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New arrival at Highfield Garden Reserve
New arrival at Highfield Garden Reserve

09 December 2023, 7:31 PM

Highfield Donkey Park received a gift early this year as one of their donkeys Truffle has given birth to a soft little baby boy, and he is as adorable as you would imagine. Donkey pregnancies typically last anywhere from 11–14 months! The average is about 12 months, so having a new arrival is definitely very special.Baby donkeys nurse from their mums for several months, usually until they are around 4 to 6 months old. These little guys are playful and curious, they not only form strong bonds with their mums but are also capable of forming strong bonds with people. With school holidays on the horizon and the sun finally out, it’s a great time to get the kids outside and visit the donkeys. The reserve, which is located between Snells Beach and Algies Bay about 10 kilometers from Warkworth has been home to a small herd of donkeys since the 1960s. Check out our previous article about the donkey park here: Out and About on the Matakana Coast - Algies Bay Highfield Garden Reserve - Donkey Park - Daily News - News - Matakana Coast App People are welcome to visit the donkeys, which enjoy carrots, apples and silverbeet as treats. While they are friendly and enjoy visitors, take care when visiting with small children and please treat the animals with respect. There is currently a sign up asking not to feed truffle or her baby.  There is a donation box positioned on the gate as you enter the park and donations are greatly appreciated for ongoing care of the donkeys.  Or alternatively, you can sign up to be a member Memberships are $10 per household per year.  More information can be found on the sign as you enter the park or on their website. donkeys – SBRRA (snellsbeach.co.nz) Or on their Facebook page Donkeys at Highfield | Facebook 

Government considering different funding models to build new hospitals
Government considering different funding models to build new hospitals

09 December 2023, 1:44 AM

Story by Phil Pennington, Reporter@pjppenn [email protected] government says it will be considering different funding models to build new hospitals.The coalition deal with ACT commits the government to investigate build and lease-back arrangements.The new annual report for Te Whatu Ora shows "foundational" work to run hospital assets properly has still not been done.Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop said it was important to "keep an open mind as we investigate the most efficient and effective ways" to deliver health services."Build and lease-back arrangements would entrust reputable, expert infrastructure developers with the building and maintenance of new and existing hospitals, which are then leased back to the public sector for long-term public use," he said.He would work with Health Minister Dr Shane Reti "to improve the speed and delivery" of major projects.Reti was waiting for advice from officials about the full portfolio of health infrastructure"I will have a particular interest in the large-scale projects that are already underway and those recently announced," Reti said in a statement."What I am keen to initially understand is where these respective major infrastructure builds are at, on the spectrum of project phasing, and what funding commitments have been made to date."Te Whatu Ora's annual report shows one out of eight or nine big builds were rated "red", the worst category, and "may require a change in scope or funding to proceed".The other 88 percent of the 75 projects worth $6 billion were on track or "being actively managed to deliver as expected".On the redevelopment front, a lot of which was focused on regional hospitals, under half - 46 percent, or six out of 13 - of milestones were reached in the 2022-23 year.A design reset a year ago held this back.After a bad run of poor business cases that spat out muddled timelines and budgets, as revealed in OIA documents and reports, the agency said it had centralised and improved."Strengthening of national functions and processes has enhanced the quality and practice of investment advice and monitoring," it said.Health NZ is promising to deliver a national asset management plan this month, but this is over a year after it was promised it would be delivered.The state of health assets still was not known, because "baselining" the estate had only just begun in 2023-24 and would take another three years.This itself comes three years after the first national stocktake of hospital assets reported back, to government fanfare, but with grim findings.Back then, the 2020 stocktake said: "The initial work in this current-state assessment lays the foundation for improving the quality of capital funding decisions, asset management and long-term capital investment."The new annual report said: "Asset levels of service, measures and targets for condition, fitness-for-purpose and use are required to enable asset performance reporting."This is a large and complex task and we have yet to complete the national baseline assessments of condition."The facilities teams at Te Whatu Ora - themselves caught up in reform, overhaul and redundancies - have got as far as agreeing a "standardised approach" for assessing the likes of operating theatres, EDs, cancer, burns, and spinal units.Other "foundational pieces of work" that were still required include an asset management information system.How health facilities are performing remains patchy."There is variability across the regions and a significant amount of work is required to implement standardised processes and practices to get to where we need to be," the annual report said.This story was originally posted by RNZ News

Auckland Motorway Overnight closures 10- 16 December 2023
Auckland Motorway Overnight closures 10- 16 December 2023

