Letters 30 April 2010
Mining in national parks
Can anyone tell me how much money is returned to the New Zealand economy out of the expected wealth that is quoted by the Government that mining would yield?
I have been told that a lot of the wealth will go overseas to the multinational companies that do the mining. What are the facts?
Paul Marcussen
Stolen goods
Some “light and sticky” fingers attached themselves to items from my car parked at Wainui Falls car park last week. Fortunately the “heavy hands” of the law were laid upon the “sticky fingered” one and some items were returned to me. I am extremely grateful to Arthur and Takaka Police for their extremely speedy work in this case, and their great service to this community generally. I will now be ever more mindful of locking all car doors and not leaving items that may appeal to the “light and sticky fingered ones”.
John Massey
Blasting of Ligar Bay clifftops
I was dismayed to see, while travelling to Ligar Bay recently, that someone has been blasting off the cliff tops above Abel Tasman Drive. Why would anyone in their right mind set out to destroy the landscape and natural features that make Golden Bay the unique place that it is?
Alan Blackie
Integrated health centre
Dr Struan Clark’s original concept integrating all medical services was accepted five years ago at an open public meeting. The basic aim was to put all medical services under one roof to improve working conditions for all staff, cut costs and make the Bay a more attractive proposition of employment for future medical and nursing staff.
The committee formed at that meeting has worked long and hard to produce what seems to be the simplest and cheapest method of following out this plan. Let us stop all this shilly-shallying and finally move towards bringing Golden Bay into the 21st century with a modern workable asset or we may finish up with nothing.
Christine Mead
Up until now I have been guilty of being one of the silent majority, however, the headline in The Nelson Mail (21/4) “People Prefer Centre in Town” has made me put pen to paper.
One hundred and twenty people attended a public meeting in Takaka organised by people unhappy, or concerned, with the integrated health centre. The article says that the majority of people want the medical centre to remain in Takaka so that the elderly, and others without cars, can walk to the centre. How could this possibly be a valid reason for keeping the medical centre in Takaka? How do all the other residents of Golden Bay manage now? How many of the people who do live close enough to walk, do so? If I was feeling feverish or my hip was giving me gip I know I would prefer a ride. This is a medical centre not the local dairy.
I think the concept of the integrated facilities is brilliant. Well done all those hard-working, far-sighted and hopefully thick-skinned people who are involved. I am not writing this out of self interest. Pat and I will have to travel further to the new facilities. So be it.
Jean Beatson
Thank you to the people whose foresight initiated the setting up of the initial steering group from our community which led to IMG being formed; and to all the people, many of who have given much personal time, skill and energy to get us to the presentation last evening.
We are a privileged community to be given this opportunity, let’s get behind it. Yes there are issues to clarify and concerns to address. IMG have asked us for feedback and promised to answer the questions. Give them the chance.
For the older people who are concerned about access to Central Takaka, let’s press for a public footpath suitable for mobility scooters.
I look forward to having the facility available as soon as possible.
Paul Marcussen
Thank you to the IMG for having a public meeting, and for providing some further information to residents in the white papers delivered prior to the meeting. I was pleased that many people attended and that people supporting the project attended.
However, I was disappointed by what was presented, I expected much, much more from the group. There are many questions that have been repeatedly asked through public letters, etc, which still await answers, and many could have been addressed in the presentation.
One topic completely lacking from the presentation was the repercussions of the IMG decision to split the owners of the buildings from the services providers. I request the IMG urgently provide information about the nature and substance of the proposed contract(s) between the service(s) provider, NBPH, and the building owner, the new trust. The split in ownership and service provision is a major change in governance from the earlier proposals, and no information has been given regarding this important aspect of the project. This contractual relationship is of vital importance to the new trust, for its financial security, and to the people, for the security of, and possible input in to the services that will be provided.
Samantha J Eastman
I would like to thank the Integrated Management Group for all the hard work and research they’ve put into the concept of the Integrated Medical Centre for Golden Bay. It is an inspired solution to the medical needs of the Bay.
We are very fortunate that we have forward thinkers in the Bay working for the public good.
Moira Tilling
Congratulations to the IMG group and to Kerry Marshall, meeting facilitator, who so ably steered us through the potentially contentious meeting. I was much better informed and was grateful to all concerned for the work done so far.
The most important factor in the debate is the people involved. The health professionals need a safe and modern environment in which to practice. They know what is needed to maintain a strong team which is in step with developments in health care and for our particular environment in Golden Bay. We need to retain good practitioners to maintain the good health care that we already enjoy. They deserve the best we can give them, after all, we will be the benefactors. John Peters assured us that nothing will change until the money for the project is guaranteed.The majority of the meeting, myself included, were in favour of the IMG proposal.
Margaret Maloney
Hurrah for a positive meeting on the proposed integrated health plan for Golden Bay. How lucky we are to have a group giving of their own time to hopefully improve our chances of not ending up like many areas of New Zealand who no longer have full-time doctors. The West Coast is a prime example of the doctor shortage. Because we are used to it we can’t imagine what it would be like to be without their services. Try asking a West Coaster; they will tell you how extraordinarily lucky we have been so far.
How fortunate we will be to have saved our rest home in the Bay at a time when many such small homes have to close. How lucky we will be to be able to live in a township and only be a maximum of six-minute’ drive from our integrated health services. Where else in New Zealand would you be able to live within such a short distance from your health care? Just consider your own relatives in other centres. Do they only have a six-minute drive to such comprehensive health care?
The only other option of no rest home and reduced doctor and hospital services does not bear thinking about.
We owe the IMG a huge debt for all their time and foresight.
