some financial support, this is not enough to cover their ongoing living costs and has been further compounded by medical expenses and travel for treatment.As a brigade, we are doing what we can to support their family, but have received permission to put it out to the wider community for further support. As a first responder, Anthony has attended many emergency calls, showing up for members of our community in their most vulnerable moments - let’s do the same for this beautiful family. Any donations will be greatly appreciated and will help provide for their family.We ask that the privacy of the Elwin Family is respected - please do not contact Anthony or Danielle directly. Any questions or further offers of support can be directed to the Mahurangi East VFB Chief, Jason Connolly ([email protected]).Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade's involvement (page creator)Anthony is a member of the Mahurangi East Volunteer Fire Brigade in Snells Beach. We are raising funds on behalf of him and his family.Use of fundsLiving expenses, travel expenses and other costs associated with the logistics of Anthony’s medical appointments and treatments.Other page links on FacebookPlease give if you can.

Auckland Overnight Motorway Closures 17 – 24 May
Auckland Overnight Motorway Closures 17 – 24 May

17 May 2024, 9:31 PM

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 24 May 2024.  Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.         NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1) Stafford Road northbound off-ramp, 19-23 MayCurran Street northbound on-ramp, 19-23 May CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ) SH1 southbound to SH16 westbound link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hobson Street westbound on-ramp, 19 MayNorthbound lanes between Symonds Street off-ramp and Wellington Street on-ramp, 22 MaySH1 northbound to SH16 eastbound (Port) link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Wellesley Street East westbound on-ramp, 19 MayGrafton Road eastbound on-ramp, 20-23 May SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1) Northbound lanes between Great South Road off-ramp and East Tamaki Road on-ramp, 22 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Te Irirangi Drive northbound on-ramp, 22 MayRedoubt Road northbound on-ramp, 19-23 MaySouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 21-23 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:30am)Southbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Drury/SH22 on-ramp, 19-20 May (approx. 9:30pm to 5:30am)Takanini southbound on-ramp, 19-23Papakura (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 19-20Papakura (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 19-20Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 19-23 MayPapakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 19-23 MayPapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 19-23 MayDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 19-23 MaySouthbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 19-21 MayNorthbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 19-21 MayBeaver Road northbound on-ramp, 19-21 MayBeaver Road northbound off-ramp, 19-21 MayNikau Road northbound on-ramp, 19-21 MayNorthbound lanes between Pokeno off-ramp and Pokeno on-ramp, 19-23 MayPioneer Road northbound off-ramp, 17-24 May (24/7)Mercer southbound on-ramp, 19 MayDragway Road northbound off-ramp, 19-20 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Hampton Downs northbound on-ramp, 19 & 22 MayHampton Downs northbound off-ramp, 19 & 22 MayNorthbound lanes between Rangiriri off-ramp and Hampton Downs on-ramp, 21 May (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am)Te Kauwhata northbound on-ramp, 21 May (approx. 8:00pm to 5:00am) NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16) Southbound lanes between Waimauku Roundabout and Trigg Road, 19-23 MayNorthbound lanes between Trigg Rd and Waimauku Roundabout, 19-23 MaySouthbound lanes between Lincoln Road off-ramp and Great North Road on-ramp, 20 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lincoln Road southbound on-ramp, 20 MayTe Atatu Road (Loop) southbound on-ramp, 20 MayTe Atatu Road (Diamond) southbound on-ramp, 20 MayRosebank Road southbound on-ramp, 20 MaySH16 eastbound to SH20 southbound link, 20 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 westbound to SH20 southbound link, 19 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road westbound on-ramp, 19 MayNewton Road westbound on-ramp, 19 May  SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20) Southbound lanes between Maioro Street off-ramp and Hillsborough Road on-ramp, 21 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Maioro Street southbound on-ramp, 21 MayDominion Road southbound on-ramp, 21 MayNeilson Street northbound off-ramp, 20 MayRimu Road northbound on-ramp, 20 MaySouthbound lanes between Puhinui Road off-ramp and Lambie Drive on-ramp, 19-21 & 23 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Puhinui Road southbound on-ramp, 19-21 & 23 MaySouthbound Service Road (Puhinui Road to Cavendish Drive), 19-21 & 23 MayCavendish Drive southbound on-ramp, 19-21 & 23 MaySouthbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 22 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 22 MaySH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 22 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 22 May (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)

Police in firing line as residents reveal crime, violence fears
Police in firing line as residents reveal crime, violence fears