07 December 2023, 11:43 PM

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 15 December 2023. Check daily updated closure information: www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/aucklandUnless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am. NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Orewa off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 10-14 DecemberOrewa southbound on-ramp, 10-14 DecemberMillwater southbound on-ramp, 10-14 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 10-12 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 13-14 DecemberSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 10-14 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 10-11 DecemberOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 10-11 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Constellation Drive off-ramp and Northcote Road on-ramp, 13 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Constellation Drive southbound on-ramp, 13 DecemberTristram Avenue southbound on-ramp, 13 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Constellation Drive on-ramp, 10 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tristram Avenue northbound on-ramp, 10 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road northbound on-ramp, 10 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Onewa Road off-ramp and Tristram Avenue on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 10:30pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road northbound on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Onewa Road northbound on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Esmonde Road southbound on-ramp, 10-11 December Shelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 10-14 December CENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH1 northbound to SH16 westbound link, 11 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Westbound lanes between Stanley Street off-ramp and Newton Road on-ramp, 11 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 northbound link, 11 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 (Port) westbound to SH1 southbound link, 11 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Wellesley Street westbound on-ramp, 11 December SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Tecoma Street southbound off-ramp, 11-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Tecoma Street southbound on-ramp, 11-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)East Tamaki Road northbound on-ramp, 14 DecemberEast Tamaki Road northbound off-ramp, 13-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between East Tamaki Road off-ramp and Redoubt Road on-ramp, 12 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)East Tamaki Road southbound on-ramp, 12 DecemberSH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 12 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 10-14 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 10 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 11 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Papakura (Diamond) northbound on-ramp, 10-11 DecemberPapakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 10-11 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 12 December(approx. 9:00pm to 5:00am)Drury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 10-12 DecemberRamarama northbound on-ramp, 11 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Ramarama off-ramp and Bombay on-ramp, 12 DecemberRamarama southbound on-ramp, 12 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Bombay off-ramp and Ramarama on-ramp, 12 DecemberBombay northbound on-ramp, 12 DecemberRidge Road northbound off-ramp, 10 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Razorback Road northbound on-ramp, 10 DecemberSH1 northbound to SH2 eastbound link, 10 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Pokeno northbound on-ramp, 10 December NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Waimauku and Foster Road, 12 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Foster Road and Waimauku, 12 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Foster Road and Trigg Road, 13-14 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Foster Road, 13-14 DecemberSt Lukes Road westbound off-ramp, 13-14 December SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Southbound lanes between Mahunga Drive off-ramp and Walmsley Road on-ramp, 13-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH20A southbound link, 13-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Rimu Road northbound on-ramp, 10 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Coronation Road off-ramp and Rimu Road on-ramp, 13-14 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Coronation Road northbound on-ramp, 13-14 December GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp and Coronation Road on-ramp, 10 DecemberKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 10 DecemberSTATE HIGHWAY 2 (SH2)SH2 westbound to SH1 northbound link, 10 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am) 

Auckland Council, Wayne Brown reject plan for Waitematā harbour tunnel
Auckland Council, Wayne Brown reject plan for Waitematā harbour tunnel

07 December 2023, 9:05 PM

Auckland Council's Transport and Infrastructure Committee has decided not to support the current $56 billion plan for a secondary harbour crossing.During today's meeting the council's Principal Transport Advisor Elise Webster highlighted problems with the draft business case for the Waitematā Harbour Connections project, which is due to be presented to the NZTA Waka Kotahi board in February next year.The "preferred option" listed in the Indicative Business Case involved two underwater tunnels, one for traffic and one for light rail, to run alongside the Harbour Bridge."Staff have identified a number of issues... these relate, in particular, to the affordability and value for money issue," Webster said."At $56b it is equivalent to more than double the government's total 10-year investment in Auckland's transport system."Webster asked members of the committee to clearly oppose the plan."Council staff are recommending that the committee does not support the recommended option," she said.Mayor Wayne Brown immediately accepted Webster's advice."I totally support your recommendation, and I'll be horrified if we don't [all] support this," he said."With the size of our economy, it's a wonder that grown up people who can feed themselves and walk could come up with such a stupid number."He said there was no possible way the $56b plan would survive a cost-benefit analysis."I'm shocked that it hasn't been dumped by the [new] government."Acting committee chairperson Christine Fletcher told Checkpoint the council simply could not agree with the plan's cost and the lack of consultation with local government.Former Labour Prime Minister Chris Hipkins introduced the proposal in August."I think Auckland Council felt really disrespected in that they had had no involvement really, until just before the election the (former) government came and wanted our support for their proposal."It was a little bit rich to come and dump such a massive plan on us and expect some form of support."Fletcher said that the council has been focused on developing the Auckland Integrated Transport Plan and the tunnel plan had no real link to that.She said the tunnel plan did not make its own case well enough for the council to support it."It was the lack of a problem definition … what was the purpose? It was very unclear to us.""This had just got a head of steam, was ridiculously costly and right now for Auckland Council, we are really struggling financially."The high cost "just seemed scandalous," Fletcher said.There is a real appetite for another harbour crossing, she agreed, but nothing on the scale that this plan cost.North Shore Councillor Chris Darby jumped at the opportunity to second Brown's movement to accept Webster's recommendations."$56b is an enormous number... the benefits are really struggling to outweigh the costs on this project as it currently sits," he said."[The road tunnel is] 10 general traffic lanes, that is not a climate future solution. That belongs in a different century."He said the money would be better spent elsewhere."I just cannot imagine ten traffic lanes crossing over, under, around the harbour. I can envisage active connections for pedestrians and cyclists, and rapid transit... that's the future that I see."Darby said he looked forward to seeing lower-cost alternatives to the tunnels.The committee almost unanimously agreed to accept Webster's recommendations, aside from IMSB Member Billy Brown who abstained due to a previously declared conflict of interest.The new local government minister said his party will work closely with Auckland Council to deliver the infrastructure the city needs.Brown has been vocal about having more autonomy to meet the needs of the city.He released his manifesto for Auckland earlier in the year, saying he and his councillors can not make the fixes needed for Auckland unless Wellington moves out of the way.Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said he and the mayor would meet on a regular basis, and stay in touch on important issues.Brown told Checkpoint tonight the numbers did not add up with the tunnel project."The reality with this plan the government put forward, $56b, it was unfunded."Brown said the new government agreed there was still a need for a second harbour crossing."What we've said consistently for a number of years is that resilience for that corridor is the top priority."The bridge is ageing, we're seeing the effects when it's windy."Luxon has said previously before the election that his government would have a preference for a tunnel crossing, but Brown said it is currently seeking advice from the Ministry of Transport and NZTA on options."We're currently in the process of doing that."This is a big piece of work, there is obviously need for decisions to be made but also the other part of the puzzle is… the reality is the Crown can't afford to pay for all of the infrastructure in New Zealand and the infrastructure deficit that we do have."Brown said the government is looking at other funding models and setting up a national infrastructure agency to attract finance to projects.This story was originally published by RNZ

