Support for food waste policy
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury’s food rescue organisation says it backs a call for a food waste policy to be developed in the region.
Satisfy Food Rescue chairperson Phillipa Hunt says food security has become more important in the wake of natural disasters and the Covid-19 pandemic.
She was responding to comments from Foodbank Aotearoa New Zealand chief executive John Milligan, who addressed last week’s
Environment Canterbury (ECan) meeting calling for a policy to reduce food waste in Canterbury.
‘‘Food security is so important, particularly when you see natural disasters, droughts and pandemics, so we can be more resilient and it is going to become more of issue in the future,’’ she said.
‘‘Here in the Waimakariri, because we responded to the earthquakes, the systems were in place to respond to the Covid situation, which is where Food Secure North Canterbury was able to be set up fairly quickly.
‘‘I would be interested in seeing a food waste policy developed and we would want to be a part of it.’’
Hunt said when it came to reducing food waste, it was about feeding people first, animals second and then composting.
Going to landfill should only be a last resort, she said.
Milligan said globally the world was facing one of its worst food crises in modern history.
New Zealand was not immune, with Covid, supply chain issues, rising inflation, climate change and Cyclone Gabrielle.
But he said there was enough food available to ensure every New Zealander had three nutritious meals a day, provided distribution
and food waste challenges could be overcome.
‘‘One in five kids will have gone to school this morning without breakfast and many will go to bed without tea,’’ he told the ECan
councillors.
‘‘One-third of all of our food is totally wasted and it is something we need to work very hard at combating.’’
He said Canada and several European countries had passed food wastage laws.
The office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser produced a report on food waste last year, but the government had yet to produce a policy or legislation.
Food waste was a climate change issue, being a major producer of methane gas, with wasted loaves of bread being among the worst offenders.
Milligan said Canterbury was feeling the effects of food shortages arising from Cyclone Gabrielle, with food and support being
redistributed to the North Island.
Families who had left damaged homes and come to stay with whānau in Canterbury were also needing support, he said.
The ECan councillors voted to refer the matter to the Canterbury Joint Waste Committee.
Poll: Is it rude to talk on the phone on a bus?
Buses can be a relaxing way to get home if you have a seat and enough space. However, it can be off-putting when someone is taking a phone call next to you.
Do you think it's inconsiderate for people to have lengthy phone calls on a bus? Vote in the poll, and add your comments below.
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65.5% Yes
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32% No
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2.5% Other - I'll share below
Canterbury beach community ‘thrilled’ with new flood protection plans
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A North Canterbury beach community is set to get an early Christmas present to help in the fight against rising sea levels.
The Hurunui District Council has confirmed its plans to build a $750,000 coastal bund to protect the Amberley Beach village from the sea, with work to begin this month.
Amberley Beach Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Community Association spokesperson Paula Le Compte said the announcement is good news for residents.
‘‘I know the entire beach community will be thrilled that it is going ahead.’’
A bund is a type of embankment which protects against the sea.
Le Compte said the area was important for fishing and recreation, while the village of 109 properties included a mix of home owners, rentals and holiday homes.
Chief executive Hamish Dobbie said he expected the new bund to be completed by Christmas.
The existing bund is owned by the community and was built in 1993, with the council acting as ‘‘a collector of funds’’.
The council was granted a consent by Environment Canterbury in March last year to build a new bund.
An Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Plan was adopted by the council in July last year, following extensive engagement with the community over three years.
The plan identified a number of options for the community to respond to coastal erosion, flooding and sea level rise.
These included a new, relocatable bund, while in the longer term other coastal protection measures or managed retreat will be considered.
The new bund was designed by the residents’ association and approved in August, after being peer reviewed.
It is expected to have a lifespan of 30 years.
The council voted in April to approve the use of debt funding to pay for the new $750,000 bund, with Amberley Beach residents paying for it through a combination of funds already saved and a targeted rate.
Residents approached the council earlier this year with a proposal to increase their targeted rate from $252 to $304 a year, which was included in the Long Term Plan.
The coastal adaptation plan has a clause where residents would need to consider another option, such as ‘‘proactive relocation’’, if the targeted rate for the bund exceeds $750 per household per year.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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