16 May 2024, 9:25 PM

Lucy XiaAucklanders who have been assaulted and robbed have told Police Minister Mark Mitchell at a packed community meeting on Thursday night they feel let down by the police.More than 60 people turned up at the Mount Roskill community centre to talk to Mitchell and their local MP Carlos Cheung about law and order.Many spoke of their frustration about rising crime, youth violence and the inadequate and slow response from police.Senior police officers were also there.Property manager Mark Price, who looks after emergency housing, said he had been assaulted multiple times by tenants and people trespassed who were visiting the tenants."I have been pushed, shoved, I've had a knife pulled on me, I've been punched, I've been held up against the wall, I've been choked out," he said.But Price said police have never turned up after he reported the incidents, and that they told him they were resource tight.He said he felt neglected, unsafe, and unable to do his job.Others expressed the challenges of reaching the police and the delays in having their cases investigated.Photo: RNZ / Lucy XiaA Mount Roskill resident told the meeting he was frustrated that the new local police station on Stoddard Road wasn't open to the public, and has "closed until further notice," on the door leading to the public counter.The man said he wanted to report repeat offenders in his community and would just like to talk to a local officer who knew the area.Auckland City West area prevention manager Inspector Wayne Kitcher told the man that the Mount Roskill station was "operational", but agreed it was not open to the public.Kitcher said there were two other stations nearby - in Avondale and Balmoral - with public counters.Meanwhile, a resident who only wants to be known as Ming, said it took weeks to get a case number after reporting a robbery at his pokie gaming bar in Lynfield."I need to keep chasing them," said Ming who only received the case number about three weeks after the initial report.Ming said the bad communication included 111 operators referring him to the 105 non-emergency number, where he was referred back to 111.Another resident, who spoke with the help of a Chinese translator, told the minister that she was unhappy with how a police officer dealt with an assault she and her husband experienced at their shop.The woman said her husband was assaulted, and that the offender continued to come back to provoke them.She said the officer handling the case was inaccurate in their account of events, and didn't help them further.'Police are stretched' - MinisterMitchell acknowledged the frustration and that staffing shortages on the frontline were having an impact."The reality of it is that the police are stretched, because they're dealing with an extraordinary high level of violent crime, violent retail crime," he said.Police Minister Mark Mitchell said police were doing their best. Photo: RNZ / Lucy XiaHe added that the increase in mental health and family harm related callouts were putting further pressures on staffing.Mitchell promised action with laws targeting young serious offenders and more powers for Oranga Tamariki and police to hold them to account.He also pointed to the government's latest move in setting up a new national gang unit.But others who attended the meeting, like Mt Eden man Hadley Taylor were worried that the current anti-gang focus was pulling police resources away from important issues such as family and sexual violence.Taylor said he wanted to see something done about the causes of crime."I'd love to see some kind of acknowledgement of how crime occurs, or where crime comes from, because without any understanding of that it's just punitive measures that have no evidence in having any effect on reducing crime," he said.Mt Roskill MP Carlos Cheung Photo: RNZ / Lucy XiaThe meeting was organised by Mt Roskill MP Carlos Cheung who was seeking more conversations between the police and his community."My goal for this term is, at least I need to make sure the parents actually feel safe for their kids to walk from the bus stop back home...I need to make sure my constituents actually feel safe walking on the street," he said.This story was originally published by RNZ

NEW TO THE APP - EAT!!
NEW TO THE APP - EAT!!

16 May 2024, 3:34 AM

We have some NEW businesses on the app.Check them out and SUPPORT LOCAL!LIVE LOCAL, LOVE LOCAL!Head to Eat & Drink button🍧🍦 Charlies Gelato Garden is more than an ice cream shop. It’s considered an institution in Matakana. They sell award winning gelato, sorbetto and seasonal fresh produce, made and grown on site. They serve coffee and baked goods and from December to February, they also make wood-fired pizzas. This year Charlies were awarded two gold medals for their Lemon Gelato and their Feijoa Sorbetto.🧈 🍗 Butter Chicken Box in Warkworth offer incredibly spicy and delicious Indian cuisine. Their chef prepares all their authentic dishes completely fresh. Get Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Seafood, Vegetarian Curries, Indo Chinese, Rice and Biryani, Naan, Lunch Specials & Drinks. They offer an online ordering option and are open 7 days.🔥 🍕 Fired Pizza Company are based in Omaha and offer delicious wood fire baking authentic Napolitana style thin crusted pizza. They make their own pizza dough and fresh tomato sauce and use only quality ingredients. They also offer mobile wood-fired pizza catering for functions and events. ☕ 🍝 Estuary Café and Bar are located at the Omaha Beach Golf Club and Community Centre. Both the general public and members are warmly welcomed to indulge in their fully licensed community centre and garden area. They are open 7 days, so head along for a coffee, scone, big breakfast, beer, or dinner soon!🍺 🎤 Tahi Bar & Kitchen is more than just a place to grab a bite and a drink, it's an experience that seamlessly blends exceptional food, an inviting atmosphere, and a sense of community. They prioritise high-quality cuisine in a casual pub setting. They also host some brilliant events like regular live music performances. Just recently they won the Top 50 Gastropubs and were the overall winner of the Top of the North Island & Taranaki. Go Tahi!

