North Canterbury News: April 08, 2021

OPINION
6 North Canterbury News, April 8, 2021
In the Electoratewith
MattDoocey
MP forWaimakariri
Authorised by MattDoocey,Level1ConwayLane,188 High Street,Rangiora.
Dismay over govt stance
on sex offenders bill
The Doocey family Easter egg hunt last
weekend got off to an early start, with
the kids racing around the garden to
find every tasty egg the Easter bunny
left.
It has become atradition to visit the
grandparents afterwards so they can
enjoy aplay­by­play commentary of the
morning’s activities and my wife and I
get some recovery time.
Ihope you and your family were able
to be together and enjoy asafe and
happy Easter.
Many in our school communities are
appalled the government has voted
down my bill to ensure schools are
notified when sex offenders move into
their community.
My bill received great support from
both teachers and parents.
Iwrote my bill after being informed
by Corrections that two sex offenders
were being placed in the Waimakariri
electorate.
Iimmediately wrote to Corrections,
asking them to confirm that schools had
been advised.
As aparent, Iwas outraged to be told
there is no legal requirement for
schools to be notified.
Iasked the Minister of Corrections in
parliament how many schools had been
notified of the placement of sex
offenders in their communities.
Iwas astounded to hear that there is
no central oversight of this information,
and that it is held in manual case files
around the country.
Iamappalled the Labour
government believes this is good
enough.
Ihave been heartened by community
support for Gina, alocal mum who has
been denied surgery by the Canterbury
District Health Board.
Ihave been fighting for Gina to get
jaw reconstruction surgery after the
board dropped it from the list of
surgeries it offers, making Gina the
latest victim of our postcode lottery
health system.
Iurgently called on the minister to
intervene and was devastated when he
declined to be involved.
Ihave written to the board’s head of
funding and planning, and am following
this up with aface­to­face meeting with
the board chief executive to continue
our fight for Gina to have her surgery.
Oxford A&P Show president Marie
FitzPatrick and her committee can be
congratulated on asuccessful show on
Saturday.
Ialways enjoy attending local A&P
shows and supporting our rural sector,
which contributes so much to our local
economy.
Marie is one of the youngest show
presidents to step into this role.
She has balanced this with not only
running an Angus stud farm but also
looking after anew baby. Well done!
Waimakariri
Focus from Dan Gordon, Mayor
Worries over reforms
You may haveread about the
Government’s proposed three waters
reform. Whenwetalk of threewaters, this
meansdrinking water, sewer and storm
water.
Central Government is lookingto
remove thesefunctions fromcouncils,with
the argument there is aproblemwhere
some councilshave under­invested in
infrastructure over many years.
Whilethat mightbethe case for some
councils, this is nottrue for all, and
certainlynot in Waimakariri.
Waimakariri residentscan have faith in
the quality of water services we provide.
The council is proud of theinvestment
undertaken over several yearstoget our
infrastructure upgraded, compliant, and
that the waterissourced fromdeep and
secure aquifers.
Thirteen of the 14 schemes run by this
council complywith the New Zealand
DrinkingWater Standards, and the 14th
will be fullycompliant by June 2021.
The delay on thislast scheme, asmall
ruralsupplyinPoyntzRoad, was caused by
ensuring we adequately consulted the
community to ensure buy­in.
All this has come at acost to our
community —more than$100 million over
20 years—and while it hasn’t beeneasy to
have theseconversations (because these
projects are fundedbyrates), the resultis
infrastructure that is reliable and is acore
part of ensuring healthy communities.
We knowour supplies better than
anyone and have a150­year asset
managementstrategy to managethem.
When Ispoke at parliament’sHealth
Select Committee Iraisedthese points,
and reiterated them at aGovernment
forumonthree watersreform last week.
Howeverour council, and mostothers I
am in regular contactwith, are worried
aboutthe proposed timetable for reform.
We are told thatwewill need to consult
our communities later thisyear —the
worsttime to consult,near Christmas.
