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Kara Puketapu-Dentice - Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara Committee
Kia ora koutou, I’m Kara, and a co-chair of the Whaitua Te Whanganui-a-Tara Committee tasked with making recommendations to Greater Wellington Regional Council on the future of our coastal and freshwater quality, and how our water is used. Our waterways and all the fish and species that live in them are precious taonga, so we have set out to understand how they are valued and what should be done to provide the future we want for our water. I am also a conduit to Taranaki Whānui mana whenua on the Whaitua Committee.
Raised on our whānau farm in Wanui-o-mata, I have always been involved with supporting iwi in their freshwater projects and treaty settlement processes. As kaitiaki of the taiao, our taonga, it is incumbent upon each of us to preserve the integrity of our environment and way of life. This is a journey to save the health and mauri of our waterways, we need to fix urban water infrastructure and more ways to connect with our Wai.
We need to find solutions that are equitable and fair. Doing nothing is an option with our population growing fast and putting more pressure on our waste and storm water infrastructure.
Connect with us to talk about what we can do together. You can reach us at whaitua@gw.govt.nz. To see what we have been doing visit our Facebook page, and to share what you value about our water and your solutions have your say by following the link below.
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Poll: Have you kept trinkets from your life?
Many of us are sentimental about our childhoods and lives, and some even collect things to remember moments or people.
Share what you've held on to over the years and whether you still have it today. Feel free to share photos too, we'd love to see.
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88.5% Yes
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11.5% No
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Poll: Do you believe in ghosts?
Just for a little bit of fun, we'd love to know whether Kiwis believe in ghosts. What goes on in our communities that we don't know about!
Perhaps you've seen a ghost or lived in a haunted home in New Zealand. We'd love to know, so vote in our poll and share your experiences in the comments below.
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55.5% Yes
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42.2% No
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2.3% Other - I'll share below
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This is a tough one, neighbours, can you figure out all of them?
Before any changes, I’m a garlic or spice.
My first is altered and I’m a hand-warming device.
My second is changed and I’m trees in full bloom.
The next letter change makes a deathly old tomb.
Change the fourth to make a fruit of the vine.
Change the last for a chart plotted with lines.
What was I? What did I become? What did I turn out to be?
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? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
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