Letters Friday 13 May 2011
Sale of Port Tarakohe
We were all somewhat mystified over the recent comment from Paul Wylie that Port Tarakohe should be sold. Well perhaps we now have the answer. Greywolf Goldmining NL. CEO Edward Lancaster has spoken to Mr Wylie regarding the company’s plans to prospect and drill for oil, coal, minerals and gas in Golden Bay. I think they would love to own the port. My memory suggests to me that this is heading to another situation where TDC sells a strategic asset to a private company for next to nothing to meet both agendas. This would achieve a number of council objectives. It would divest itself of an asset it claims is losing money, encourage mining and development in Golden Bay and produce a revenue stream that would be used for infrastructure in the Bay and elsewhere.
John Ward-Holmes is reported as saying local iwi will oppose this proposal to drill for oil, gas, coal and minerals in Golden Bay. Any increase in jobs will be more than offset by the real and potential environmental impacts. I believe that the Bay’s residents should get in behind iwi and nip this in the bud.
Alan Vaughan
Freedom camping
The public submissions process is a farce. Two-thirds of the 122 submissions on the proposed freedom-camping bylaw in Tasman District did not approve of the bylaw (61% opposed and 5% made neutral comments). Yet it appears no amendments were made on the basis of public submissions before it was approved. Only advice from DOC and legal representatives showed that parts of it could not meet existing laws. Namely, they legally cannot enforce the camping ban on DOC land, and it appears they do not presently have the legal framework to hand out any fines for freedom camping (they can only make you move on), but that is bound to come later in the year.
If you like camping and freedom then there is still time to write your opposition to the TDC councillors, before it is ratified by council. Councils all over New Zealand are beginning a similar process to ban or severely limit freedom camping in a way that penalises everyone for the activities of a few. Northland and the Coromandel have already done so, Wairoa is presently accepting submissions, and you don’t have to live there to make a submission.
http://www.google.co.nz/search?q=freedom+camping+bylaw+tasman+amendment&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
Jeroen Lurling
In response to the Community Board meeting I attended on 9 May 2011.
I do not accept that either we bar people from camping near public toilets or we have shit on our roadsides. I do not accept council’s message that this bylaw can be considered fair because it is acceptable to break it (?!)
Nor do I accept that either we have jobs and financial advantage or a healthy, safe environment.
Diplomacy and fair-minded decisions that include longer term consequences as well as short term benefits take time and effort. A commonly employed approach that simplifies this process is to set up an either/or scenario. Once opinion is split, manoeuvring can be achieved between the “two camps” and a less than satisfactory arrangement can be passed. This is to divide and rule.
This community is regularly led to believe that issues are split when in reality large common ground exists amongst us. Please stop buying into this message; it is borne from unsound managerial principles, lacking both intelligence and heart. It does none of us any good to believe that we are polarised beyond all resolution. Please refuse to entertain such a lazy way of thinking; it guarantees an unhealthy social environment.
We are regularly given the message that environmental concerns preclude jobs/money/practical considerations. This is fallacious reasoning cultivated by lazy decision makers and the media. We can have jobs, money, a healthy economy AND a healthy and beautiful physical environment. It is nonsense to say otherwise.
Stephanie Wilson
Peaceful Demonstration in Defence of Freedom Camping - from Friday 13 May at 4pm - til May 14 at 11:30am on the Village Green, Takaka (opposite the Dangerous Kitchen)
Responsible Freedom Campers unite to advocate “Education instead of Legislation”. Stay an hour or the whole night. Be present to represent the many respectful campers who question this biased bylaw.
If passed, this bylaw will restrict your freedom, not just the few who are camping irresponsibly. Come and set up camp on the Village Green or park up your van close by. We invite anyone and everyone to come, have a cup of tea and share their views on this issue.
This is the last chance to stop this bylaw, which is not yet passed. The bylaw is due to go before full council on May 19; we can still make a difference.
For more info, search “Peaceful Demonstration in defence of Freedom Camping” on FaceBook.
Antony Hodgson
Prospecting for oil and coal
Chris Auchinvole’s comments in The GB Weekly (GBW 5/5), saying that he is unable to comment on the proposal without seeing the application, but “encouraging people to have confidence in the processes which are in place to safeguard the environment and the public interest”.
