Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 1]
Twenty Million Trees For New Zealand’s Biggest Harbour Restoration Project
Tuesday, 4 May 2021, 11:36 am | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
More than 20 million trees and other natives will be planted around New Zealand’s biggest harbour in the groundbreaking $200 million dollar Kaipara Moana Remediation project. Ruawai on the shores of Kaipara Harbour Alan Wilcox, a senior manager for ... More >>
How dirty is NZ coal? Mining lobby faces conservationists
Wednesday, 25 November 2020, 1:48 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Coal plays a small part in greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand, Minerals West Coast manager Patrick Phelps told West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board this month. More >>
Longtime Councillor’s Resignation Over Māori Constituencies Forces Byelection
Tuesday, 3 November 2020, 11:34 am | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
Northland Regional Council is being forced into a byelection after longtime councillor John Bain resigned over Māori constituencies. Former Northland Regional Council (NRC) deputy chair John Bain resigned and walked out of NRC’s October monthly council ... More >>
Wheelie Bins Proposed For Kerbside Collections In Marlborough … Again
Tuesday, 3 November 2020, 11:33 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
Wheelie bins are back on the table in Marlborough, with a waste review calling them an “ideal” solution to “inconvenient” bin bags and crates. The Marlborough District Council has been umming and ahhing over wheelie bins for more than a decade, ... More >>
Mayor To Lead By Example And Oppose Controversial Dog Bylaw
Tuesday, 3 November 2020, 11:31 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
A controversial proposal to leash dogs at a popular reserve has prompted Marlborough’s mayor to make his first bylaw submission in a decade at the council. John Leggett walks his bichon frise poodle crosses Bella and Hugo along Blenheim's Taylor River ... More >>
ACT Draws Miniscule Crowd In Whakatane
Wednesday, 7 October 2020, 10:04 am | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Firearms, the welfare state and education were the main topics at an ACT party public meeting in Whakatane on Monday. Two ACT candidates, Nicole McKee for Rongotai and Cameron Luxton for Tauranga, spoke to nine of the party’s faithful at the Whakatane ... More >>
Dumped Librarian Petition Fails
Wednesday, 7 October 2020, 10:02 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
A 600-strong petition for the reinstatement of Kaikoura's long-serving librarian Cheryl Barker appears to have fallen on deaf ears at the Kaikoura District Council. Local woman Sharon Rayner presented the petition at the council's monthly meeting ... More >>
Ardern Responds To West Coast Councils’ Concerns
Tuesday, 29 September 2020, 4:00 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
A number of the government's policies have drawn flak from West Coast councils this year -- notably those on biodiversity, wetlands, fossil fuels and the use of conservation land. Greymouth Star local democracy reporter LOIS WILLIAMS sat down with Prime Minister ... More >>
Honest Realities Of Natural Burial Discussed
Wednesday, 9 September 2020, 12:14 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
INFORMATION SESSION: Mark Blackham from New Zealand Natural Burials answers questions from the crowd on the practice which is new to the Whakatane District. TROY BAKER / WHAKATANE BEACON Death’s veil was lifted a little on Monday as the community ... More >>
Conservation Minister Responds To Ngai Tahu Board Boycott
Wednesday, 9 September 2020, 12:05 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Eugenie Sage and West Coast farmer Katie Milne at the launch of the $15 million predator-free Te Kinga project, Lake Brunner, in May. The Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage is rebutting claims by Ngai Tahu that her recent appointments to the West Coast ... More >>
“No Ecologists On My Land’ – West Coast Regional Council Chair
Tuesday, 1 September 2020, 4:09 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
West Coast Regional Council chairman Allan Birchfield has vowed to bar ecologists from his land if they come looking for significant natural areas (SNAs). Cr Birchfield is a member of the Te Tai o Poutini Committee, which has just commissioned the first ... More >>
Mussels To Be Poured On Mussel Shell Reef To Revive ‘devastated’ Population
Tuesday, 1 September 2020, 4:07 pm | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
A boatload of mussel shells have been sunk off Marlborough’s shores to create a reef that will help revive marine life and a multimillion-dollar industry. The Marine Farming Association will place 20 tonnes of live green-lipped mussels atop ... More >>
Waste Disposal Levies Could Jump 500 Per Cent In Marlborough Under New ‘guilt Tax’
Wednesday, 19 August 2020, 10:20 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
The cost of dumping waste in Marlborough could climb over the next four years as the Government looks at rolling out a "guilt tax” to reduce rubbish being sent to landfill. The price of Marlborough bin bags will increase if a new Government ... More >>
Regional Council Members Would Like Freeze On Water Bottling
Monday, 10 August 2020, 11:02 am | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Most regional council elected members want to see a freeze put on water bottling consents until the matter can be considered nationwide. Bay of Plenty regional councillors have the opportunity to vote on a remit put forward by Queenstown-Lakes District ... More >>
Northlanders’ Future Access To Safe Drinking Water Under Threat Without Major Industry Shakeup
Tuesday, 4 August 2020, 2:59 pm | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
Northlanders’ future access to safe drinking water is under threat without major spending on water infrastructure that only bigger management organisations can afford. That’s the warning from Brian Hanna, three waters steering committee independent ... More >>
SNA Mapping To Go Ahead Across West Coast
Tuesday, 4 August 2020, 2:57 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Councils working on one district plan for the whole West Coast have grasped the nettle and given the go-ahead for the mapping of significant natural areas (SNAs) on private land. But they've agreed to exempt certain Maori land from the process. ... More >>
DHB Stands By Decision To Axe School Doctors
Thursday, 30 July 2020, 10:45 am | Aaron van Delden - Local Democracy Reporter
Gisborne Girls’ High School students Madison Haggland (left), Talia Chetty, Leah Scholefield, Emily Horne and Samara Wharehinga-Walters put their concerns to Tairawhiti DHB last month. Photo: Aaron van Delden / LDR Tairawhiti District Health Board will ... More >>
Water Appeal: Day One Of Hearings
Tuesday, 28 July 2020, 10:42 am | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
The Environment Court "erred erroneously" when making the decision to dismiss appeals against the expansion of the Otakiri bottling plant says counsel for Ngati Awa. Over 100 Ngati Awa whanau gathered in Rotorua yesterday as their fight ... More >>
Work Begins On Multimillion-dollar Project To Restore Water Quality In Marlborough Sounds Catchment
Monday, 20 July 2020, 11:09 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
An aspirational project that aims to clean up an at-risk Marlborough catchment could cost up to $75 million over 10 years. Work to restore the Te Hoiere/Pelorus catchment will begin this month. CREDIT: CHLOE RANFORD/LDR The scheme, set to start this month, ... More >>
Marlborough Landmark Protected And Lake To Be Fenced Off From Stock
Monday, 20 July 2020, 11:06 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
The Needles, in south Marlborough, are now protected under a covenant. CREDIT: CHLOE RANFORD/LDR A Marlborough natural landmark will be protected forever, while a lake famed for hosting cricket during dry weather will be protected from stock. The Needles ... More >>