SH1 Brynderwyns closure: Mayor calls for government financial support for businesses
SH1 Brynderwyns closure: Mayor calls for government financial support for businesses

15 May 2024, 8:58 PM

A Northland leader is calling on the government to provide financial support to businesses hard hit by the closure of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills.The main transport link between Northland and Auckland had been due to reopen this week after a nine-week closure for slip repairs, but fresh landslides have pushed that out to the end of June.Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said Northlanders were starting to feel the pressure of having their gateway to the rest of the country closed for months on end.In particular he felt for primary producers who had to send their goods on a long detour around the west coast via State Highways 12 and 14."It's getting a bit dire now for us on the ground and I really want to see from central government a relief package for our people to apply to, as we try and get through this," Tepania said."We see governments put up funding pots like this in other emergency circumstances, such as droughts. It's been such a long time now we need to see funding put towards this."Moko Tepania (centre) said the closure "is getting a bit dire for us on the ground" (file picture). Photo: Peter de Graaf / RNZTepania said the impact was doubled for those who lived further north, who were also forced to detour around Mangamuka Gorge, where State Highway 1 had been closed for slip repairs since 2022."So if you're one of the 20,000 people living north of the Mangamuka Ranges you have to deal with the Mangamukas being closed and the Brynderwyns being closed as well. It's becoming a huge economic weight on our already pressured people. We definitely need the government to come to the table to help us out."A report by regional development agency Northland Inc found the previous Brynderwyn closure, after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023, cost the region just under $2 million a day.A study commissioned by the Northland Corporate Group and released last month, however, found the total cost to the region's economy was much higher - $14.6m for every day the highway remained shut.RNZ asked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday about the possibility of financial relief for Northland businesses, given the precedent of compensation paid to Auckland shop owners affected by the construction of the City Rail Link.Luxon acknowledged the situation was "incredibly frustrating" for Northlanders, but said compensation for businesses had not been considered."That's not a conversation we've had. Our focus is making sure we actually get an enduring, sustainable, long-term solution in place."Luxon said that section of State Highway 1 was particularly problematic, and the government had committed to finding an alternative route around the Brynderwyns.An aerial Photo of the closure of Brynderwyn Hill State Highway 1 in February this year. Photo: Nick MonroSome Northlanders have made comparisons to the slip that destroyed part of State Highway 25A on the Coromandel Peninsula.That road, which reopened just before Christmas last year, was rebuilt on budget and three months ahead of schedule.Sarah Greener, a Paihia business mentor and owner of The Rock Adventure Cruises, said successive governments had dismissed Northland's State Highway 1 as a mere "holiday highway" and failed to invest - especially in the areas that had now failed."If you look at Coromandel, they managed to fix it under budget and under time. When you look at the photos of that, it was drastic. It clearly required a great deal of thought and engineering and NZTA clearly had the resources to do it because they did it over there - but we can't seem to do the same thing here in Northland," Greener said.The closure was affecting tourism and hospitality businesses because people arriving in Auckland were opting not to travel to Northland."It's already a big ask to get people to come up here, and then to put barriers in the way like diversions, and slow and windy roads, just makes it harder and harder for people to get up here."Poor access to the rest of the country also discouraged people from moving to or investing in Northland, she said."I just want them to apply whatever magic they applied over in Coromandel to State Highway 1. They've proved they can do it, and I'm stoked for Coromandel. I'd just like to see them take those same systems, tools, skills, even the human resource, and bring it here to Northland," Greener said.Vince Cocurullo said the soft-slip prone soils in Northland were another reason to speed up a four-lane alternative route around the Brynderwyns (file picture). Photo: Supplied / Sarah Marshall PhotographyWhangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said everyone in Northland was feeling the pain, from tourism businesses to truck drivers to everyday retailers.Many people told him they felt Northland was being treated differently to Coromandel - but he said NZTA was working as fast as it could to get the road open, and the problem in Northland was its soft, slip-prone, unstable soils.Cocurullo said that was just another reason to speed up a promised four-lane alternative route around the Brynderwyns."Bring on that four-laning. It really needs to be done as soon as possible so we don't have these issues ever again."Far North District councillor Ann Court agreed, saying the Brynderwyns' unstable soils meant the road would always be at risk of "critical failure"."We can't as a country keep chucking close to $100m at fixing a road which we have every reason to believe will continue to fail, again and again and again."Court said the government had so many roading projects vying for funding, it would be impossible to build all of them - so they would have to be ranked in order of priority."In Northland we are the only place in the country where our state highway is severed at both ends, and our lifeline has been given a death notice by geotechnical engineers who tell us within ten years, it'll be gone. So I think we need to be number one."Transport Minister Simeon Brown said a commitment to building a new, four-lane highway around the Brynderwyns was an important part of the National-NZ First coalition agreement.As part of that agreement the government would investigate the use of private finance to speed up construction.Brown said the government, via NZTA, had been supporting Northland Inc with a targeted advertising campaign making sure New Zealanders knew Northland was "open for business".NZTA had received a request to extend that funding due to the delayed reopening of SH1. An announcement would be made soon, Brown said.NZTA said State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyns would reopen at the end of June, as long as no more unexpected instability or heavy rain was encountered.This story was orginally published by RNZ