That’s kind of the problem, isn’t it? We have spent the past few weeks in Parliament exposing the fact that the processes Chris refers to are completely inadequate.
We have learnt that:
· The Government did not require Petrobras, an oil company with a poor safety record, to file any kind of plan to plug an oil leak before granting it an exploration permit that included the requirement that they drill;
· The Government did not require Petrobras to post any kind of bond;
· The Government did not require Petrobras to have any kind of reserve rig to be able to drill a relief well;
· The nearest rig that would be available to drill a relief well in the event of a spill is several months’ travel away, at least;
· New Zealand has one person whose job it is to monitor compliance of oil and gas exploration activity;
· New Zealand has around 400 people to be deployed to deal with an oil spill;
The risk faced by our region is massive, and there is almost nothing in place to mitigate it. By way of contrast Greywolf, an overseas-owned company, will take the profit. In other words we take the significant risk of catastrophe in return for a few jobs and insignificant royalties.
I believe Chris is entirely wrong, and shows himself to be out of touch with the real issues. To be honest, Labour weren’t any better. Maybe they have learned from experience now, but significant oil and gas exploration – and coal mining in the Conservation estate – took place on their watch, without any better safeguards.
MP Kevin Hague
Sport?
Every year when duck-shooting season comes around I am filled with dread for these feathered creatures.
How anyone can claim it is sporting to shoot a duck with a gun is totally beyond me!
Fish and Game call them a “resource”. These are living creatures with complex social structures and lifetime relationships with others of their kind. I urge people to consider the many ducks that will not be killed outright. How long will they suffer before they die? Sport this is not.
Tania Carey
Multifunction centre
Lovely to see some more dialogue in The GB Weekly about the proposed multifunction centre.
One point needs addressing regarding Bjarne’s letter (GBW 6/5), the other points having already been exhaustively covered. He disputes that 1300 people support a multi-function centre; well sure, some of the rugby club may also be members of the tap dancing group, but it remains a fact that the 30 interested clubs represent 1300 members, who do support the facility.
Bjarne’s survey in 2009 apparently detected little support for such a venue, but this survey was based on the return of only 106 questionnaires. Surprising then that his snap poll at the Village Market showed 70 per cent support for a “new multi-purpose cultural and recreational facility”; and this on a Saturday morning when most sports teams are at play.
For the latest news check out: www.goldenbayfacility.blogspot.com - I’m off to grease my roller skates!
Peter Blasdale
Demise of democracy
As we enter this election year, the time is right to examine how we are represented in national government.
Bruce Collings is right in his letter last week on the demise of democracy in local government, and his statement “our elected representatives impose unpopular, undesirable and seemingly undemocratic proposals and legislation“ applies also to our parliamentary system of “submissions”.
Winston Churchill is recalled as saying our English democracy is not the best, but is better than the other “democracies”.
We read in the news that there is a movement growing that will challenge MMP in exchange for STV, reduce party list candidates and allow half of MPs to be of non-party selection. Maybe we should examine the fact that we do not have representation in Government because we delegate the choosing of those who are supposed to represent us, to the elite party members who, as stated in previous correspondence, are only loyal and obedient to the party whips.
Recent self-appointment by Don Brash and the independent stance of Hone Harawira did not involve any democratic procedure of selection by the working consumers, income earners and taxpayers.
Regarding the Golden Bay Community Board, the only member with the ability to canvass us, listen, give opinions and devotedly communicate is Martine Bouillir.
Perhaps STV might work here in local elections.
Reg Turner
Integrated family health centre
After reading Dr Eastman’s letter in last week’s GB Weekly and talking to a number of people, I too have some concerns about the integrated family health centre.
1. The moving of the medical centre from town, away from the two major schools, Abbeyfield, pensioner flats, and the large number of elderly living close by.
2. Would not an upgrade for the existing establishments administrated under the one body and an add-on to the Collingwood Rest Home to make it viable, be a better outcome for all?
3. Are the costs of the roading, footpaths, water, and sewerage from town to Central Takaka part of the costing that has been done to date?
I note that it is only a concept plan that was released, so now is the time to speak up while we have the chance.