Fix for Brynderwyns the priority as National charts new path on Northland roading
Fix for Brynderwyns the priority as National charts new path on Northland roading

07 December 2023, 1:18 AM

Coalition negotiations and damage inflicted by extreme weather have forced a change in National's long-standing roading priorities for Northland.Top of the new to-do list - once urgent, short-term repairs have been completed - is to build a four-lane alternative to a notoriously slip-prone section of State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills.It's one of the key infrastructure items in the National-New Zealand First coalition deal, with the parties agreeing to at least settle the route during the current parliamentary term.The coalition agreement makes no mention of four-laning elsewhere in Northland.That's in contrast to National's pre-election pledge to four-lane State Highway 1 all the way from Auckland to Whangārei, except for the section over the Brynderwyns.The party has long argued upgrading the highway is critical to unlocking Northland's economic potential.New Northland MP Grant McCallum said the government's "ultimate vision" was still to have a four-lane highway all the way to Whangārei, but the section over the Brynderwyns was now the top priority."The four-laning is still alive, but in terms of the order things are done, the priorities have changed a wee bit with the coalition agreement. And, quite frankly, nature has made us look at this and forced us to make this decision, regardless of what individuals think."The most urgent task was to shore up the current road over the Brynderwyns, which was in danger of failing entirely next winter.The highway was closed for significant periods earlier this year due to slips triggered by Cyclone Gabrielle and other weather events.Photo: Supplied/ Waka Kotahi NZTAWaka Kotahi had set aside more than $60 million for more repairs later this summer, but even that was not expected to keep the highway open long-term."It's essential obviously we fix the current road so it's going to hang in there for the next seven to 10 years. And in the meantime we've got to work out where to put a new four-lane route around the Brynderwyns," he said."It's a top priority … We haven't got a specific timeline but we are racing against the clock given the current road."Newly minted Transport Minister Simeon Brown inspected the Brynderwyns last Friday, his first site visit in his new role."It's pretty broken," he said."The reality is it's in a really bad state after recent weather events, and it's going to require significant remedial work in order to extend the life of that particular stretch of road. Visiting the site was certainly an eye-opener."While four-laning the rest of the highway was not in the coalition agreement, Brown said National was still committed to it."What we said in the coalition agreement is we need to have a four-lane alternative route for the Brynderwyns. We also campaigned on a four-lane expressway from Whangārei to Auckland, so what we're doing at the moment is rewriting the government policy statement on transport to refocus it back on building the roading network, and restarting the Roads of National Significance programme."Announcements would be made "in due course" about the timing and costs of the alternative Brynderwyn route.Bypass goes through new MP's farmIt was unfortunate that Waka Kotahi had started work on a Brynderwyn bypass but the project had been shelved by the previous Labour government in 2017, Brown said.At that time the roading agency came up with two alternative routes, both to the west of the Brynderwyns.Ironically, both pass through a 620ha beef and dairy farm owned by McCallum and his family.McCallum said he had been open about that so he could not be accused of having a conflict of interest.He said the transport agency would re-assess the routes so they could still change.However, if Waka Kotahi's chosen route crossed the farm, he would stand back and allow other members of his family to handle the negotiations.Another option touted by members of Northland's influential Regional Transport Committee is to build a new route up the south side of the Brynderwyns, just east of the current highway.That would involve building a viaduct over the Atlas Quarries site and a new road along a ridge, joining the existing SH1 at the Brynderwyns' summit.Members of Northland's Regional Transport Committee want a new route for SH1 over the Brynderwyns to cross a viaduct over the Atlas Quarries site. Photo: RNZ / Peter de GraafMcCallum said it was up to the experts to decide which route was best."Ultimately, I'm not an engineer. It's not my job to make those decisions about the routes and their suitability. That's where we need NZTA to go away and look at all options, re-assess them all, and come back to the people of Northland with what they think is the best option … If it ends up coming through our property, then so be it. The most important thing is that we get a new four-lane route because the current one is not fit for purpose."Whichever route was chosen it would have to be compatible with long-term plans to four-lane the highway all the way to Whangārei, McCallum said.The chair of the Automobile Association's Northland Council, Tracey Risetto, backed the government's change of focus."We agree the priority has to be the Brynderwyns because you can have four-laning either side, but if the road in the middle is impassable, that four-laning is not going to help," she said."But I do ask that we keep working on four-laning. There's been no designation of land between Marsden and Whangārei for that four-laning, for example, although there has been between Warkworth and Wellsford. We all know it will take some time but let's not drop the ball. Let's just work through what we need to do, so when we're ready to do that construction we're not starting from scratch, like we appear to be doing with the alternative Brynderwyns route."Delay possible for short-term repairsRissetto said short-term repairs to keep the highway open in the meantime were also vital.Originally Waka Kotahi planned to close State Highway 1 for slip repairs after Waitangi Day, but after an outcry from Northland businesses the agency is considering delaying the work until after Easter.That would, however, increase the cost and extend the closure from seven weeks to 10."We're calling for the work to happen. We know it's going to impact Northland and the economy - up to $2 million a day - but we need a resilient network. We've got 200,000 people up in Northland and we also contribute a lot to the rest of the country. It's not just people coming up here, it's also goods and services going to the rest of New Zealand," she said.Rissetto said the earlier timeframe for repairs would hurt tourism and hospitality businesses, but delaying the work would affect avocado and kiwifruit growers trying to send their produce south."So it's really a no-win … Our call is that we fix it, and then get a new route constructed as soon as possible."The AA was also urging Waka Kotahi to upgrade the detour routes before the highway closed."We saw previously when the Brynderwyns were closed that the detour routes were not suitable for purpose. There are one-lane bridges and very tight corners. Critical work is needed now to get those routes ready for additional traffic, including State Highways 12 and 14 because the large 50-tonners [trucks] are going to be requested to travel those roads," Rissetto said.Other Northland-specific commitments in the National-New Zealand First coalition agreement include further work to examine a rail link to Northport and progressing a business case for a dry dock at Marsden Point.The agreement also calls for an investigation into reopening Marsden Point oil refinery.The refinery has been partly dismantled since it was closed by its private owners in 2022.This story was originally published by RNZ