The timetable does not allow enough
time to properly considerthe reforms,
mainly becauseweare unclear on most of
the detail. At the momentwedon’t know
what structureswill be established to
manage our waterservices, how they will
be funded, what compensation the council
will receive for its waterassets,the impact
this wouldhave on ratepayers, andthe
inputthat community has to shapethis
direction. Thereisalot we don’tknow.
We are beingasked to consult withyou,
our community, before we have all the
information for an informeddecision.
Unfortunately, the concerns of our
sector appear to be falling on deafears of
both theMinister of Local Governmentand
the Department of Internal Affairs.
Idon’tunderstandthe urgency. It is only
fair we are equipped with all the
information, haveenough time to consider
it, and properly consultour community.
The process needstobeslowed right
down.
At this stageour councilwill maintain an
open mind on the reform process but we
firstneed answerstoalot of questions and
time to hear communityviews.
Untilthen, and until there is amuch
higher level of transparency, it is difficult
to see how theGovernment’s proposed
reform is right for us.
Proposed ECan rates increase will be punitive for some
Dear Editor,
Environment Canterbury’s10­year
Long TermPlan proposes an average
24.5 percent annual rates increase —a
significant rise, especially as it is ECan’s
statedpolicyofa“limit on rates
increases of 5.3%’’.
About 400,000 Cantabrians live in the
Christchurch electorates, contributing
about 52% of rates raisedbyECan. The
balanceispaid by around 230,000
Cantabrians outsideofChristchurch.
In the March31edition of the North
Canterbury News,ECan chairwoman
McALPINES MITRE 10 MEGA RANGIORA -OCEAN WATCH
This
Week
Sun
Fishing
Guide
Moon
Wind
Swell
Pegasus Bay
Tide Chart
3
2
1
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Apr 8 Apr 9 Apr 10 Apr 11 Apr 12 Apr 13 Apr 14
Rise 6:53am
Set 6:07pm
Best 9:41am
Fair
Times 10:04pm
Rise 2:20am
Set 4:50pm
Gentle SE becoming
moderate E
Rise 6:54am
Set 6:06pm
Best 10:26am
Good
Times 10:48pm
Rise 3:26am
Set 5:15pm
Gentle Sbecoming
moderate SE
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
JennyHughey commentedonthe
proposed rate increases that“the actual
dollar figurewould be comparatively
little for most Cantabrians, especially
thoselivinginChristchurch”.
What thisstatement fails to convey is
that alargenumber of ratepayers
outside of Christchurchwill face massive
rate increases.
ECan’swebsiteprovides example
properties. The lowestproposed rate
Rise 6:55am
Set 6:04pm
Best 11:09am
Good
Times 11:30pm
Rise 4:31am
Set 5:37pm
Moderate Sturning
SE
Rise 6:56am
Set 6:02pm
Best 11:51am
Good
Times
Rise 5:34am
Set 5:58pm
Moderate Sturning
E
rise is 9.6%for aChristchurch electorate
property, the highestaKaikoura
propertywith an increase of 63.4%. Using
the ECan online rates tool, thereare
several non­farming rural properties
with raterises of morethan 150%.
Mrs Hughey conveniently forgotto
mention that the modest rate increases
in Christchurch would be countered by
punitiveincreases elsewhere.
ECan’s goalsofaddressingclimate
change and improving biodiversityare
laudable, but pushing the highest rate
increases on communities outside of
Rise 6:57am
Set 6:01pm
Best 12:11am
Good
Times 12:32pm
Rise 6:35am
Set 6:19pm
Moderate Sturning
SE
Rise 6:58am
Set 5:59pm
Best 12:52am
Good
Good
Times 1:13pm
Rise 7:37am
Set 6:41pm
Moderate Sturning
SW
Rise 6:59am
Set 5:57pm
Rise 8:39am
Set 7:04pm
Fresh SW turning
SE
E1.4 mincreasing NE 1.9 mdecreasing
SE 0.9 m
E0.8 m
to 2.1 m
to 1.4 m E1.2 m E1.1 m E1.0 m
3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9
Best
Times
1:34am
1:55pm
Christchurch is flawed.