Brynderwyns update
Brynderwyns update

13 May 2024, 8:12 PM

Brynderwyns update: We're planning to reopen State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills at the end of June following the delay caused by an active slip.As you've seen from our updates since the start of the closure, we'd been on track to reopen the road today until the slips on 26 and 30 April occurred. We know how difficult the highway closure is on local businesses and communities—our priority has been doing geotechnical and safety assessments to determine the best option for stabilising the hillside and getting the road open as quickly as possible.While our plan is to reopen at the end of June, if there's a significant amount of unexpected rain or further instability is found there could be a delay to our reopening timing—but we're committed to completing these vital recovery works as quickly as possible to ensure a safe and reliable SH1 over the Brynderwyns for the short to medium term.We've already started excavation. Crews are working seven days a week (weather permitting) to get the road open. As you can see in this photo, operators are working from a platform at the top of the ridge. Removing soil from the top of the ridgeline reduces the likelihood of further slips, which'll then enable safe work to be done from the bottom to remove material.We'll be removing up to 55,000 cubic metres of earth to stabilise the site where the two slips occurred at Kauri Tree Corner. We're maximising the number of trucks, diggers, and workers on site to ensure the soil removal is a continuous operation in daylight hours to get it clear.Our remaining planned works, including drainage and pavement works, are on track—the team is continuing on these, including working at night where it's safe.We've built in contingency for poor weather, but the ground conditions remain unstable and we're continuing to actively monitor the ground. There's a risk of further slips until we complete the stabilisation works.While the closure is in place we're still proactively monitoring the three official detour routes to ensure these're safe and as high quality as possible. We'll also be doing essential repairs on these routes. Travel safely when you use the detour routes. For travel information about the closure, including detour routes, check out this update: https://www.facebook.com/nztanorthland/posts/708960454741386We'll keep you updated here and in our Brynderywns newsletter as we work as quickly as we can to complete the work. Visit our website to sign up: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/sh1-brynderwyn-hills/

How to find out if you have unclaimed money sitting with the IRD - and how to get your hands on it
How to find out if you have unclaimed money sitting with the IRD - and how to get your hands on it

13 May 2024, 8:01 PM

IRD is holding millions of dollars in unclaimed funds.Like many people, this is probably news to you. But how do you know if some of it is yours and perhaps more importantly, how do you claim it? RNZ is here to clear it all up.Why have I not heard about this, it this legit?It seems like a lot of people have never heard of IRD's unclaimed funds but yes, it is legitimate (if you go through the official IRD website).IRD says people need to watch out for scammers who contact them saying they have unclaimed money waiting for you.Here are some signs someone is trying to scam you.How do I know if I have unclaimed money?There are two ways to do this.You can search for yourself in myIR. Just log in, click on 'I want to...' and go to 'Registration, application and enrolment'. Then select 'Apply for unclaimed money'.Or you can search the IRD website. This is the option to choose if you're searching on behalf of someone else, you want to search by a previous name you've gone by, you don't have myIR account or you are searching on behalf of an organisation, trust or estate.You'll need to provide information to help confirm you're the person the money belongs to. This might be past contact information, an old statement or letter from an organisation or person, or a copy of a will.Is this different to a tax refund?Yes. Put simply, unclaimed money is held by IRD when someone can't be found.It could be that you had an old bank account with some money in it that you hadn't used in five years, or you have unpaid wages from over five years ago.You may have left something at a hotel, or hostel and after six months of it going unclaimed the business owner sold it and passed the money to IRD.The Māori Trustee may be holding funds for you - it holds money in the common fund for at least 10 years and if no claim has been made for that money during that time, it will become unclaimed money.Other reasons might be unclaimed dividends, proceeds of life insurance policies and awards from court cases or prisoners' allowances.How long does IRD hold the money for?If you don't claim the money within 25 years, you won't be able to.What happens if I don't claim it?Eventually, any unclaimed money is transferred to the Crown.How long will it take for me to get my money?Generally it takes 10-12 weeks to receive the money but with more people currently searching for unclaimed funds at the moment, IRD may take longer to process a claim.Attaching as much evidence as possible with your submission helps to avoid even further delays.IRD will let you know if your claim is successful once it's processed.How much is currently unclaimed?As at 31 March 2024, there was $477,161,702.10 of unclaimed moneyThis story was originally published by RNZ

