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From local democracy reporter David Hill:
Spraying is a ‘‘necessary’’ form of weed control, council staff say.
Targeted spraying is necessary to support braided rivers and to protect water ways and roadsides from invasive species, the staff said.
Environment Canterbury (ECan) river … View moreFrom local democracy reporter David Hill:
Spraying is a ‘‘necessary’’ form of weed control, council staff say.
Targeted spraying is necessary to support braided rivers and to protect water ways and roadsides from invasive species, the staff said.
Environment Canterbury (ECan) river engineer Sam Kidner and Waimakariri District Council water environment advisor Angela Burton provided updates on their respective council’s spraying programmes at Monday’s Waimakariri Zone Committee meeting.
Kidner said targeted spraying of weeds helped Canterbury’s braided rivers to perform their natural functions, which improved flood protection.
ECan used glyphosate and herbicides to target weeds such as ivy, hops, lupins, gorse, broom and willows.
‘‘Lupins are less of a problem than gorse and broom or willows.
‘‘It is a matter of scale,’’ Kidner said.
‘‘If it is starting to push water in different directions then we need to respond.’’
A build-up of willows on an island, could prevent the river from braiding and, when in flood, it could divert water to riverbanks, causing erosion.
Responding to a question from the floor, Kidner says ECan has conducted trials using bulldozers as an alternative, but found it was not cost-effective and the bulldozers were not able to access all areas.
Kidner says by clearing the ‘‘fairways’’ in rivers, council staff could then manage weeds through spot spraying to allow native species to thrive.
Birds had returned to nest in areas where ECan had successfully completed spraying programmes, he said.
Sometimes flooding could clean up the rivers, but it was difficult to predict when floods would occur.
ECan also sprayed river berms and stopbanks to stop weeds getting out of control.
But he says the council is facing a constant battle.
‘‘Unfortunately not everyone does biosecurity checks on their vehicles, so we could get the rivers looking pristine, but seeds can be spread by vehicles and by other means, so it is still going to be an ongoing problem.’’
Burton says the Waimakariri District Council conducted spraying for roadside maintenance, planting maintenance and around waterways, drainage and water races.
But ‘‘non-chemical methods’’ were preferred, especially for drains.
Property owners could apply to have their street frontage added to the ‘‘no spray register’’.
‘‘Landowners are actively encouraged to not use spray on the land near gutters, but unfortunately it is not something we can enforce.’’
Burton included a report prepared by the Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment (CAREX), a University of Canterbury initiative, in her presentation.
The report considered the ecological consequences of using glyphosate to control aquatic weeds in lowland waterways near Rangiora.
It found the ‘‘species richness of invertebrates and fish are not affected by the use of glyphosate’’ in the water ways, but Burton acknowledges it is not a large enough sample size.
As glyphosate spraying has been used for a number of years, any species found in the sample waterways would have some resistance, meaning the study may need to be compared with waterways without a history of spraying before drawing any conclusions.
North Canterbury’s mayors are backing a call by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) for more powers to be given to local leaders.
LGNZ says Cyclone Gabrielle has exposed the enormous challenges facing the regions and it wants a radical rethink of how public services are delivered.
Do you … View moreNorth Canterbury’s mayors are backing a call by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) for more powers to be given to local leaders.
LGNZ says Cyclone Gabrielle has exposed the enormous challenges facing the regions and it wants a radical rethink of how public services are delivered.
Do you think our mayors need more powers? Read the full story from local democracy reporter David Hill below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
------------
The Hurunui, Waimakariri and Kaikōura councils have made submissions to the draft future for local government report, which closed on February 28.
LGNZ president Stuart Crosby said councils were calling for a reboot of the relationship between central and local government.
He said New Zealand was one of the most centralised countries in the OECD, with 90% of taxation going to central government.
‘‘Cyclone Gabrielle has exposed many of the pressing issues that have been bubbling away over decades.’’
Hurunui mayor Marie Black said councils needed to be better resourced to allow local leaders to be more influential in a crisis.
‘‘There is nothing more comforting to local people than to see their local leaders and this action can work in tandem with regional/national support.
‘‘A local flavour should be the heart of the recovery plan with financial capital from central government and the ability to build back better through locally led actions.’’
Black said councils were well-placed to take a lead in tackling climate change and social issues, if the resourcing was there.
‘‘I see the need to resource councils to prepare for climate change and resourcing could come in a variety of ways, to fund the knowledge and consider options for adaptive planning.
‘‘Councils are well poised to be a stronger champions in the provision of social services, we understand the housing market but are often hampered by process to be influential to effect positive change.’’