ECan’s approachisdiscriminatoryand
risks driving divisionsbetweenurban
and rural communities.
We will only achieve the bestoutcomes
for Canterburyifall communities are
working together, and all are making a
fair contribution to the costs.
Istrongly encourageyour readersto
make asubmission on ECan’s Long Term
Plan. The closing date is April 11.
Yours,
RichardShaw,
Domett
0
Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows
Waimakariri 1:44am 2.3 7:59am 0.5 2:36am 2.3 8:47am 0.5 3:23am 2.3 9:34am 0.6 4:07am 2.3 10:18am 0.6 4:49am 2.2 11:02am 0.6 5:31am 2.2 11:44am 0.6 6:14am 2.1 12:09am 0.7
Mouth
2:07pm 2.3 8:19pm 0.6 2:57pm 2.3 9:10pm 0.6 3:44pm 2.3 9:58pm 0.6 4:29pm 2.3 10:43pm 0.6 5:12pm 2.2 11:27pm 0.6 5:56pm 2.2
6:39pm 2.2 12:27pm 0.7
Amberley 1:44am 2.3 7:59am 0.5 2:36am 2.3 8:47am 0.5 3:23am 2.3 9:34am 0.6 4:07am 2.3 10:18am 0.6 4:49am 2.2 11:02am 0.6 5:31am 2.2 11:44am 0.6 6:14am 2.1 12:09am 0.7
Beach
2:07pm 2.3 8:19pm 0.6 2:57pm 2.3 9:10pm 0.6 3:44pm 2.3 9:58pm 0.6 4:29pm 2.3 10:43pm 0.6 5:12pm 2.2 11:27pm 0.6 5:56pm 2.2
6:39pm 2.2 12:27pm 0.7
1:53am 2.3 8:08am 0.5 2:45am 2.3 8:56am 0.5 3:32am 2.3 9:43am 0.6 4:16am 2.3 10:27am 0.6 4:58am 2.2 11:11am 0.6 5:40am 2.2 11:53am 0.6 6:23am 2.1 12:18am 0.7
Motunau 2:16pm 2.3 8:28pm 0.6 3:06pm 2.3 9:19pm 0.6 3:53pm 2.3 10:07pm 0.6 4:38pm 2.3 10:52pm 0.6 5:21pm 2.2 11:36pm 0.6 6:05pm 2.2
6:48pm 2.2 12:36pm 0.7
1:55am 2.3 8:10am 0.5 2:47am 2.3 8:58am 0.5 3:34am 2.3 9:45am 0.6 4:18am 2.3 10:29am 0.6 5:00am 2.2 11:13am 0.6 5:42am 2.2 11:55am 0.6 6:25am 2.1 12:20am 0.7
Gore Bay 2:18pm 2.3 8:30pm 0.6 3:08pm 2.3 9:21pm 0.6 3:55pm 2.3 10:09pm 0.6 4:40pm 2.3 10:54pm 0.6 5:23pm 2.2 11:38pm 0.6 6:07pm 2.2
6:50pm 2.2 12:38pm 0.7
1:48am 1.8 8:04am 0.4 2:39am 1.8 8:53am 0.5 3:28am 1.7 9:39am 0.5 4:14am 1.7 10:24am 0.5 4:59am 1.7 11:08am 0.5 5:43am 1.6 11:52am 0.6 6:28am 1.6 12:18am 0.5
Kaikoura 2:10pm 1.7 8:20pm 0.5 2:59pm 1.7 9:12pm 0.5 3:47pm 1.7 10:01pm 0.5 4:34pm 1.7 10:48pm 0.5 5:20pm 1.7 11:33pm 0.5 6:04pm 1.7
6:48pm 1.7 12:36pm 0.6
*Not for navigational purposes. Wind and swell are based on apoint off Gore Bay. Maori Fishing Guide by Bill Hohepa. www.ofu.co.nz www.tidespy.com Graphic supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd.
2118223