1842 days ago

Omg

Samantha from Taita

After ongoing problems with getting houses built, and then finding buyers for them, the Government gave KiwiBuild a makeover.
The target to build 100,000 houses in ten years was dropped, and a new Housing Minister, Megan Woods, was appointed.
However a risk register released to National's Judith Collins showed there were still 12 areas flagged as high risk.
They include a lack of resourcing to establish the programme effectively, losing control of the KiwiBuild 'story', poorly conceived investment decisions, perceptions funding is not being used fairly or transparently and failing to deliver expected outcomes and benefits.
That created the potential for legal challenges and a loss in confidence and trust from ministers and other key stakeholders, said the risk report.
It also lists a number of initiatives being done to manage those risks, including weekly meetings with ministers, a new approach to the work programme, looking at using contractors to fill staffing gaps and handling key data better.
Housing Minister Megan Woods told the House as part of the reset a number of risks and challenges were "identified and addressed".
They included building in areas with little demand, residency requirements putting some buyers off, the difficulty some people had raising a deposit and problems with developer underwrites.
The risk register, she said, was to list "high risk issues that could happen without adequate systems in place to mitigate them".
Ms Collins wanted to know why managing conflicts of interest was flagged.
Again, Ms Woods said that was about a "possible" risk and the register showed it was "being managed".
Legal challenges, including disputes and judicial reviews, relating to handling conflicts of interest and the procurement process were listed as possible risks.
The cause was not having the "capability or capacity" to keep the application and assessment process separate and a "lack of perceived separation between stakeholders and decision-makers".
"Does she agree with her ministry that Kiwibuild may have opened itself to potential legal ramifications due to any unfair processes?" asked Ms Collins.
The minister replied that like any public entity spending public money, KiwiBuild needed to have a "clearly spelt out risk register" that set out the risks and mitigations.
"This is no different than any other departmental risk register - so no I do not agree with her."

More messages from your neighbours
6 hours ago

Six tips for improving security around your home

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.

2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.

3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.

4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.

5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.

6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property

Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.

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6 hours ago

Today’s riddle: For all the curious minds next door!

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

My thunder comes before the lightning.
My lightning comes before the clouds.
My rain dries all the land it touches.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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3 days ago

Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.

Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?

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Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
  • 43.4% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
    43.4% Complete
  • 56% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
    56% Complete
  • 0.6% Other - I'll share below
    0.6% Complete
1083 votes