Have your say!
The closing date for submissions on the Long Term Plan is the 7th of June; only two weeks away. You can find details of the Plan by Googling "Tauranga LTP." There's a consultation form headed "Have your say online" that contains 6 leading questions about simple matters. You can answer these or not, as you choose, and there's a section at the end that opens the door for you to tell the council what's really bugging you: high rates, increased expenditure on staff, spending $130 mill more on the CBD, a 30% increase in water rates, for a start.
The LTP appears to be based on a growth ideology: Bigger is Better!. Anyone with half a brain knows that is a fairytale. All we want is a nice place to live in; and an affordable one at that. We don't want to become another auckland or Wellington.
Please have your say. Numbers count: the greater the number of submissions that go in the louder the community voice becomes.
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.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.6% Yes
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13.9% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Become an SPCA Foster Hero!
Kitten season has arrived, and over the next six months, over 8,000 cats and kittens will come into SPCA’s care. Please help us give these babies the best start in life and sign up to be a foster parent today! It's not just cats and kittens - we are also urgently seeking foster homes for dogs and small animals.
Fostering saves lives and helps these tiny babies grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, ready for adoption. We cover all training and costs. All you need is time and love to spare!
Sign up today and save a life!