WDC Long Term Plan discussion
Has anyone checked the rates calculator?
rates.waimakariri.govt.nz...
Depending on what options you select, it shows my rates will rise by 20.5% (5.1%/ annum over 4 years) with all options included, or 15.8%(3.9% over 4 years) with no options selected.
No matter what options you take, the percentage increases are well in excess of the CPI. The Reserve Bank inflation calculator shows the CPI increase since the year 2000 at 2.2%, or since 2012 1.1%. Councils around the country seem to think that the Ratepayer community is comfortable with annual increases up to 5%, so therefore aim for something slightly less and then look for applause from the ratepayers for such care!
If you ask Councils to justify the increase being in excess of the CPI, they always refer to the imported cost of Road materials which is probably bitumen products. We all know that oil based products have been much cheaper over the past few years - so why now the increase well in excess of the CPI? Maybe the CEO of Waimakariri District Council could answer this.
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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