North Canterbury News: July 22, 2021

OPINION
6 The North Canterbury News, July 22, 2021
In the Electoratewith
MattDoocey
MP forWaimakariri
Authorised by MattDoocey,Level1ConwayLane,188 High Street,Rangiora.
Better mental-health
outcomes above politics
School holidays bringtheir challenges
to all parents, andmywifeand Iare no
different.
Ifyousee me trying to speak at,or
attending,acommunityevent, or
meeting residents, with mychildren
swinging off myarms, pleasebepatient
in realising thatIam probably on dad
duty.
Thank youtoeveryone who tuned in
forthe important Parliamentary debate
ahead of thelaunch in Parliament of
theZeroSuicideAotearoareport.
I’veoftensaidthat oneofthe biggest
driversfor my gettingintopolitics wasa
desire to make realchange forbetter
mental­health outcomes, and Iwas
unashamedly emotionalwhen Ispoke
in Parliament aheadofthe report’s
launchbythe Cross­PartyMental
Health andAddiction Wellbeing Group.
Iadvocated foracross­party
approach to mental health becauseI
believe mental healthshouldstand
above politics.
There’s no reason why we can’t have
thelowestsuicide ratesinthe world
andanessential factortothatwillbe
political will.
AsNational’sfirstMentalHealth
spokesperson andfirstSuicide
Preventionspokesperson, andan
executive member of thecross­party
group, the Zero Aotearoa report gives
me hope we canstartthe changethat’s
needed.
Waimakariri residentshavethrough
theirrates investedover$100million
over thepast20years in upgrading our
waterinfrastructure.
It’snosurprise, then, that our
communitiesare concerned about the
future of the management ofthose
assetsunder thegovernment’swater
managementreforms.
While somecouncilscould welcome
amalgamation of water management
under acentralisedentity, others,like
Waimakariri, mightsee fewerbenefits
in footing thebill forpoorer­performing
councils.
While there isacase forchange in
howwemanageour water across the
country, Ibelievethe risk is too high
under thisproposed model thatthe
voice of districts like Waimakariri will
be lost.Our council needs to opposethis
modelpublicly andunequivocally by
optingout.
I’murging our roading authoritiesto
pick up the pace in implementing safety
works on Lineside Road.
Manywillbeawareofanother
serious crash attheintersectionwith
Mulcocks Road. Last year,Iwas
reassured that appropriate actionwas
beingtaken.
Residentswould be fairinthinking
this sounds liketheWoodendBypass,
wherethatcommunity satthrough
repetitive safety consultationsandstill
no bypasswas delivered.
It’s concerning to hear councils
across NewZealand areshort $420
million offunding fromNZTAto
maintain roads, whileNZTAitself is
short$340milliontomaintainstate
highways —creating a$760million hole
in fundingfromthegovernment.
These shortfallsarelikely to impact
ourlocal roads. Despite Cantabrians
payingtheir Road User Charges, we are
missing outonvital roading
infrastructure whileAucklanders
celebrate the announcement of a$785
nice­to­havecycling bridge.
Waimakariri
Focus from Dan Gordon, Mayor
Assets community owned
Last week Iattended the Local
Government New Zealand Conference in
Blenheimwith Councillors Philip
Redmond and Paul Williams and CEO Jim
Harland.
The Government’s Three Waters
Reformsdominated the conference —
especially its announcement of a$2.5
billion funding package. The share for
Waimakariri was $22m conditional on
opting into the reform programme. This
announcement was disappointing.
Our water­related assets are owned by
the community and have avalue of $602
million. Over the last 20 years we’ve
invested over $100minwater
infrastructure. So it’s not aparticularly
equitableoffer.
Also disappointing was the lack of a
detailed response to the questions the
sector, on the claimed efficiencies by the
Government on 3Waters Reform, made.
Despite the added incentiveof$22m we
still do not believe the Government has put
astrongcase for reform for our
community. It is clear from conferencewe
are not on our own.
Our position remains, basedonthe
limited information presentedsofar, we
do not join the Government’s reform
programme at this point. We are not
convincedthere are benefits for the
Waimakariri community and we need to
consult with you before reachingaformal
decision.
The Government now wants to know our
council’sposition by the end of September.