Sugar prices soar due to low supply, labour disputes
Sugar prices soar due to low supply, labour disputes

06 December 2023, 7:04 PM

Nona Pelletier, Senior Business ReporterThe price of sweet treats is expected to rise as poor weather, labour disputes and ongoing supply chain issues drive prices higher amid a global shortage"We haven't seen pricing at these levels since 2011," a New Zealand Sugar spokesperson said.While global production was expected to fall short of expected consumption by 2.4 million tonnes in the current crop year, NZ Sugar said New Zealand's supply would not be affected, though prices were expected to remain high and volatile.NZ Sugar is the country's largest refinery and marketed its retail products under the Chelsea Sugar brand.The commodity price of sugar was trading at 12-year highs as 2023/24 global production dropped to an estimated 187.5 million tonnes from 189.4 million tonnes in 2022/23.NZ Sugar said the price of raw sugar had increased 60 percent to US$0.28 a pound in the past 12 months from US$0.175 a year ago.The World Health Organisation estimated New Zealanders consumed the equivalent of about 37 teaspoons of sugar a day in food and beverages, or a third of a pound.Westpac agri-economist Nathan Penny said the rising cost of sugar would flow through to the cost of food and beverages and put pressure on overall cost inflation.Domestic prices were already up 14 percent in October over September, adding about 40 cents to a 1.5kg package of sugar."In the latest October data we've seen that the price of a 1.5kg packet of sugar is up about a quarter over the past year and that's going to make some of our favourite Kiwi treats over summer and Christmas, like Pavlovas for example, much pricier than they were last Christmas," Penny said."We've seen some really hot food price inflation this year and in the middle of the year, it peaked at over 12 percent on an annual basis."It has since started to come off the boil. Annual food price inflation is running now at around 6 percent, but, as I've said, sugar prices are heading the other way in opposite direction."The refinery said there had been production deficits in four out of the past five years, leaving major producers with minimal stocks.NZ Sugar stored to 40 kilotonnes (kt) at its Chelsea Sugar Refinery, or about 10 weeks' supply.Increased production in Brazil, Russia and China was not expected to be enough to offset heavy losses in production in India, Thailand and Mexico, where crops had suffered from drought and insufficient humidity.Canadian sugar refineries were also low on supply as labour disputes left supermarket shelves empty across that country.Australian sugar producers, which supply much of New Zealand's raw product, had reacted by raising prices as demand for its product increased.In addition to weather, NZ Sugar said shipping pressure also added to the supply and cost issues."There is little capacity to add supply in the short term. This leaves the market exposed to weather and a heavy reliance on Brazil to meet the majority of export demand," it said, adding that bulk raw sugar shipments of about 28 kts arrive in New Zealand about every six weeks.Shipping delays at the Panama Canal were adding to supply pressures.Large grocery chain Woolworths New Zealand said it was aware of the rising cost of raw sugar, but there were no supply issues, yet.Originally published by RNZ