Why Pākiri locals fear the Government’s Fast Track Bill could steal away protection of their pristine coastline
Why Pākiri locals fear the Government’s Fast Track Bill could steal away protection of their pristine coastline

12 May 2024, 9:34 PM

Farah Hancock,One man and a re-purposed boat helped beat back a plan to take two million cubic metres of squeaky white sand from a Northland beach. Could the government’s Fast Track Bill have the final say?Ask Damon Clapshaw why he engaged in a years-long legal battle against sand mining and you get a long-winded answer which boils down to not liking being lied to. He never set out to be an activist, “I just got a bit wound up,” he says, and one thing led to another until he ended up embroiled in a court case. The itch he couldn’t give up scratching started from watching the sand dredging boat make its slow night sweeps up and down the Pākiri coast, north of Auckland. Lit up like a “stadium” it would inch along the shore. To his eyes, it always appeared to follow the same path and be the same distance from the beach, rather than roam over a much larger area which it had consent to dredge.A scientist he chatted with suggested dredging the same path would cause depressions in the sea bed, so Clapshaw sent him publicly available location data from the boat to analyse. “He came back to me and said: ‘You know what Damon, they are doing that same line literally all the time. There's something going on that's weird. So your gut instinct was right. If they’re doing that they’re probably causing pits and disturbances on the seabed.’”Clapshaw kept scratching the itch. Calling in a favour, he enlisted the help of octogenarian treasure hunter Keith Gordon. He'd worked with Clapshaw’s father and had the skills and equipment to map the seafloor.As Clapshaw describes it, Gordon was sceptical about finding anything saying, “you're slightly wasting my time, but I like your dad so I will do it as a favour to him”. Gordon refused to use his “fancy” boat for the task so they “blagged” the use of another boat, and surveyed the sea floor following the coordinates of the dredging boat.“When Keith looked at his data the next day, he said: ‘Woah, geez, there’s definitely something down there’,” says Clapshaw. Damon Clapshaw Photo: SuppliedThe survey uncovered trenches in the sea floor. These were deeper, wider and longer than even Clapshaw expected. At most, Clapshaw says they should have been no deeper than “the active sand layer” - which was 1 metre, but what the treasure hunter’s sonar found were up to 2.7m deep, 15m wide and 3 kilometres long. He estimated there were up to a dozen of these trenches running parallel off the shore. One expert later described the area as resembling a “ploughed paddock”.The discovery of the deep trenches called into question the survey reports the sand mining company had commissioned. These made no mention of any trenches, merely stating the average change in depth between 2011 and 2018 was less than 1.5m. The report noted there were no conspicuous objects on the seabed. Without shipwrecks or reefs, Clapshaw can’t comprehend how trenches 2.7m deep wouldn’t count as conspicuous. “It’s like walking into an empty room and not seeing the tree trunk you trip over,” he says.It highlighted two things for him. Firstly, that monitoring of the effect of the dredging on the seabed either hadn’t happened, had been done poorly or results hadn’t been shared. This seemed strange to him as the area with the trenches wasn’t a “hidden corner” of the permitted dredging area, “this was the equivalent to the front door”.Secondly, trenches this deep may interfere with any natural flow of sand and sediment from deeper waters to the shoreline, which locals worried was being eaten away by the decades of dredging.“I’m a bit like a builder. I knocked on a wall and the wall collapsed, and then the building collapsed. More and more things I investigated just didn’t make sense, or fell away,” he says. “I’m probably the worst person to meet if I think I am being lied to.”The company eventually admitted to knowing about the trenches but said it didn’t share the information with its own scientific expert on coastal processes. When pressed in court why, Clapshaw says the company’s response amounted to: “we stuffed up”.The company’s expert later told the court the trenches would interrupt the movement of sand but said as they only covered 15 percent of the length of the area, the effect was small, and would be temporary as they slowly filled with sand. He said future dredging practices “would not allow for the creation of new trenches”. But the non-disclosure of the trenches wasn’t the only stuff up. A further independently-conducted survey found grooves in the seabed showing the boat sometimes dredged too close to shore.Another mistake was made by the company's scientific expert who initially estimated 145,000 cubic metres of sand washes into the area each year, replenishing the surroundings. His calculations were disputed by numerous experts not engaged by the company. He later conceded he had made a mistake. The actual figure was closer to 12,000.Clapshaw’s evidence - gained through favours and blagging of a boat - was used in two battles against sand mining. One, against resource consent where independent commissioners for Auckland Council turned down two of three consents for sand mining. He joined a second fighting the mining company’s appeal of a consent rejection in the Environment Court. The Environment Court's decision, released in April, rejected the application by the sand mining company to overturn the council’s decision. The court said evidence about the ecological effects of the mining provided by the company had been “patchy", “inconclusive” and even “incorrect” in the past. It also found the effect on mana whenua couldn’t be mitigated.When Clapshaw heard the news he was happy “for a bit”. There’s a couple of clouds hanging over the win. After losing twice, the company is having a third go at getting approval and has appealed the Environment Court’s decision in the High Court. However, even if the company loses again, there’s a new potential card up its sleeve. Proposed Fast Track legislation could make any court victory worthless. The legislation could allow projects rejected by courts to go ahead, and give ministers the power to overrule a court’s decisions. Another key feature of the legislation is the silencing of public voices. Motivated members of the public like Clapshaw, who refuse to give up scratching an itch, won’t get a chance to provide any information to a fast track expert panel.Damon Clapshaw