North Canterbury News: April 28, 2022
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NEWS<br />
4 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>April</strong> <strong>28</strong>, <strong>2022</strong><br />
Rate increase doesn’trecognise hardship<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s (ECan)<br />
proposed 24.5 percent rates increase,<br />
makes the sector appear unresponsive<br />
to the ‘‘significant and genuine’’<br />
hardship in the rate paying community,<br />
says the Waimakariri District Council.<br />
In asubmission presented to ECan on<br />
its draft annual plan on Wednesday,<br />
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon said in<br />
the face of pandemic impacts and steep<br />
rises in the cost living, the proposed<br />
increase doesn’t acknowledge the<br />
realities many households are facing.<br />
He said when added to last year’s<br />
increase, ratepayers would be facing a<br />
34 percent increase over two years.<br />
Asignificant contributor to the<br />
increase is aproposed trial of changes<br />
in public transport fare structures, in<br />
response to climate change and in abid<br />
to reduce emissions.<br />
Mr Gordon said his council urged<br />
ECan to pause fare structures until the<br />
community has ‘‘ meaningful<br />
opportunity’’ to consider alternative<br />
options for achieving the ends ECan is<br />
seeking.<br />
He said atrial is ‘‘somewhat<br />
unrealistic’’ and on the available<br />
evidence, any emission reduction<br />
benefits gained, on the available<br />
evidence would be small and expensive.<br />
395<br />
275 Flaxton Road, Rangiora<br />
Phone 03 313 6640 |www.brandmowers.co.nz<br />
2466627<br />
‘‘The proposed increase in uniform<br />
targeted passenger transport (urban)<br />
rates per property, over six years in<br />
Waimakariri is 247%, including 26% in<br />
<strong>2022</strong>/2023.<br />
‘‘This level of increase is<br />
unsustainable.’’<br />
The council also questions if it is<br />
appropriate to use the rating system in<br />
this way, in what amounts to ‘‘income<br />
redistribution for social and<br />
environmental outcomes’’.<br />
‘‘These changes are being promoted<br />
without reference to ECan’s statement<br />
of community outcomes, nor abenefits<br />
analysis in relation to its revenue and<br />
financing policy: and, outside of the<br />
framework for joint working under the<br />
Greater Christchurch Partnership and<br />
the regional land transport planning<br />
process.’’<br />
Mr Gordon says the council does not<br />
dispute many in the community are<br />
doing it tough and afare concession<br />
would assist them.<br />
‘‘But the Government has responded<br />
to this with benefit and minimum wage<br />
changes, as well as its own fare<br />
reductions with Budget <strong>2022</strong> yet to<br />
come.’’<br />
The council also questions the<br />
proposed funding formulae for<br />
recovering costs associated with<br />
localised flood recovery and protection<br />
across the regional community.<br />
He asked ECan to pause until areport<br />
by the combined Regional and Unitary<br />
Council’s Group, Central Government<br />
Coinvestment in Flood Protection<br />
Schemes: ACall for National Leadership<br />
and Urgent Action to Meet the Flood<br />
Hazard Risks Arising from Climate<br />
Change,isresponded to by Government.<br />
It also expresses concerns about a<br />
future levy to fund action in response to<br />
climate change.<br />
‘‘We recognise the challenges that<br />
climate change presents,’’ Mr Gordon<br />
said.<br />
More rigorous assessment, and<br />
documentation was needed before the<br />
proposal could be considered in a<br />
meaningful way.<br />
‘‘Without that, in its current form, it is<br />
difficult to support this until more<br />
definitive uses of this potential fund are<br />
subject to community consultation,’’ Mr<br />
Gordon said.<br />
He also called on ECan to help fund<br />
the monitoring of water quality in<br />
private wells, in partnership with the<br />
Waimakariri District Council, and<br />
expressed concern about the slow<br />
progress being made to restore the area<br />
where trees were removed from the<br />
Ashley/Rakahuri River margin, near<br />
Cones Road.<br />
‘‘Many in our community are keenly<br />
watching its progress in line with their<br />
expectation that this valued special<br />
area be appropriately restored/<br />
replanted.’’<br />
Reasons to visit wanted<br />
Hurunui Tourism is creating the ultimate<br />
listofreasons —150 to be exact —for<br />
Kiwis to visit, with the help of the public<br />
and local personalities.<br />
Visit Hurunui is calling on local tourism<br />
operators, residentsand visitorstoshare<br />
their favourite reasons for visiting oneof<br />
New Zealand'sbest kept secrets.<br />
Visit Hurunui marketing manager<br />
Shane Adcock says Hurunui is aregion<br />
loved by all those who visit on various<br />
holidays and thosewho live in the region<br />
and it is these reasons they are keen to<br />
collect.<br />
‘‘We’re looking for the best winery, hill<br />
walk, cafe, or even your favourite dairy<br />
because they have generous $1 mixtures!<br />
Maybe the greatest pie, mountain bike<br />
track or river swim because of the vista.<br />
We’re looking for your special reasons<br />
behind visitingnot the ‘‘tick the box’’<br />
reasons.’’<br />
‘‘It could be your favourite dairy because<br />
they serve up the biggest scoop? Perhaps it<br />
is amotel in town with the plumpest<br />
cushions?Orisitthe <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong><br />
hospitality you get from the local tea<br />
rooms?’’<br />
From <strong>April</strong> 19 Visit Hurunui will be<br />
collecting 150 reasons, online,tovisit the<br />
region.<br />
All those who submit areason will go in<br />
the draw to win one of three epic holiday<br />
prizepackages, with acombined value of<br />
over $6000.<br />
The public are invitedtosubmit their<br />
reasons today at visithurunui.co.nzand<br />
share their reasons to visit on Facebook<br />
and Instagram with the hashtag<br />
#150ReasonsHurunui.<br />
Hurunui ambassador and Olympic<br />
mountain biker Anton Cooper says his<br />
reasontovisit is the networkofworldclass<br />
mountain bike tracks locatedinthe<br />
Hanmer Forest.<br />
Anton Cooperfeaturesinthe launch<br />
video,alongside broadcasterChris Lynch<br />
and New Zealand netballer, Jane Watson.<br />
Shane says to keep an eye out for the<br />
grand unveiling of this list in May.<br />
‘‘We’ve got areally exciting year ahead<br />
of us and avery big anniversary is looming<br />
for Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and<br />
Spa. We want to have some fun and<br />
celebrate our region for all that makes it<br />
great.’’ Tag Visit Hurunui on Facebook and<br />
Instagram, and be sure to use<br />
#150ReasonsHurunui.<br />
Synthetic Nitrogen FertiliserLimit<br />
What farmersneed to do<br />
To help protect and improve our waterways,<br />
alimit nowapplies tothe amount of<br />
synthetic nitrogen fertiliser applied to<br />
pastoral land.This was introduced as part<br />
of the Essential Freshwater package.<br />
Carefully managed, fertiliser is auseful<br />
farming tool.However, it can contribute<br />
to nutrient loss into soil and waterways,<br />
impacting water quality and in-stream life.<br />
Allfarmers<br />
•The amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser<br />
you apply topastoral land cannot exceed<br />
190 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare<br />
per year<br />
Dairyfarmers<br />
•Report your synthetic nitrogen fertiliser<br />
use to Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong>annually<br />
•Submit your first report by 31 July<strong>2022</strong> -<br />
we’ll be in touch soon about how to do this<br />
We’reheretohelp<br />
Formoreinformation, visit<br />
ecan.govt.nz/synthetic-nitrogen-cap<br />
or contact us on 0800324 636.
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