North Canterbury News: September 28, 2023

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NEWS 4 The North Canterbury News, September 28, 2023 Plenty in common Candidates square off By DAVID HILL, Local Democracy Reporter Rivalcandidates at an election meeting in North Canterbury found they had plenty in common. Candidates fromfour political parties were put in the unusual position of praising each other’s policies at an election meeting at Balcairn Hall,near Amberley, on Monday evening. More than 100 peoplepackedinto the halltohear from threecandidates vying to be Kaikōura MP, including sitting MP Stuart Smith (National), Emma Dewhirst (Labour) and Jamie Arbuckle (New Zealand First). The fourth candidatewas Lan Pham, the Green Party’s BanksPeninsula candidate, whowas fillinginfor Richard McCubbin. During thecourse of the evening, the candidates were asked to name policies fromeach of the other parties they liked. Mr Smith said therewas alot of collaboration between the parties in Parliament. He said New ZealandFirst had ‘‘borrowedanumberofour policies’’, he likedthe Green Party’s energy policies,and National and Labour oftenworkedtogether on legislation. ‘‘I don’t thinkpeoplerealise we do get on. We collaborate behind the scenes otherwise we wouldn’tget things done. ‘‘Questiontime isn’tatrue reflection of what goeson.’’ Ms Dewhirst said she liked New Zealand First’s fair pay policy, there was alignment with National on several transport initiatives, and the Greens and Labour alignedonmany issues includingfreshwater. Mr Arbuckle said he liked Labour’s policies on removingGST from fruit and vegetables andsupporting seniors’housing, there was alignment withNational on regional development and he was ‘‘a big fan’’ of the Green Party’s Jobsfor Nature programme. Ms Pham said she agreedwith New ZealandFirst on the need to invest in the New ZealandDefence Force to monitor the coastline. She was pleased to hear National supported the principalofTeMana o te Wai (mana of the water), and she hoped Labourwouldkeep to its promise of no miningonconservation land. The onlyconflict was during a question of supporting Hurunui’s beach communities facingcoastal erosion, where an audience member feltMsDewhirst was not answering the question. Noneofthe candidates offered solutions, but agreedlocal and central governmentneeded to collaborate withlocalcommunities. Ms Pham said it was time to develop anationaladaptationplan to provide guidance for councils. Public interest journalismfunded throughNew Zealand on Air. By DAVID HILL, Local Democracy Reporter Waimakaririelectioncandidates sparred over the issues of crime, healthcare and the economy during ameeting at Pegasus. Matt Doocey (National),Dan Rosewarne (Labour) and Gordon Malcolm (Democracy NZ) were quizzed by the Pegasus Residents'GroupsInc in front of acrowd of 80 at Pegasus Bay SchoolonWednesday evening. Mr Doocey said National planned to amend the Sentencing Act to ensure offenders served their timeinprison. ‘‘Too often peoplecommit crimes and go through the courts, but they can get a numberofdiscounts and thenend up going into home detention. ‘‘Judges will only be abletodiscount up to 40 percent of sentences.’’ Mr Malcolmsaid police wereunder ‘‘hugepressure’’and neededmore resourcing so they could be more visible on the frontline. Meanwhile, Mr Rosewarnepresented policedata showing robberies had reduced in the Waimakariri district, reflecting national trends. ‘‘I have regular meetings with the local policedistrictcommander and he said policewere gettingtired of opposition parties using law and order. ‘‘Theyare worried about the hysteria it is creating.Crime is not out of control.’’ Labourhas promisedtorecruit300 more policetoreducethe pressure, while alsoproviding more mentalhealth resourcing. On the healthfront, Mr Doocey said the Waimakariridistrict needed after hours healthcare to support the growing population. ‘‘The PHO’s(primary health organisation) requirement for after hours care is compliant if you livewithin a 40 minute drive. ‘‘Butthat doesn’ttake intoaccount housing density, so we have advocated for highgrowth areas like Rangiora and Kaiapoi.’’ Therewas ashortage of GPs, but Nationalisproposing to open athird medical school targeted at recruiting GPS for rural and provincial areas. Mr Malcolm said faster training pathways were needed for nursesand medical school quotasfor GPs needed to be increased. Mr Rosewarne said therewas aglobal shortage of nurses. ‘‘Theopposition parties seem to forget we have just had aglobal pandemic where100,000 medical professionals around the world diedduring Covid’’ he said. ‘‘TheUnitedKingdom, Europe and the United States are all screaming out for nurses, but the worldisplaying catch up due to Covid.’’ Labour is investing in health infrastructure,has abolished prescription chargesand is promising free dental care for under 30s, he said. The cost of living also came up in the meeting. Mr Dooceysaid the government needed to get on top of inflation and interest rates with‘‘prudentfinancial discipline’’. Debthas risenfrom $5 billion to $100 billionover the last six years and was now 43% of GDP, he said. Mr Rosewarne said the latest credit rating from Standard &Poors showed New Zealand was in astrong economic position with ‘‘a modest level of debt’’ compared to other countries. Inflation was coming down, wages were rising and more New Zealanders were in employmentthan ever before, he said. Public interest journalism funded throughNew Zealand on Air. CHRISTCHURCH IN SPRING ON SHOW IN SPRING: Silver Ferns vEngland Roses –24Sept Akaroa French Festival –6-8 Oct Crater Rim Ultra –15Oct Christchurch Big Band Festival –19-23 Oct The Chicks –30-31 Oct NZ Agricultural Show –15-17 Nov FAST5 Netball World Series –11-12 Nov The Corrs Down Under with Natalie Imbruglia –11Nov NZ Cup Week Riccarton Park –11, 15, 18Nov IRT NZTrotting Cup Day –14 Nov Freestyle Kings –2Dec ALWAYS ON SHOW: Akaroa Dolphins Ballooning Canterbury Christchurch Art Gallery Christchurch Attractions Orana Wildlife Park Tussock Hill Christchurch Adventure Park International Antarctic Centre The Crossing Riverside Market The Terrace CHRISTCHURCHNZ.COM/SPRINGH