describes the sand mining off Pākiri as like a "stadium" of lights moving slowly back and forth collecting sand from the seafloor. Photo: RNZA city hungry for sandThe consent to mine sand at Pākiri was initially held by Kaipara Ltd. It contracted another firm, McCallum Brothers, to do the work. In 2021, Kaipara Ltd sold the consent to McCallum Bros, which has carried on the mining and legal efforts to get another two million cubic metres of Pākiri’s sand over 20 years. No one from the company would be interviewed for this story but some of its arguments are laid out in official documents.They want a renewal of a similar consent which expired in 2023. Other consent applications to mine closer to shore have been turned down by independent commissioners or abandoned by the company.Other sources of sand exist, including manufactured sand made by crushing rocks. But the white sand of Pākiri, which squeaks when it’s walked on, is special.The white sands of Pākiri Beach Photo: Creative Commons / Piotr ZurekIt has an ideal shape and mineral content for use in high strength concrete and has been used in the City Rail Link and the Central Wastewater Interceptor. It’s used to help build new homes. And it sells for between $35 and $45 a tonne.In 2021, McCallum Bros supplied almost half of Auckland’s sand - 346,600 tonnes. Kaipara Limited, its rival, supplied 393,367 tonnes. By 2048, it’s estimated even more sand will be needed to cater to the growing city. One estimate puts future needs between 1.17 and 1.8 million tonnes a year.It’s the kind of demand the coalition government seems to have in mind for consideration under its Fast Track legislation.When the bill was announced by Chris Bishop, the minister responsible for RMA Reform, Infrastructure and Housing, he said consents were taking too long to get and costing too much. “We are determined to cut through the thicket of red and green tape holding New Zealand back.”Housing, roads and infrastructure are exactly the types of projects the legislation wants to get going and the sand from Pākiri’s waters is a key component of much of the concrete used in Auckland.If McCallum Bros seeks approval under the fast track legislation, the expert panel considering the application will be assessing it under a different lens to the Environment Court. The panel must give priority to the purpose of the fast track legislation, which is to facilitate the delivery of infrastructure and development projects. This is different to the more holistic direction of the Resource Management Act which attempts to balance progress and the environment and calls for sustainable management of resources. This worries Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton, who described the bill as liberating “the big end of town” while silencing the voices of people who might be affected by projects.While McCallum Bros hasn’t confirmed it has applied to be considered for fast tracking, it did provide feedback on the fast track bill saying it supports the introduction of the legislation, with a few suggested amendments. These include amending the wording of clauses to ensure sand extraction is included and allowing consents to remain lodged under the RMA while fast track approval is sought, rather than needing to withdraw them. This would allow the company to continue to appeal the Environment Court’s decision while simultaneously trying to get the go ahead under fast track rules. It supported locking the public out of the fast track process, specifically endorsing a clause in the bill which states: “There is no requirement for a panel to hold a hearing in respect of a consent application or notice of requirement and no person has a right to be heard by a panel.”A protest against sand mining at nearby Mangawhai Beach in July 2022. Photo: Save Our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri/ Elevated MediaThe voices of PākiriDamon Clapshaw jokes about being “Nigel no-friends” on Environment Court calls as a solo submitter with a fixation on trenches and consent breaches, but he was far from alone. Several local and national groups mobilised against the mining, with a variety of concerns.The groups included Friends of Pākiri Beach, the Fairy Tern Society, Forest & Bird, Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society, Environmental Defence Society, Te Arai Interests, Te Whānau o Pākiri, and Manuhiri Kaitiaki Charitable Trust.Between the groups, experts were put forward on coastal processes, damage to the sea floor, the effects on bird and sea life and the effects on mana whenua. “They [McCallum Bros] finally met a very very strong and determined community, which has punched above its weight,” says Ken Rayward.Rayward has been a campaigner-at-large, mixing between the groups opposed to sand mining to ensure they “weren’t spending our meagre resources all on the same thing and the same science base”. The quality of the evidence the various local groups supplied forced the sand mining company’s expert witnesses to change their views, Rayward says. Without the information, he’s certain wrong decisions would have been made.People gathered at nearby Mangawhai in July 2022 to protest mining by McCallum Brothers Photo: Save Our Sand Mangawhai Pakiri/ Elevated MediaFriends of Pākiri Beach was one of the groups which hired experts to assess the impact of mining on the beach.“If you think of a bucket full of sand, if you take it out somewhere, it's eventually going to show up as erosion,” says treasurer Nick Wiliams. According to Williams, whose family has been part of the community for decades, photos from the past show the beach in a much healthier condition. While it’s normal for sand to shift around on beaches, “at the very least, we’ve said it’s uncertain that you’re not harming the environment”.The group engaged two experts to give evidence. The first, a civil engineer with coastal engineering expertise to provide evidence about the impact offshore dredging could have on the area, and the second an engineering expert on other sources of sand which could be used in Auckland. The taking of the sand doesn’t just contribute to beach erosion, says Williams. Dragging the dredge along the sea floor also impacts wildlife. “We used to have all these horse mussels wash up on the beach, but we haven’t seen them for probably 20 or so years because they got dredged up and destroyed.” Any patches of stony coral dotted on the seabed can also get obliterated.There’s also worry the disruption to the ecology could impact New Zealand’s rarest bird which teeters on an extinction knife’s edge. Fewer than 40 breeding age fairy tern remain and