Discover your rights with the CAB!
Do you know what your rights are at work? How about your rights to do with renting or owning a home? If you buy something that’s faulty do you know what your options are? This CAB Awareness Week from 8-14 April you’re being invited to Discover Your Rights – Tūhuratia ō motika!
Helping people to know what their rights and responsibilities are and how they can act on these is core to what the Citizens Advice Bureau is about. We help people from all walks of life to access the information they need so they are empowered to take next steps and to resolve their problems.
A highlight of this year’s Awareness Week is the launch of the CAB’s new public website - www.cab.org.nz.... After a year of development and user testing, the resulting website provides an accessible, mobile-friendly, knowledgebase of 2,000 questions and answers about people’s rights that are based on real issues confronted by clients.
The information about rights is grounded in the law but is practical and is expressed in a way that’s easy to understand.
The website also provides a directory of more than 30,000 community organisations so that the CAB can help connect people with any additional services they need.
We’re keen to break down any barriers people face in finding out what their rights are. Our new website is a fantastic resource for the whole community, and complements the amazing face-to-face and phone service provided by our skilled and dedicated volunteers.
We invite you to Discover Your Rights with us this Awareness Week by checking out our new website www.cab.org.nz..., calling us 0800 367 222, or by visiting your local CAB. We’re here to help.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Roading funding shortfall leads to Hurunui annual plan rethink
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Some rates relief could be in store for Hurunui ratepayers next year as the council reconsiders its roading priorities.
The Hurunui District Council forecast an average 14.49% rates hike for the 2025-26 financial year in the 2024-34 long-term plan.
But after receiving a significantly reduced subsidy from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said staff are having another look at the roading programme.
‘‘In our long-term plan consultation, our residents signalled they wanted us to invest in our roads, so now it is about figuring out what is a wise investment with the funding we have.’’
He said the council will need to reconsider what it can afford to fund, based on the lower-than-expected subsidy.
The Hurunui council receives a 52% subsidy from NZTA on approved projects, with ratepayers paying the balance.
The council has met with NZTA since raising concerns about the funding it received in the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme.
It had sought a 184% increase, but NZTA director regional relationships James Caygill said this was ‘‘unaffordable’’.
Dobbie said ratepayers were already paying two-thirds of the district’s roading budget as a number of projects were not funded by NZTA.
Options for a revised roading programme will be presented to the council to consider ahead of next year’s annual plan.
Dobbie did not expect rates to rise any more than the 14.49% signalled and will likely be less.
Funding has been reduced for low cost, low risk projects, which cost less than $2 million, so these will need to be reconsidered, he said.
‘‘It means the Government doesn’t value that type of work, so we need to consider how we value it.
‘‘The Government values the sealed road networks, so how do we allocate ratepayer money to those aspects of our network versus our unsealed roads.’’
Dobbie said Hurunui, a large rural community with around 13,000 residents, had about 900km of unsealed roads and 600km of sealed roads.
The council estimated it needs about $3 million a year to maintain and upgrade its ageing network of 286 bridges.
‘‘I think we have an understanding of what the issues are, but I wouldn’t say we are any closer to finding a solution,’’ Dobbie said.
He said he understood NZTA is restricted by Government funding.
‘‘This Government claims to be about infrastructure, so hopefully they can find a way to help us with intergenerational (or debt) funding and help us to pay it back.
‘‘We will pay our share.’’
Transport Minister Simeon Brown and NZTA have been contacted for comment.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Paint it orange with Resene for Arthritis NZ!
Buy any orange Resene testpot 60 ml at your local Resene owned ColorShop in November and Resene will donate $1 to Arthritis NZ!
The more orange testpots you buy, the more will be donated.
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