Aquick look at the electorates in NC As early voting opens on Monday, October 2, Robyn Bristowtakes alook at the Waimakaririand Kaikoura Electorates The Waimakariri and Kaikoura electorates are diverse. Both have large urban centres, and in the case of Waimakariri, two Christchurch suburban populations. But both are also hometolarge farms, wineries and vineyards, lifestyleblocks, rural residential properties, and small towns. They are both held by National, but the margins by which both the Waimakariri MPMatt Doocey,and Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith,held on to their seatsin2020 wereslashed. National’s Matt Doocey captured the seat withamajorityof1507 votes, downfrom 10,766 in 2017. StuartSmith’s majority fellto2295 from 10,553 in 2017. National’s party vote also took a huge hitinboth electoratesasLabour made aclean sweep of the party vote in all South Island electorates. Waimakariri TheWaimakariri electorate’s northern and southern boundaries are largely defined by the Ashley/ Rakahuri River in the north,the Waimakariri River in the south and the PuketerakiRange to the west. It spillsacross the Waimakariri River to include the Christchurch City suburbs of Casebrookand Belfast. The main rural towns are Oxford, Cust, Rangiora,Woodend,Kaiapoi, the newcommunity Ravenswood, Pegasus, and Belfast. The Waimakariridistrict,which is alargepart of the electorate,isone of New Zealand’s mostpopularplaces to live,and continues to growaspeople seek alifestyle outside Christchurch, but within commuting distanceofthe city. It has also providedasafe haven for many exiting Christchurchafter the 2010 and 2011 quakes. In 2020there wereabout 62,800 people livinginWaimakariridistrict. It is oneofStatistics New Zealand’s top three projected population growthareas(for the 20132043 period), thirdbehind Selwyn and the Queenstown Lakes District. Candidates in the Waimakariri electorate in 2023 Five candidateswill contest the seat —Leighton Baker, Leighton Baker Party; Ross Campbell, ACT New Zealand; MattDoocey, National Party; GordonMalcolm, DemocracyNZ; and Dan Rosewarne, Labour Party. Kaikoura TheKaikoura electorate sprawls across thenortheastern South Island, from Cook Straitinthe north to the Ashley/Rakahuri River inthe south. At more than 21,000 square kilometres, it is New Zealand’s fourthlargestgeneralelectorate by area. Its main towns are Blenheim and Kaikoura. Other towns include Picton, Havelock, Cheviot, Hanmer Springs, Culverden,Amberley,Sefton, and Ashley. The electorate boundaries were not changed in any recentboundary reviews. Blenheim is the largestpopulated area in both the electorate and the Marlboroughregion. It is the country’s 17th main urban area, with 26,400people. Its surrounding area is well known as the centreofNew Zealand’s wine industryand it enjoys one ofNew Zealand’ssunniestclimates,with hot, relatively dry summers and cool, crisp winters. The electorate also takesinthe WaiparaValley wine region, an increasingly popular winegrowing area with manyawardwinning vintages being produced. It alsoencompasses someofNew Zealand’s most spectacular tourist spots, from the Marlborough Sounds south to HanmerSprings and Kaikoura. National has held the seat since its establishment in 1996. It is currentlyrepresented by National’s Stuart Smith. Kaikoura tendstohave ahigh voter turnoutcomparedwith the rest of the country, with an 86.2 percent voter turnout in 2020. Candidates in the Kaikoura electorate in 2023 Eleven candidates will contest the seat —Jamie Arbuckle, NewZealand First Party; ShaunBrown, Money Free Party NZ; SandraCampbell, DemocracyNZ; Natalie Collello, New ZealandLoyal;Emma Dewhirst, LabourParty; David Greenslade, New Conservatives;Keith Griffiths, ACT New Zealand; Ted Howard, Independent; John McCaskey, Independent; Richard McCubbin, Green Party;StuartSmith,National. NEWS The North Canterbury News, September 28, 2023 Sprin Tre Plantin wit gorgeou tree fro THE GORGE NURSERY 20-50% OFF SELECTED STOCK Spring Specials include • Gorgeous Fruit Trees • Gorgeous Natives • Gorgeous trees for your garden/lifestyle block Most trees grown on site and very wind hardy Open Monday to Friday 8.30am-4pm Open Sunday 1st, 8th and 15th October Sorry no eftpos. Please wear sturdy shoes 479 AshleyGorge Road, Oxford Phone 0272837279 www.thegorgenursery.co.nz Supplying Growers Since 1981 5 HARFORD DOMESTIC HOME GARDENER RANGE 2610842 BOOK FAIR Rangiora A&P Showgrounds, 158 Ashley Street September 2023 Thursday 28 th -5pm to 9pm, Friday 29 th -9am to 7:30pm Saturday 30 th -9am to 5pm EFTPOS Available Sizes –3.4m Wide Range – 4m long /6m long /8m long / 10m long /12m long • Galvanised Steel Frame • Treated Timber Base • Single Skin Covers • Head Height 2.4m Options –Kitset ONLY or Constructed by Harford Greenhouses Options -Pickup /Delivered to Site Sizes –2.6m Wide Range – 4m long /6mlong /8mlong CALL US ON 03 385 5150 OR 0508 HARFORDS (0508 427 367) 2566341a
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North Canterbury News: September 28, 2023

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