Ashburton Courier: April 29, 2021

www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
NEWS
Ashburton Courier, April 29, 2021
5
MP Luxon enjoys short visit to district
LINDA.CLARKE
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
The man taggedasaNational
party leader of the future says
he’s still very much in learning
mode, having been an MP for
just five months.
Christopher Luxon, MP for
BotanyinAuckland,says the
attention is frustrating and he
is concentratingonlearning
about his electorate as well as
learning about the party, his
portfolios and Parliament in
general.
Mr Luxon, National’s
spokespersonfor local
government and transport, was
in Ashburton last week as part
of aday­long trip to the
Rangitata electorate.
He spent Friday morning in
Timaruand spoke to party
supporters at aluncheon
before heading to Ashburton
and ameeting with Ashburton
mayor Neil Brown, CEO
Hamish Riach and elected
councillors.
The local government
politicians impressedonhim
the need for farmers to be given
time to achieve freshwater
targets. They also talkedabout
transport, in particularthe
congestedTinwaldcorridor,
whichMrLuxonexperienced
himself on the trip north.
He supported government’s
review of localgovernment,
announced Friday, and said
councils had an important part
to play in meeting challenges
like buildingmore houses and
delivering vitaltransportand
waterinfrastructure.
Mr Luxon was born in
Christchurchand wenttothe
University of Canterbury, and
has aconnection with
Ashburton. His grandfather
camefrom the West Coast to be
principal at Willowby School in
the late 1930s and his wife
Amanda previously taughtat
Tinwald School.
He has watched the district
progress in snapshots over time
and said its innovative
residents had simply got on and
got things done.
It is aqualityheadmires.
And while he now lives in
Auckland, he has greatrespect
for the farmingsector and says
theircontribution to the
national economy has been
obvious duringthe pandemic.
He doesown gumboots and
meets regularly with farmers.
“They care deeply about the
land. They caredeeply about
the environment. They care
deeply about their district high
school and whetheritisgiving
their kids the educational
options they need. Theyare
investedintheir communities.”
Another enduring link to
Left:Long­timeCrusader fan
Christopher Luxon spent aday
in theRangitata electorate last
week.
Christchurch is his admiration
for the Crusaders super rugby
team. He came out in ared
supporter’s jersey ahead of
Sunday’s game against the
Blues,predicting awin to the
Crusaders by 13­pluspoints.
“They are just so
determined.”
He says the team knows how
to win and has aculturewhere
new playerscan learn their role
and excel to help the side win.
It is not unlike business or
politics.
And that’s why he’s happy to
be in learning mode himself,
rising at 5am most mornings to
tend to the businessofanMP
who loves learning about
people.
“I want to be part of ateam
and play my position really
well. Judith has been awesome.
Ithink she is pulling the team
together after apretty difficult
resultand starting to hold
governmenttoaccount on the
big issues.”
Phone switches going
About 450 Sparkcustomers in
Ashburton willneed to moveto
wireless or fibre technology
when Spark shuts down the
Public Switched Telephone
Networkthatconnectsthemto
the copper network.
The PSTN network is a
network of switches that
automatically connectlandline
callsover copper lines. These
are theswitches that replaced
switchboardoperators when
theywereintroduced in the
1980s.
Buttheyare nownearing end
of life ­the components forthem
havenot been manufactured
since 2003 and the people with
theskills needed to maintain
them are getting harder to find,
says Spark.
Theold technologyneeds to be
retired andcustomers moved to
more modern technologies like
landline over the wireless
network(which connects
customerstothe nearest cell
tower) or overthe fibrenetwork.
Sparkhas beencontacting 451
customersinAshburton that are
affectedbythe PSTNshutdown
and providing newmodems and
handsetsfree of charge.
In most cases their new plan
will cost the sameorless.
Super
HOTDEAL!
$
14 00
Manager’s
each
DEALS!
Super
HOTDEAL!
$
9 00
each
Clampdown on parking
ANNA’SWAY
Pinot Noir
750mll
Super
HOTDEAL!
$
9 00
each
OLD NORTH ROAD
Pinot Noir
750ml
OLD NORTH ROAD
Sauvignon Blanc
750ml
The Ashburton Club and MSA is
clamping down on people using
their car park but not their
facilities.
New signage was installed in
the car park yesterday advising
non­patrons’ cars will be towed
away at owners’ expense. It costs
around $160 to retrieve atowed
vehicle from the towing company
on South Street.
With parking at apremium
along Havelock Street, and
around the central business
district while building work on
the civic centre and rejuvenation
take place, other people using
the car park have placed patrons
at adisadvantage, said
committee member Delma
Rutherfurd.
People, including members,
can only use the car park if they
are using club facilities.
Mr Rutherfurd said the club
runs anumber of section
activities during the day for its
members and the limited
number of car parks were for
patrons.
Super
HOTDEAL!
$
15 50
THREE PADDLES
Pinot Noir
750ml
each
ASHBURTON
MSA
www.superliquor.co.nz
266 Havelock Street,Ashburton.
Ph.308 7149
HOURS
Monday
Tuesday-Thursday
Friday&Saturday
Sunday
Super
HOTDEAL!
$
11 40
THREE PADDLES
Riesling
750ml
10:00am -7:00pm
10:00am -8:00pm
10:00am -9:00pm
10:00am -6:00pm
each
Offer ends
13 May 2021
*Terms and conditions apply
2373015