Parnell sinkhole cost city up to $3m a day - report
Parnell sinkhole cost city up to $3m a day - report

05 December 2023, 7:17 PM

An economic consultancy estimates Auckland's sewer collapse and resulting pollution has cost the city millions of dollars in lost recreational fishing.The Hauraki Gulf Forum commissioned the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) to tally the cost of the major sewage overflows on people's access to the Waitematā Harbour for recreation and food gathering.In September when the waste and stormwater pipe burst in Parnell, under a 13-metre-deep sinkhole, residents were advised not to fish in much of the inner harbour.The NZIER report found the sinkhole cost between $5.2 million to $12.9m in lost fishing, and between $50.9m and $166.6m in total lost recreation and food gathering.The average cost per day was between $1.02m and $3.33m."It is conservative in nature and limited in scope but demonstrates that such incidents have costs far beyond their immediate repair," the report said."This, in turn, provides further rationale for investment in resilient infrastructure to reduce the likelihood of further adverse effects and costs in future."Earlier this year, the forum released a report showing the natural capital value of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, in economic and ecological terms.The research, conducted by NZIER, showed the Gulf was worth about $100 billion to New Zealand, and provided a flow of value to New Zealanders in excess of $5b a year.NZIER said the Parnell sinkhole was the first test case for the natural capital value model's ability to price specific events.An above-ground bypass pipe now redirects wastewater in Parnell, but the remaining sewage still flows into the ocean when it rains.The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory governance board established under the Marine Park Act to advocate for the Gulf.This story was originally published by RNZ

Te Pāti Māori calls for nationwide protest against government's co-governance policies
Te Pāti Māori calls for nationwide protest against government's co-governance policies

04 December 2023, 5:05 PM

Motorists are being advised to prepare for disruptions across the country tomorrow as Te Pāti Māori plans protests against the newly-formed government's policies.Te Pāti Māori is calling on the community to join in taking a stand against what they say is an "assault on tangata whenua".In a social media post on Monday, Te Pāti Māori issued a nationwide call to action, scheduled for Tuesday, 5 December.The Nationwide Action Day aligns with the opening of the 54th term of Parliament, where all MPs are required to swear an oath of allegiance to the King of England.The action comes in response to a raft of co-governance related policies announced last week by the new National-led coalition.Some of the policies include scrapping Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, just 16 months after its establishment, and the proposal of a Treaty Principles Bill. The bill promises a comprehensive review of all legislation, aside from the full and final Treaty Settlements Act, with the aim of removing existing references to "principles of the Treaty of Waitangi" from law.According to Te Pāti Māori social media posts, the kaupapa of the action day is to demonstrate the "beginning of a unified Aotearoa approach to the government's assault on Tangata Whenua and Te Tiriti o Waitangi"."Demonstrating the might of Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti working together. The revolution of Gen-T (Generation Tiriti) standing up for and protecting the rights of all our mokopuna", and "asserting the mana of Te Tiriti O Waitangi as enduring and everlasting".The tikanga of the Action Day is peaceful, respectful, mokopuna focused, mokopuna friendly, and wairua pai, according to the Te Pāti Māori social media post.Plans for the day are already emerging with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Te Rangi Iwi trust, a Tauranga-based iwi, issuing a pānui to whānau on Facebook calling them to take protest action."This national protest is in direct response to the government changes that seek to rapidly dismantle three generations worth of work under an agenda that blatantly disregards the place of Māori in Aotearoa and looks to marginalise us as Tangata Whenua," the pānui said."We have worked too hard to revitalise our reo, educate our people, correct the injustices faced by Māori by offering equitable opportunities to be healthy, housed and employed, keep our people out of jail, whilst working towards ensuring that future generations of Māori do not bear the weight of the same injustices imposed upon us, to have these efforts reversed."The action will be taking place across the country, starting at 7am Tuesday with more than 16 planned locations posted on Te Pāti Māori social media.'Our people mobilising for the next three years'Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer told RNZ the protests came together in the space of 72 hours, and communities all over the country had come together."There's a collection, it's not just one particular sector. This is a collection of our whānau and that's why we've very much left it for our own communities, inside their own uniqueness to run it and to drive it. That's how Te Pāti Māori rolls."She said she did not care whether the government got the message or not, because the protests were primarily about Māori showing up for each other, and uniting."The movement that we're seeing from Māori will make the foreshore and seabed hīkoi look like something extremely small."Because what we have is our people mobilising for the next three years against, and letting them know what they think about governments that are utilising tangata whenua as their reason for politicking, as their reason to hold our growth back, the reason that we shouldn't be thriving."She said many who were set to be involved in the protests were "pretty seasoned" and had good engagement with local communities, officials, and authorities.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he did not believe the planned protests were a precedent for the next three years."I think we're going to demonstrate to Māori and non-Māori across New Zealand that we are focused on outcomes. I've been trying to be really clear with New Zealanders, this country needs a turnaround."He claimed the past six years had not been good for Māori."I think Māori have done very well, particularly in National-led governments in the past, and they're going to continue to do so. But the way we deal with that, and the way we do that, is we actually focus on the things that are important to Māori. And when you do that, you get back to housing, and health, and education, and law and order, and the economy."Luxon said he supported everyone's right to protest, as long as it was lawful, peaceful, and respectful.Police preparing for disruptions across the North IslandIn a statement, police assistant commissioner Sandra Venables said they were preparing for the protests, which were likely to cause disruptions to traffic between 7.30am and 9am on motorways across Tāmaki Makaurau, Waikato, Palmerston North, Hawera, New Plymouth, Tokoroa, Whanganui, Porirua, Whangārei, Tauranga, Rotorua, and Wellington.Police were working with organisers to provide advice on lawful protest, as well as any health and safety implications, Venables said."Officers will be highly visible across the roading network throughout the morning and, in some locations, will put measures in place to prevent protesters putting themselves and motorists in harm's way."Unlawful behaviour will result in enforcement action, either at the time or following the event if safety issues prevent immediate action."Motorists in affected areas were advised to plan ahead and anyone travelling to the airport or to any other time-sensitive commitment is advised to allow more time for their journey.Labour spokesperson says protests 'not a surprise'Labour Māori development spokesperson Willie Jackson said he understood the anger at the new government."I don't know all the details but I hear that there's going to be major protests around the Auckland area, so we'll be watching and it's not a surprise but there's a lot of anger out there at the moment."I understand it, I've heard about it for quite some time, I did make some warnings before about the type of response you'd get if a referendum was rolled out - and while they're not rolling out a referendum, you've got attacks on te reo Māori, you've got attacks on the Māori Health Authority, there's question marks about Māori funding going forward, and there's a huge level of frustration.""At the moment, I say good on them," he said of the protesters.Te Pāti Māori also plan to pledge an oath of allegiance to mokopuna, rather than the King. Jackson said he did not plan to do the same, but he understood it and there should be a choice offered."I think our people should have an option, and I don't have a problem supporting that. I'm thinking more about what we have to do right now in terms of responding to the attacks on us but if people want to make a statement and roll out a strategy there at the swearing-in, good on them."This story was originally published by RNZ