the loss of a single bird would put the species survival in an even more perilous position. “There's endangered bird life. There's uncertainty about coastal effects. There is, obviously the mana whenua values and strong opposition by all the relevant iwi who oppose this,” says Williams. “On every ground you look, it failed.”Among those who spoke to the mana whenua values was hapu group Te Whānau o Pākiri. Chairperson Olivia Haddon says the group is opposed to the sand being taken from their shores because of the impact it has on the wellbeing of the environment. She says the extraction has a massive impact on the traditional value sets. “It’s an insult on our kaitiakitanga.”Haddon’s family has fought against sand mining for decades. She gave evidence to the court on the cultural landscape and the traditions associated with the hapu’s lives in the area. The taking of the sand “disables” her family’s ability to act as kaitiaki or guardians of their environment, she says. Pākiri is one of only very few places in the world where the critically endangered fairy tern breed. Photo: RNZThe price of progressThe court took the concerns raised by Haddon and other iwi, such as Ngāti Manuhiri, seriously. Its decision described the desires of mana whenua and McCallum Bros as having been on a collision course.“For mana whenua, the relationship is whakapapa based and it forms part of their tribal history and identity. For some the embayment has become their home, a place where they enjoy coastal beauty and tranquil serenity. For others the relationship is statutory based, compelled to protect the flora and fauna of the embayment for all New Zealanders, including providing an active voice for those we cannot hear from in the resource management process i.e., the tara iti (the critically endangered New Zealand fairy tern).“For McCallum Bros, the relationship is effectively a commercial one, with their sand mining business providing good quality sand for the concrete needs of New Zealand’s biggest city.”The court noted there were clear benefits to allow the extraction of sand, saying it has been a cheap and plentiful source of sand for 80 years but this came at a price. “These economic benefits to Auckland and to McCallum Bros and others have occurred at direct cost to mana whenua and the embayment itself.”Along with the effects on the mana whenua the court had doubts about the effects of sucking two million tonnes of sand from the area. It noted there was a dearth of information from the company about the likely environmental impact: “There appears to have been an assumption by the Applicant that it was for the opposition parties to prove that there was an adverse effect.”It said it was unable to assess risk because although earlier consents the company had gained were granted with environmental monitoring as a condition, “that produced to us was patchy, inconclusive, and as to shore effect incorrect.”The overall finding from the court was that the need for high quality sand for Auckland didn’t trump the lack of information on coastal processes like sand movement, its effect on the ecology and species in the area and the impact on the mana whenua.If it loses in court again, McCallum Brothers appears interested in pursuing sand mining via the Fast Track Bill. Photo: RNZDual duelsThere’s a sense of quiet resignation to the fact that despite years of fighting and two victories, the battle isn’t over. Nobody seems surprised the company has appealed the Environment Court decision. While any appeals are ongoing, all parties agreed McCallum Bros can continue to take sand, a deal made when the company abandoned a consent which had been granted for an area closer to shore. The stadium of lights will continue its evening patrols up and down Pākiri’s shore.The groups are cautiously confident about the appeal - they feel the Environment Court decision was thorough. But when it comes to the Fast Track Bill, the tone fluctuates between indignation and concern.While Bishop has recently softened his stance on some aspects of the bill, public input doesn’t seem to be up for discussion. “I do not expect that allowing submissions on individual projects will be revisited,” he said.Rayward thinks if the project ends up in the fast track system, it would be a travesty of justice.“To have it enabled to be resurrected, because of the fast track introduction would be an indictment on our whole system.”The fast track system would cut out much of what the consent hearing and court case uncovered, he believes. “We wouldn’t have had the expert witnesses giving background. We wouldn’t have had the cultural impacts being openly presented. We wouldn’t have had the alternate supply options presented.”Williams believes what’s happened at Pākiri is an example of why the fast track process is inappropriate.“It’s taken parties who have an interest in the area to put forward a whole lot of extremely valid and important information,” says Williams.Haddon thinks projects courts have rejected shouldn’t be revived under fast track legislation. Under the legislation, iwi groups may get a say, but hapu groups like hers won't, she says.Fast track legislation also prioritises economic considerations higher than the Resource Management Act does and “that’s left us with six kilometres of desecrated biogenic habitat,” she says.Clapshaw agrees, calling the proposed fast track process deeply flawed. Much of the knowledge gained about the effect of sand mining in the area came from a diverse range of voices contributing evidence and a slow unearthing of facts.It took him, as a motivated member of the public, and an octogenarian treasure hunter to discover massive trenches.“Who would have thought that Joe Blow would do their own scan and find the trenches?”If the commissioners or court relied on information the company provided, the trenches and their potential impact would never have come to light, nor would the huge mistake the company’s expert made in his calculation of the amount of sand washing into the area each year, he says.If sand mining went ahead under fast track rules, he would feel more than just let down. “I think for the first time in my life I would actually feel betrayed by my government. I've never said that before, I've never thought that before - I never thought I would think that before - but I would feel betrayed.”Clapshaw remains committed to fighting via legal avenues, but he thinks a provocative act by the government might rally people to greater protest. “It might have to be a case of we're gonna go out there and have a flotilla of guys out on boats."This story was first published by RNZ