The Hurunui District Council already funded health care services through Together Hurunui, while the Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust worked across both the Hurunui and Waimakariri districts, making use of local knowledge.
But these services relied on significant external funding to be effective.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said local authorities had a strong connection to their communities.
‘‘We believe this contributes to better localised place-making outcomes, genuine opportunities for citizen-led participatory democracy, and the provision of services on the ground that reflect the needs and aspirations of communities.’’
He said there was an opportunity for councils to take on more responsibility, in partnership with central government, rather than the move to more centralisation.
‘‘The anticipated impacts of climate change is one example of this, but this could also be extended to consider housing and healthcare.’’
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By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The Hurunui district’s complex three waters network does not fit into the government’s one size fits all Three Waters solution, mayor Marie Black says.
She said the district’s stormwater network and mixed-use rural water supplies were not … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
The Hurunui district’s complex three waters network does not fit into the government’s one size fits all Three Waters solution, mayor Marie Black says.
She said the district’s stormwater network and mixed-use rural water supplies were not compatible with the proposed model.
Black joined with Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie to present the council’s submission via Zoom to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee last week.
Their submission questioned the definition of a stormwater network under the Water Services Legislation Bill.
They said Hurunui was a large rural district with about a dozen small townships with a stormwater network running continuously between urban and rural areas.
The council also managed a roading stormwater network, which was a key infrastructure component.
Under the proposed legislation, Black said the council would be left to administer ‘‘the most extensive and difficult parts of the stormwater’’, while the bulk of the stormwater assets, plant, personnel and consents would pass to the new water entity.
‘‘We are promoting a need for a comprehensive management system,’’ she said.
The rural water supplies were more complicated, as a rural property may be one-line or multiple tanks and sometimes serving several houses and stock.
Black said the government’s proposed requirement of an 85% threshold of agricultural use was too high and it could not be calculated accurately.
‘‘There is no real scientific basis for this threshold, and it does not appear to fit real world situations.’’
Other concerns included potential conflict between the water regulator Taumata Arowai and the Commerce Commission, both of which would control aspects of the water regulation.
‘‘This creates an opportunity for regulators to trip over each other,’’ Black said.
The Hurunui District Council was also a member of Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori (C4LD), which presented its submission on Monday.
‘‘I firmly believe that by retaining ownership of our three waters service assets and delivery, we can still remain affordable and locally responsive,’’ Black said.
Comment has been sought from the Department of Internal Affairs.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
A very big Thank You to Prue who has kindly donated 6 balls of wool that will be knitted up and sent to Ukraine. If anyone else has pure wool in Double Knit (DK) at least 2 balls of the same colour for the smaller baby set, 3 balls for the bigger sets, (jacket and matching hat), with one of them … View moreA very big Thank You to Prue who has kindly donated 6 balls of wool that will be knitted up and sent to Ukraine. If anyone else has pure wool in Double Knit (DK) at least 2 balls of the same colour for the smaller baby set, 3 balls for the bigger sets, (jacket and matching hat), with one of them having a ballband we would welcome them with open arms. Contact Marianne on 03 313 3003 or 0274494418. Thank you
From reporter Tatiana Gibbs:
What first started out as sharing a 1st XI rugby photo from the 80s, has turned into a project that’s documented a rural Canterbury school’s 127-year history.
It’s been three decades since Verdon Kelliher was a pupil at Amuri Area School in Culverden, and he… View moreFrom reporter Tatiana Gibbs:
What first started out as sharing a 1st XI rugby photo from the 80s, has turned into a project that’s documented a rural Canterbury school’s 127-year history.
It’s been three decades since Verdon Kelliher was a pupil at Amuri Area School in Culverden, and he has now created an alumni Facebook page for ex-pupils and teachers of the school to take a walk down memory lane.
In the six months since the page's creation, it’s collected more than 800 members and shared 8000 images of class photos and copies of annual school magazines and newsletters.
Kelliher, 54, who now lives in Auckland, said the page came about by accident, after sharing an old rugby photo to social media that jogged a few memories.
“There was a bunch of banter and chat about how awesome we were back in the day, and it brought people together, and I started chatting away to people I hadn't talked to in years,” he said.
The page was initially going to be “something small”, but after discovering the school was ticking over the 125-year mark, it became a project.
“It’s been really gratifying, not only myself connecting with schoolmates but seeing other people connect … like people that went to school together in the 60s. It’s amazing to watch them rekindle their friendships.”
The result is essentially a library of images that maps out the school's 127-year history. Two school photo businesses, Camera & Digital and Fotographix, gave a “massive effort” by going through old rolls of film and digging up historic images.