HAVE YOUR SAY: Feedback wanted on when to close the Brynderwyns for repairs
HAVE YOUR SAY: Feedback wanted on when to close the Brynderwyns for repairs

04 December 2023, 4:55 PM

An update on the Brynderwyns: We want your feedback. We need to make a decision about when to close State Highway 1 over the Brynderwyn Hills.There's a survey, and we're hosting webinars to share information with you about the closure—see the links below.We need to close the road to complete essential recovery and enabling works before next winter, maintaining this vital connection for the short to medium term. As part of our ongoing engagement we want your feedback on two possible timings for this closure and on how the timings would affect you.The closure needs to happen before winter, which means we have limited time to make the decision so plenty of notice can be given to residents, freight, tourism, and everyone using the road. Because of that, we'd like you to complete this survey no later than Sunday 10 December (by the end of the day): https://nzta.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_51I87C2BWBqFSbsWe're hosting two webinars—one on Wednesday 6 December at 6:30pm, and one on Friday 8 December at 10:30am—where we'll explain why a closure is needed to complete these works. The webinars will start with a short presentation, followed by time for us to answer your questions.Register for the webinars here:• Wednesday 6 December, 6:30pm: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/.../a3e0418f-a826-47f0...• Friday 8 December, 10:30am: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/.../abd4453d-70e4-4c16...You can also follow Facebook event posts for the webinars:SH1 Brynderwyn Hills closure webinar (6 December at 6:30pm)SH1 Brynderwyn Hills closure webinar (8 December at 10:30am)

Pharmacist fears return of pseudoephedrine may mean more burglaries
Pharmacist fears return of pseudoephedrine may mean more burglaries