Temporary closure of Northland tracks for cyclone recovery
Temporary closure of Northland tracks for cyclone recovery

11 May 2024, 8:49 PM

Two of Northland’s most popular short walks - Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway and Mt Manaia - will be closed temporarily as part of ongoing efforts to repair and enhance infrastructure damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.In February 2023, both the Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway and Mt Manaia experienced significant damage due to the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. Subsequent engineering assessments revealed the need for repairs to ensure visitor safety and preserve the integrity of the track.Mangawhai Heads Walkway will be closed from 29 April 2024, for approximately 10 weeks. Mt Manaia Walkway will be closed from 14 May 2024, for approximately 8-10 weeks (dependant on weather conditions.)Throughout the closure period, alternative tracks are available for public use including the Smugglers Bay Loop Track and others in the Whangarei Heads area: Tracks Archives - Discover Whangarei Heads  (external site).“We acknowledge the collaborative efforts of local iwi, hapū and other stakeholders in assessing the damage and planning the necessary remedial actions. The engagement of experienced contractors, including Milton Harward Construction and Plant Pro, will help restore these iconic tracks,” says Les Judd, Acting DOC Whangarei Operations Manager.“We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of the community during these track closures and hope people take the opportunity to explore some of the other fabulous walking tracks in the area,” says Les.ContactFor media enquiries contact:Email: [email protected]

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