Previously we had been told December.
We now need to presentthe best
information we can obtain in the coming
months.
We will be in touch in the coming weeks
and holding community meetings for you
to find out more information and get back
to us with your thoughts. It is important for
the councillors and myself to hear from
you (after all the 3Waters assets belong to
you!) before we makeaformal decision
and advise the Government of our
decision.
While in Blenheimfor the conference,I
attended the Howl of aProtest by
Groundswelland stood side­by­side with
otherCanterbury Mayors in supportofour
farmers and rural community.
Ihear there were large crowds in
Rangiora and Kaiapoi and our council was
well representedbyDeputy Mayor Neville
Atkinson and other councillors who
welcomedall who attended and passed on
the support of the council.
Farmers are the backboneofour
economy. Their message to the
governmentistoslow the reform
programme down –from the National
PolicyStatement on Freshwater,RMA
Reform, SNA’s, to Ute Tax and 3Waters
Reform.
We back this message and made our
viewsclear to Government Ministers.
Hopefullyitgets through. Fundamentally I
don’tthink any one is opposed to
discussing new ideas and ways of doing
things. Rushed reformwithout adequate
time to consider the consequencesand
without listeningtothose affected, is in no
one’sinterest.
The resource consent application for
Taggarts Earthmovingtoconstruct a
quarry at the Rangiora Racecourse has
been declined. The decision from
commissioners is in line with the
recommendation from the external
planning officerfor both ECanand the
Waimakariri District Council who also
recommended the consent be declined.
The community clearly expressed their
thoughts and I’m sure are breathing asigh
of relief. Ultimately,whetherTaggarts
appeal the decision is amatter for them
and Rangiora Racecoursebut Iwould
strongly urge both partiestocarefully
consider the community opinion that has
been clearly expressed in opposition.
Dear Editor,
On Friday, July 16, my heart sang as I
listened in to radio talk­back hearing
hundreds of tractors, utes, tradies, hunters
and dogs howling their protest throughout
cities and towns of New Zealand against
the tyranny and avalanche of unmandated
law changes this government is forcing
upon us all.
Idon’t know any farmers; have been on a
farm only afew times in my whole life, and
though acity dweller, Ihold their heart
beat close to me.
Farmers are my brother and sister and I’m
McALPINES MITRE 10 MEGA RANGIORA -OCEAN WATCH
This
Week
Sun
Fishing
Guide
Moon
Wind
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Jul 22 Jul 23 Jul 24 Jul 25 Jul 26 Jul 27 Jul 28
Rise 7:51am
Set 5:19pm
Best 10:28am
Fair
Times 11:00pm
Set 6:00am
Rise 2:55pm
Gentle Sbecoming
moderate SE
Rise 7:50am
Set 5:20pm
Best 11:32am
Fair
Times
Set 7:07am
Rise 3:58pm
Moderate Wturning
SE
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
insulted by our Prime Minister’s highhanded
controlling, ideologicallydriven
laws she is burdening the best members of
New Zealand’s society with –our farmers.
NZ farmers work in all weathers and
excruciatingly long hours, face down
endless challenges and have done so for
many generations and can be relied upon
to deliver their meat, milk and veges. Our
governmentcan’t seem to deliver athing –
Rise 7:49am
Set 5:21pm
Best 12:03am
Good
Times 12:34pm
Set 8:03am
Rise 5:10pm
Moderate SW turning
SE
Ok
Rise 7:48am
Set 5:22pm
Best
Times
1:04am
1:32pm
Set 8:47am
Rise 6:24pm
Moderate Sturning
SE
Ok
Rise 7:47am
Set 5:23pm
Best
Times
except increased demands on New
Zealand citizens.Iam appalledbythis
government’s naked agenda to build
personal reputationsand ideological
platforms up on New Zealand’s global
identityasanhonest, hardworking
agricultural nation producing some of the
best meat, milk and wool in the world. No
government has the right to change our
identity.
2:00am
2:26pm
Set 9:23am
Rise 7:37pm
Moderate SE
becoming fresh E
Ok
Rise 7:46am
Set 5:24pm
Best
Times
2:51am
3:15pm
Set 9:51am
Rise 8:48pm
Moderate E
Good
Rise 7:45am
Set 5:25pm
Best
Times
3:38am
4:00pm
Set 10:16am
Rise 9:55pm
Moderate SE turning
E
At last, amighty New Zealand force is
standingup­Our farmers.