The Amuri Area School Alumni group also rummaged up all but three year’s copies of the school’s annual magazine, Amurian, since it started in the 60s.
The rural school caters for primary and secondary ages, and currently has a roll of about 350 students. The roll has almost tripled from when Kelliher was one of 130 students.
It’s an innovative and fitting way to celebrate the school’s tenure after Covid disrupted plans to celebrate the big 125th anniversary two years ago.
Principal Matt Barlow joined the school in the fourth term last year, and said it was a “cool initiative” to help reconnect those who may not have been able to attend an in-person reunion.
“It's great to be a part of a community like this, and it’s an active community. That’s why this group has really taken off [because] people have a real connection to the area and the history in the area,” Barlow said.
“It’s been quite cool to see.”
The page also had a spreadsheet detailing the different jobs alumni have landed all over the world, and Kelliher hoped current and future students were inspired by it.
Skyhawk pilot, trainer driver, tour guide, dairy farmer, librarian, speech-language therapist, are just some of the many roles past pupils have shared.
“I’ve come to really realise that going to Amuri was a big advantage for me, that allowed me to be open to a lot of different things, be diverse, well-rounded,” Kelliher said.
He hoped to continue growing the page for the next generation of pupils to join, and was working with Barlow to organise an in-person reunion later this year.
Join Emile Donovan and Imogen Wells for your daily dose of exclusives, analysis and fresh perspectives on news.
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The Waimakariri Sailing Club (WSC) is gearing up for SailGP to hit Lyttelton with a few events in the lead-up.
As part of getting local fans closer to the SailGP teams, each local sailing club has been adopted by a SailGP team and their environmental impact league partners.
The WSC has been… View moreThe Waimakariri Sailing Club (WSC) is gearing up for SailGP to hit Lyttelton with a few events in the lead-up.
As part of getting local fans closer to the SailGP teams, each local sailing club has been adopted by a SailGP team and their environmental impact league partners.
The WSC has been adopted by the Canadian SailGP and its impact league partner, Ocean Wise.
"The SailGP is the epitome of yacht racing on the edge," WSC Commodore Sam Jones said.
"With nine teams racing at speeds of almost 100kph around a tight course on foils is exciting, heart stopping and so good to watch. Every team wants to win so they throw everything at it, and Lyttelton is such a great amphitheatre to hold such a great event."
SailGP isn't all about racing - it's also about local inclusion, community events, inspiring young people and environmental sustainability, which the North Canterbury community can be part of. Other community partners will be involved, including the North Canterbury Coast Guard.
On Sunday (March 12), the WSC will host Ocean Wise in a shoreline rubbish collection from Kairaki Beach north up to Waikuku, and the banks of the Waimakariri River. They will also work with the Te Kōhaka o Tūhaitara Trust to plant as many trees as possible along the coastal pathway near where fire destroyed a large section in November last year.
"We need people, as many people as we can get," Jones said.
"We want everyone who can to join us to look after our backyard and bring awareness to why our environment is so important - it will be a lot of fun and something different to do."
The event starts at 11am at the Waimakariri Sailing Club, 65 Featherston Ave, Kairaki Beach.
"We will bring all of the rubbish we collect back to the sailing club for Ocean Wise to sort and recycle."
A sausage sizzle will be held at the end of the event to thank those who helped.
The WSC will also host the Canadian SailGP team at 6.30pm on Thursday March 16 for a meet and greet, and people will be able to join club members on March 18 and 19 to watch the racing on the big screen.
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It's time to make their day in return! There's been hundreds of incredible nominations in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero Awards already - but have we got yours?
Give your favourite local business owner the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the … View moreIt's time to make their day in return! There's been hundreds of incredible nominations in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero Awards already - but have we got yours?
Give your favourite local business owner the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the 2023 Prospa Local Business Hero Awards including a incredible package worth $10,000. Just share a few words about why they make your community a better place to live.
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With universities starting up last week, so brings first-time flatters trying their hand at cooking for the first time. In 2020, 27% of a household’s weekly budget was spent on takeaways so it’s no wonder that cooking is becoming a bit of a lost art.
Alongside sewing and knitting, what other … View moreWith universities starting up last week, so brings first-time flatters trying their hand at cooking for the first time. In 2020, 27% of a household’s weekly budget was spent on takeaways so it’s no wonder that cooking is becoming a bit of a lost art.
Alongside sewing and knitting, what other vital skills do you think are at risk of being lost?
Share your thoughts below for the We Say You Say column in the local paper - write NFP if you want your comments excluded.
If you need more forms or accessibility formats,visit www. census.govt.nz, or call 0800 236 787 for help.
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