Anne Gentleman
The Motueka-Golden Bay News has reported that, at a recent meeting, “Elizabeth Dransfield said one-third of the population lived in Takaka.” The only statistics I could find on the internet were on the GB Promotion Association website which gives Golden Bay total population as 4830 with “approximately 500 residents in Takaka”. This works out at approximately one-tenth.
At that same meeting the “overwhelming majority” of the 120 people present voted to approve a motion. This means that approx one-fortieth of the total population of the Bay voted in favour of the motion.
Just for the record - I am neither for, nor against the proposed medical center site.
River Howe
Ed. According to the 2006 Census data:
- 3,678 people usually live in Golden Bay. This was an increase of 75 people, or 2.1 percent, since the 2001 Census.
- 1,149 people usually live in Takaka. (Male 576, female 573, Total 1,149.) This was a decrease of 39 people, or 3.3 percent, since the 2001 Census. According to the 2006 census data the Takaka area includes the northern side of Central Takaka, the eastern side of Glenview Road, Three Oaks, Rototai and the township.
Presumably the Golden Bay figure excludes the Takaka figure. To clarify, 31.23 per cent of Golden Bay’s population lives in Takaka and 68.77 per cent lives in the rest of Golden Bay. For further info: <www.stats.govt.nz/Census>
Climate change
I respond to Ian Alach. (GBW Letters 23/4). The International Panel describes testability as scientifically important. It is not a “distraction” by Peter Foster.
Ian’s statements about carbon and temperature are correlations and do not establish cause and effect. My first book on statistics warned against attribution of cause and effect by citing a correlation of stipends of Church of England parsons with sales of rum from Jamaica. So were wealthy parsons able to afford lots of rum, or did the Church own the profitable distilleries?
Change is not new. With regard to ice sheets melting, in 1958 US nuclear submarines surfaced at the North Pole in clear water, and in 1903 Amundsen sailed the Northwest Passage. Nine hundred years ago, it was warmer than today. In Roman times, grapes grew in England.
The Goldberg paper I cited shows that natural effects – the ocean’s Southern Oscillation and volcanoes – closely relate to atmospheric CO2 changes, while man-made emissions have negligible connection. Nature dominates.Yes, let’s wait and see, and tackle the real problems – the inadequacies of water and energy for six billion people, let alone the expected nine billion, for the standard of living we want all to have.
Peter Foster
Project Crimson in Golden Bay
Project Crimson has the vision of putting northern rata back in our lowland landscape. This year is the twelfth year that Project Crimson is providing trees for planting in Golden Bay.
If you wish to have trees to plant as part of your revegetation project please let me know by the end of May 2010 (ph: wk 525 8378 or email: gnapp@doc.govt.nz). Priority will be given to projects on public land and on covenanted land but trees are also available for private blocks. Please bear in mind that northern rata trees need plenty of room as they will grow large. They need a sunny site with little frost. They will need weeding for the first few years and possibly watering if it’s a dry summer, and protection from stock, hares and possums.
Greg Napp
Solar changes – all planets seen changing rapidly
Russian scientists Dmitriev, Kruzhevskii, Petrov and Shestopalov reveal our solar system has entered an area of the interstellar medium that contains higher concentrations of matter and energy, ions (charged particles) of hydrogen, helium and hydroxyl, triggering changes in our solar system: an increase in the Sun’s solar activities (solar flares); Uranus and Neptune have endured polar shifts; a change in the intensity and brightness of Neptune by 40%; doubling of the magnetic field of Jupiter; brightness increase in Saturn; a growth of the dark spots on Pluto; auroras on Saturn; Venus is showing reversals of areas of dark and light and is becoming brighter overall; the moon is growing a sodium potassium atmosphere; 200% growth of the atmosphere of Mars that is getting thicker; dramatic climate changes on Mars such as the melting of the icecaps; a growth of the heliosphere (magnetic field of the Sun) by 1000%.
All occurring in the last two decades alone.
This is a part of the story. Next week’s letter, entitled Earth-Leyline-Grid Distortions, will reveal why solar changes are affecting earth in a more negative way than necessary.
Grayham Forscutt
Taking music to the community
The Golden Bay Orchestra is taking its music out into the community with two concerts to be given on Saturday 1 May, the first at the Pakawau Hall at 2pm and the second at the Motupipi Hall at 7.30pm.
We have made similar tours in previous years, making use of the many country halls throughout the Bay. These have always been very successful and relaxed affairs and we feel the community really appreciates the extra effort that goes into taking the orchestra to these local venues.
A more informal setting also gives an opportunity to showcase young players. Orchestra members Melissa Wells and Bill Salmon will give solo items and Melissa’s pupils will perform at the Motupipi concert; Patsy Garrett’s violin pupils will perform at Pakawau.
These concerts fit well with the orchestra’s objectives of having fun making music and encouraging young people to explore music.
Dick Wenzel, secretary, GB Orchestral Society
Natural health products
From the estimated 450 companies that supply us with natural health products, only 168 make or harvest native plant or local New Zealand products here. Of this, 150 companies are small, stand-alone companies which may be unable to meet the new manufacturing standards proposed, the product-approval cost requirements and regulatory scheme costs estimated at $4.25 million ongoing per year.
New Zealand could be left with fewer than 18 companies who manufacture and/or harvest our native plant or local natural plant oils, seeds, plant extracts, herbals and botanicals, marine animal extracts and manuka honey that we use for therapeutic purposes.
Is reduced product range, fewer native plant and local herbal products, higher prices and fewer New Zealand manufacturers supplying the New Zealand market good for business, the economy, the consumer, and what we want?
These figures are in the consultation paper, dated March 2010, on the Development of a Natural Health Products Bill on the Ministry of Health website. Submissions close on 17 May 2010.
Chrystal Pitcher