02 December 2023, 7:32 PM

From Checkpoint, 5:07 pm on 30 November 2023 A pharmacist warns bringing back over-the-counter cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine could make chemist shops a target for robberies and ram raids.Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant used in cold and flu medications but it has been prescription-only since 2011 because it can be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.But in its first 100 days one of the things the new government plans to do is loosen the rules to allow the sale of cold medication containing pseudoephedrine.▶ Listen to the audioMangawhai Pharmacist Lanny Wong told Checkpoint she was worried the change would result in more crime. "When it was available I can remember many pharmacies that I worked at were always worried about break-ins."There was also a need to ID people and to refuse to sell them medication containing pseudoephedrine if it was suspected they were buying it to make methamphetamine (also known as P) or if they were suspected of on-selling it to dealers to make P, she said."And it's a very uncomfortable and unsafe situation for pharmacists to be in."There was mixed feedback from pharmacists about whether pseudoephedrine should return to being an over the counter drug, Wong said.It was an effective drug, but from a health perspective the conditions it treated were relatively minor in the form of colds or flu, she said."We really need to think about the balance between benefits and harm, and that's how we think about it through medicine and pharmacists will have to make a really conscious decision about what to do."Wong said community need was how she decided what to stock in her pharmacy and if the community wanted it she would stock it."But if it becomes a danger and you know there are P labs starting in my community, or there's the risk of break-ins, of putting my staff at risk of hold-ups and things like that then I have to make that tough decision not to sell it."If they wanted to bring it back, safeguards needed to be put in place, she said.Pharmacists could also fall victim to ram-raids if they stocked pseudoephedrine, she said.If the government chooses to reintroduce the drug to pharmacies they should qualify for the same assistance to prevent ram raids that the previous government has made available to dairies, she said."It is still a precursor to make P and if it is available locally then we will probably see the return of P labs at home."If it were made available then safety measures would need to be put in place, she said."We know what the harm is and we've already seen it in the past, so if we're going to bring it back then we need to have measures in place to prevent those harms."There are also now cut price pharmacies whose business model is to sell cheap products, she said."We need to think about what measures are in place to make sure you know people just can't walk into a big department store and buy lots of pseudoephedrine products."In the past, people buying pseudoephedrine had to present ID to the pharmacist and pharmacies would keep a record of the sale, she said.But she said that was quite haphazard and there was no national database with each pharmacy having their own processes."So if we're going to bring it back and we already know what the harm was then we can be more proactive about it, maybe start a national register, you know have a way that we can record things so there's a bit more information sharing between pharmacies so we can safeguard our community."The Medicine Classification Committee would deal with the issue of what safeguards were necessary, she said."So perhaps they might want to consider bringing it back as a pharmacist only medicine, you know where you have to have a consultation with the pharmacist before you can purchase this product."This story was originally published by RNZ

DOC prepares for sell-out camping summer
DOC prepares for sell-out camping summer

02 December 2023, 7:12 PM

DOC is gearing up to host approximately 60,000 campers over the upcoming summer at more than 300 campsites spread across New Zealand.Popular holiday destinations include the Coromandel, Hauraki Gulf Islands, and Northland, some of which are expected to sell out during the peak season.DOC takes pride in providing affordable holiday options in pristine natural settings and staff have worked hard to address the aftermath of last summer’s cyclone which impacted some campsites across the North Island says DOC's Heritage and Visitors Director, Cat Wilson."DOC's campsites have long been a fixture of summer holidays for many Kiwis. Although a number are booked out over the busy two-week period, some still have space – and many do if you look to book in off-peak times.”The cyclone recovery efforts have included repairing water infrastructure, rebuilding internal roads within the campsites, fixing bridges and culverts, repairing toilets, and clearing debris and fallen trees.“The main impact visitors will experience from last year’s turbulent summer is reduced capacity of around 25 – 30 per cent at some Coromandel and Northland campsites.”DOC campsites are particularly popular through the peak Christmas-New Year season, and during any summer long weekend. They draw campers looking to enjoy fishing, swimming, boating and walking in sometimes isolated locations. Visitors planning to head to these locations are urged to go properly prepared and keep up to date with weather conditions and road network alerts, especially in the northern Coromandel.Adjusted capacities for DOC campsitesCoromandel:Port Jackson: Reduced from 250 to 185 visitors.Fletcher Bay: Reduced from 300 to 200 visitors.Fantail Bay: Reduced from 80 to 60 visitors.Whangarei:Uretiti Beach Campsite: reduced from 1000 to 750 visitors. Although floodwaters have receded over the past year, two main pools alongside the ring-road appear to be permanent.DOC campsite availability for the upcoming summerNorthland:Otamure Campsite: Full from December 24 to late January.Puriri Campsite and Urupukapuka Campsite: Full from December 25 to the end of the first week of January.Trounson Kauri Park Campsite, Puketi Campsite, Uretiti: All have space available for Christmas/New Year bookings.Coromandel:Port Jackson Campsite, Fantail Bay Campsite, and Waikawau Bay Campsite: Full from December 25 to the end of the first week of January.Fletcher Bay Campsite and Stoney Bay Campsite: Have space available for Christmas/New Year bookings.Kauaeranga Valley campsites: Plenty of capacity, but visitors are encouraged to book early, particularly for the busy Christmas-New Year period.Inner Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana:Motuora Island Campsite: Full from December 25 to the end of the first week of January.Home Bay / Motutapu Island Campsite and Motuihe Campsite: Space available for Christmas/New Year bookings.Aotea/Great Barrier Island:Akapoua Bay, Awana Beach, The Green, Whangapoua, Harataonga, and Medlands Beach Campsites: All have space available for Christmas/New Year bookings.Some campsites do not need to be booked and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.Advice for campersBe prepared – learn about the wildlife you’ll see, the best walking tracks, and the gear you’ll need before setting out.Check out the campsite rules, such as where to pitch a tent and when to boil water.Look after river, lake and ocean wildlife by using biodegradable products and washing away from water bodies.All DOC campsites have toilets.Most DOC campsites have special areas for your cooker, fireplace, or BBQ. Before you light any fires outdoors, check if any fire bans or restrictions are in place at Check its alright  (external site). Not all DOC sites have waste disposal – make a plan to take your rubbish away with you.Book in advance where possible to secure a campsite.Link to original article