Alongside them the tradies, the hunters
and business owners telling our
government to back off with their
unworkable environmental and economic
regulations which are threatening not only
farmerslivelihoods, their futures, and
their land, but the very backbone of who
New Zealand is as anation. True
leadership for New Zealand has come via
howling dogs, tractors, utes and trucks.
Yours, MaxineNisbet, Auckland
(Abridged‘‘ Editor).
Swell
Pegasus Bay
Tide Chart
3
2
NE 0.9 m E0.8 m E0.6 m E1.1 m NE 1.7 m NE 2.0 m NE 1.6 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
1
0
Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows
Waimakariri 2:20am 2.3 8:32am 0.4 3:17am 2.4 9:30am 0.4 4:13am 2.4 10:27am 0.3 5:09am 2.4 11:23am 0.3 6:04am 2.4
6:58am 2.4 12:48am 0.4 7:51am 2.3 1:38am 0.4
Mouth
2:56pm 2.5 9:14pm 0.4 3:52pm 2.6 10:10pm 0.4 4:46pm 2.6 11:04pm 0.3 5:39pm 2.6 11:57pm 0.3 6:31pm 2.5 12:16pm 0.3 7:23pm 2.5 1:07pm 0.4 8:13pm 2.4 1:57pm 0.5
Amberley 2:20am 2.3 8:32am 0.4 3:17am 2.4 9:30am 0.4 4:13am 2.4 10:27am 0.3 5:09am 2.4 11:23am 0.3 6:04am 2.4
6:58am 2.4 12:48am 0.4 7:51am 2.3 1:38am 0.4
Beach
2:56pm 2.5 9:14pm 0.4 3:52pm 2.6 10:10pm 0.4 4:46pm 2.6 11:04pm 0.3 5:39pm 2.6 11:57pm 0.3 6:31pm 2.5 12:16pm 0.3 7:23pm 2.5 1:07pm 0.4 8:13pm 2.4 1:57pm 0.5
2:29am 2.3 8:41am 0.4 3:26am 2.4 9:39am 0.4 4:22am 2.4 10:36am 0.3 5:18am 2.4 11:32am 0.3 6:13am 2.4 12:06am 0.3 7:07am 2.4 12:57am 0.4 8:00am 2.3 1:47am 0.4
Motunau 3:05pm 2.5 9:23pm 0.4 4:01pm 2.6 10:19pm 0.4 4:55pm 2.6 11:13pm 0.3 5:48pm 2.6
6:40pm 2.5 12:25pm 0.3 7:32pm 2.5 1:16pm 0.4 8:22pm 2.4 2:06pm 0.5
2:31am 2.3 8:43am 0.4 3:28am 2.4 9:41am 0.4 4:24am 2.4 10:38am 0.3 5:20am 2.4 11:34am 0.3 6:15am 2.4 12:08am 0.3 7:09am 2.4 12:59am 0.4 8:02am 2.3 1:49am 0.4
Gore Bay 3:07pm 2.5 9:25pm 0.4 4:03pm 2.6 10:21pm 0.4 4:57pm 2.6 11:15pm 0.3 5:50pm 2.6
6:42pm 2.5 12:27pm 0.3 7:34pm 2.5 1:18pm 0.4 8:24pm 2.4 2:08pm 0.5
2:25am 1.8 8:33am 0.3 3:22am 1.8 9:30am 0.3 4:18am 1.8 10:26am 0.3 5:14am 1.8 11:23am 0.3 6:10am 1.8 12:04am 0.3 7:04am 1.8 12:58am 0.3 7:58am 1.8 1:50am 0.4
Kaikoura 2:58pm 2.0 9:18pm 0.3 3:55pm 2.0 10:14pm 0.3 4:50pm 2.0 11:09pm 0.3 5:45pm 2.0
6:38pm 2.0 12:18pm 0.3 7:31pm 1.9 1:12pm 0.3 8:23pm 1.9 2:05pm 0.4
*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.
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