Ashburton Courier: November 11, 2021

www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Kindness and support
Withthe weather getting
warmer,manypeople in
Ashburtonwillalready be
counting down to summer
and barbecues at thelakes or
downthe river.
Thisyear, the key to asafe
summerissimple: ensuring
as manypeople as possible
havehad theirtwo shots,so
we can all do moreofwhatwe
enjoy.
It’sbeenfantastic to seeso
manypeople herein
Ashburtongetting
vaccinated.
People in the Ashburton
District have worked hard
and it is so goodtosee that
morethan90% of eligible Mid
Cantabrianshavehad their
first vaccination, withmore
than75% double dosed,but
we still have away to go if we
wanttomakethe mostofthe
upcoming summer.
Recently,government set
out thenew Covid­19
ProtectionFramework.
Under theframework,if
you’renot fully vaccinated,
therewillbeeveryday things
you will missout on. If you
arevaccinated, you willbe
able to visit barsand
restaurants,reconnect with
family andfriends,and do the
things you lovewithgreater
certainty. That’swhy if you
want to make sure you can do
more of the things you love
this summer, it’sreally
important you get vaccinated
now.
Foralmosttwo years now,
protecting lives and
livelihoods in theface of
Covid­19has been the
number onefocusofour
government.
Thanks to our strong
response and to thehard
work of the teamoffive
million,we’ve seenfewer
cases, fewerhospitalisations
and fewer deathsthan any
othercountry in the OECD.
However,aswe’vetaken on
the challenges of covid, we
haven’t ignoredthe other big
issues our governmentwas
elected to address.
Despite facing theworst
health and economic
challengeofour lifetimes, we
havenot stopped our workon
issues likethe housingcrisis,
waterquality,climate
change, or childpoverty ­
because covidhasn’t made
any of theseexisting
challenges go away.
In fact, it has made some of
them worse.
We know child poverty in
particular is an issuethat has
beenmade even worse as a
result of covid.
Lockdowns hiteveryone,
but especially those who have
the least.
Thisiswhy ensuring
families aren’tleft behind
has beencriticaltoour
response so far.Werecently
announced an increase
through Workingfor
Familieswhich willsee more
than 300,000families better
off by an average of $20 per
weekfromAprilnextyear.
The FamilyTax Credit and
BestStartwere due to be
inflationadjusted,but to
recognise theimpact of covid
on familiesand theincreased
costofliving,we’vemadean
additional investment to
increase the rates by a
further $5 perweek, on topof
the inflation adjustment.
We havealso madechanges
to the abatementrate, lifting
thisfrom25% to 27%,toreach
those who needitmost. This
additional investmentis
expected to lift an extra 6000
children outofpoverty.
There’s still moretodo, but
I’m really proud to be partof
agovernment that has put
kindness and support for
eachother at theheartofits
covid response.Thislatest
boost for families is justthe
nextstep in our workto
secure astrong recovery for
everyone.
Music scholarship given
Emma Johnson has been
awarded Ashburton Musical
Club’s annual scholarship.
The scholarship is worth
$700 and was awarded at the
club’s recent final concert of
theyear.
Emmaisfrom Leeston
and regularly travels to
perform at the musical club.
She plays piano,
euphonium,flute, tenor
horn andFrenchhorn.
Emmaisworking towards
her music teaching diploma
(ATCL) withthe aimof
teachinglater.
NEWS
Ashburton Courier, November 11, 2021
23
Farmers urged to
recycle soft plastics
Rural recycling programme
Agrecovery is turning up the
dial on sustainability and
Ashburton farmer and
Federated Farmers waste
management spokesmanChris
Allenisurging theagri sector to
get behind therecycling of low
densitypolyethylene (LDPE)
plastic.
Recyclingof LDPE plastic is
now under way in Marlborough
and Hawke’s Bay andwill be
rolled out nationally after
successfultrials last year.
Mr Allensaid previously
farmers hadlittle optionbut to
stockpile, re­purpose or bin the
soft plastics.
‘‘I'm sure many farmers will
be with me in wanting those
bags gone to anew home before
they are destroyed by pests or
sunlight.
“I’ll be encouraging Feds
members to participate in the
scheme,”MrAllen said.
This initiative is part of a
broader plan that Agrecovery is
developingwith the
government andindustry to set
up product stewardship
schemes for the sector.
“Wewant to raise the game to
achievebetterenvironmental
outcomes for rural
communities by removing
plastic from farms. Thisis
something that farmers have
beenasking us to do foryears,
so we're excitedtobeproviding
Federated Farmers waste
management spokesman Chris
Allen.
sustainable options for more
plastic types.
“It will be successful because
everyoneiscommitted to
making it work–from the
manufacturer to thegrowers
and farmers. It will be
successful at meetingfarmer
andgrower sustainability
requirements,” Agrecovery
chiefexecutive TonyWilson
said.
Ashburton Musical Club
scholarship winner
Emma Johnson.
DO YOUNEEDAN
INSECTSCREEN OR
SECURITYSOLUTION?
Davidwill be coming to Ashburtonon
Thursday 18 th November.
Please contactthe officetobook afree
measureand quotefor theseorforany
otherproductsinthe HomePlusrange.
For info ortoapply visit the
Council website
ashburtondc.govt.nz or
call 03 307 7700.
Applications opens 1October
and close 21December 2021.
Recruiting
2022
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