Auckland overnight motorway closures 1–9 December 2023
Auckland overnight motorway closures 1–9 December 2023

01 December 2023, 5:53 PM

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advises of the following closures for motorway improvements. Work delayed by bad weather will be completed at the next available date, prior to Friday, 8 December 2023. Unless otherwise stated, closures start at 9pm and finish at 5am.NORTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Southbound lanes between Orewa off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 3-7 December(approx. 9:00pm to 5:00pm)Orewa southbound on-ramp, 3-7 DecemberMillwater southbound on-ramp, 3-7 December(approx. 9:00pm to 5:00pm)Northbound lanes between Silverdale off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 3-5 DecemberSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 3-5 & 7 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Orewa on-ramp, 6 DecemberSilverdale northbound on-ramp, 6 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00pm)Oteha Valley Road northbound on-ramp, 6-7 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Silverdale on-ramp, 7 DecemberGreville Road northbound on-ramp, 7 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Oteha Valley Road off-ramp and Greville Road on-ramp, 3-5 & 7 DecemberOteha Valley Road southbound on-ramp, 3-5 & 7 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Greville Road off-ramp and Oteha Valley Road on-ramp, 4 December (approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Greville Road northbound on-ramp, 4 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Northcote Road off-ramp and Onewa Road on-ramp, 4 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Northcote Road southbound on-ramp, 4 DecemberEsmonde Road southbound on-ramp, 4 DecemberShelly Beach Road southbound off-ramp, 3-7 DecemberCENTRAL MOTORWAY JUNCTION (CMJ)SH1 southbound to SH16 (Port) eastbound link, 3-4 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 northbound link, 3-4 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH1 southbound link, 3-4 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH16 eastbound to SH16 (Port) link, 3-4 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHERN MOTORWAY (SH1)Tecoma Street southbound on-ramp, 3-7 DecemberEast Tamaki Road northbound off-ramp, 3 DecemberEast Tamaki Road northbound on-ramp, 3 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Redoubt Road off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 3 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH1 southbound to SH20 northbound link, 3 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Redoubt Road southbound on-ramp, 3 DecemberTakanini southbound on-ramp, 3 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Takanini off-ramp and Takanini on-ramp, 4-7 December(approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Papakura (Loop) northbound on-ramp, 4-5 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Drury/SH22 off-ramp and Papakura on-ramp, 4-5 DecemberDrury/SH22 northbound on-ramp, 4-5 DecemberBeaver Road northbound off-ramp, 4 & 7 DecemberBeaver Road northbound on-ramp, 4 & 7 DecemberNikau Road northbound on-ramp, 4 & 7 DecemberRidge Road northbound off-ramp, 5-6 December(approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Razorback Road northbound on-ramp, 5-6 DecemberSH1 northbound to SH2 eastbound link, 5-6 December(approx. 9:30pm to 5:00am)Pokeno northbound on-ramp, 5-6 DecemberTe Kauwhata southbound on-ramp, 1-3 December (24/7)NORTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH16)Southbound lanes between Foster Road and Trigg Road, 5-6 DecemberNorthbound lanes between Trigg Road and Foster Road, 5-6 DecemberSouthbound lanes between Matua Road and Riverhead Road, 1 December(approx. 6:00pm to 8:00pm)Northbound lanes between Matua Road and Riverhead Road, 1 December(approx. 6:00pm to 8:00pm)Eastbound lanes between St Lukes Road off-ramp and Grafton Road on-ramp, 3-4December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)St Lukes Road eastbound on-ramp, 3-4 DecemberSt Lukes Road westbound off-ramp, 4-6 DecemberUPPER HARBOUR MOTORWAY (SH18)Westbound lanes between Greenhithe Road off-ramp and Tauhinu Road on-ramp, 5 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Eastbound lanes between Tauhinu Road off-ramp and Greenhithe Road on-ramp, 5 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Squadron Drive eastbound on-ramp, 5 DecemberEastbound lanes between Brigham Creek Road off-ramp and Brigham Creek Road on-ramp, 5 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SOUTHWESTERN MOTORWAY (SH20)Northbound lanes between Maioro Street on-ramp and SH16 links (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 4 DecemberMaioro Street northbound on-ramp (Waterview northbound tunnel closed), 4 DecemberLambie Drive southbound off-ramp, 5-6 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Southbound lanes between Lambie Drive off-ramp and SH1 links, 3 December(approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)Lambie Drive southbound on-ramp, 3 DecemberSH20 southbound to SH1 northbound link, 3 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)SH20 southbound to SH1 southbound link, 3 December (approx. 10:00pm to 5:00am)GEORGE BOLT MEMORIAL DRIVE (SH20A)Northbound lanes between Kirkbride Road off-ramp (SH20A) and Coronation Road on-ramp (SH20), 7 DecemberKirkbride Road northbound on-ramp, 7 December

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