Paul Sangster
Response from the Interim Management Group:
1. The decision regarding where to locate the integrated family health centre was made primarily on the basis that it would cost about $3m more to locate it at a new site in town; with about half of that cost relating to the purchase of land and the other half relating to replacing the existing hospital facilities. There was also a strong community view that it made sense to use the relatively modern hospital building. IMG does appreciate there is a need to address the needs of specific user groups who will find accessing the hospital more difficult. However the vast proportion of people in Golden Bay using all three facilities now travel to each by car.
2. All of the studies we have done show integration needs to locate the three contributing health services on one site to be financially viable, to share overheads and make the most effective use of staff. Rest home numbers fluctuate and without this cross subsidisation there is no way to offset its fixed costs. So the only way Golden Bay can keep a rest home is by combining it within the proposed integrated facility and sharing overheads. The existing medical centre requires replacement rather than an upgrade. An earlier proposal that was looked at involved land purchase, road upgrading and significant debt funding.
3. All of the costs relating to the expansion of the existing hospital have been considered in the business plan, apart from any additional footpaths.
Motocross success
Well done Hamish Harwood on your 250cc national title and second placing in the 125cc. To be first in the 250cc class and follow up with a second in the 125cc class takes some effort; you and your family team are to be congratulated.
I trust the recent knockers of this sport here in Golden Bay felt a little humble at this result and should be very proud that we have another rising young sportsman in the Bay.
The prospects for this young man’s future look very good when the world-class CMR Red Bull KTM racing team have their eye on him.
Congratulations Hamish, you are and will be a great role model for our young people.
We wish you and all your family and supporters every success in the coming years.
Kerry Campbell
Playcentre Easter Egg Hunt
Takaka Playcentre families would like to thank the Fresh Choice Takaka for sponsoring this year’s Easter Egg Hunt. The Playcentre children hunted the eggs down in The Grove. We had lots of fun (in between the wet spells) due to your donation.
Martine Baanvinger on behalf of Takaka Playcentre
Lost items
Is anyone missing four beautiful bars of NZ-made soap which were left in the Golden Bay Community Centre hall around 11 April? We also have a bag of goodies (printer cartridges and children’s toys) found in the hall in February. We’d love to re-unite both of these bags with their owners if we can. Please phone 525 9728.
Emma Brazendale, Golden Bay Community Workers
Movie festival
Many thanks to everyone who made the recent GB Film Festival a huge success. I have a great time ferreting out all the movies and putting the festival together, but without all the wonderful Village Theatre staff and particularly the enthusiastic audiences, it would not be the fantastic event it has become. For those who couldn’t make it to some of the movies, a number of the festival favourites are screening again in our regular programme. Some are in the current programme, some will be in the next. The much talked-about Hook, Line and Sinker will be in the next programme.
Meanwhile, we can settle down to a winter of great movies.
Sarah Kay, manager, Village Theatre
150th reunion in 2012
Takaka District High School/Golden Bay High School 150th reunion will take place over Waitangi Weekend 3/4/5 February 2012. For information go to gbhsreunion@gbh.school.nz or contact Mary Ann Tait, 23 Feary Crescent, Takaka 7110. Tell your friends.
Jill Pomeroy
Kiwi Conservation Club
At the end of April the Kiwi Conservation Club enjoyed a wonderful overnight stay at Farewell Spit Lighthouse. We would like to thank DOC for the use of their cottage and the opportunity, Farewell Spit Eco Tours and Peter from the Village Market for the stall space for our fundraising. Special thanks go to Mike Ogle from DOC and Murray Marshall, our bus driver, for volunteering their time and sharing so much knowledge with our group. A memorable time was had by all and the weather was beautiful!
Lee Rzoska and Debbie Jones
for Kiwi Conservation Club
Thanks to supporters
Thank you for buying my flowers. The money goes to our mission people in Tanna, Vanuatu. This year I am aiming to buy a water tank for people high up in the hills.
Since my operation for cancer I have had a healing after my daughter Teresa prayed for me; my leg that dragged came right, the operated area relaxed and I was able to sit up. All this made it possible to pick flowers and greenery. I am on chemo as I was not healed of cancer. The Takaka Medical Centre has provided great help and I am grateful for their kindness and medical expertise.
Kathy Baker
Snr Pastor of the Christian Church of Golden Bay
