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March 2011March 31
March 30
March 8
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March 2
Auckland scallop season closes todayThe Ministry of Fisheries reminds scallop fishers that the recreational fishing season in Auckland closes at midnight tonight, 31 March. The area affected is the Auckland and Kermadec Fishery Management Area, which includes Northland, Waikato, the Bay of Plenty and Kaipara Harbour. Fishery Officers report generally good behaviour in the fishery over the summer season, with some exceptions. Ministry of Fisheries Regional Manager Ian Bright said he was pleased with overall levels of compliance with the rules, except for a few fishers who were served with infringement notices for excess and / or undersized scallops. “There are always those who are prepared to flout the rules and spoil things for everyone else – not to mention the scallop fishery,” Mr Bright said. “For example, in Northland 420 fishers were inspected by Fishery Officers over the season. They noted good levels of compliance by most people. However, a number of warnings were given and infringement notices issued for excess or undersize scallops. Eight prosecutions were started in Northland for excess numbers of scallops, and dive gear and boats used in committing the offences were seized.” Members of the public are reminded that if they see anyone taking scallops during the closed season or anything else suspicious in our fisheries, they should call 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224) in confidence. The next scallop season opens on 1 September this year. Hobsonville motorway finishing earlyThe Hobsonville motorway projects (the SH18 Hobsonville Deviation and the SH16 Brigham Creek motorway extension) are on track to be finished and open for use in September – six months ahead of schedule. Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the government's billion dollar boost to state highway funding over three years has provided a secure funding pipeline which has given contractors the confidence to continue investing in people and machinery and complete projects more quickly. The Hobsonville motorway projects are part of the Western Ring Route - a 48 kilometre alternative to SH1 running between Manukau and Albany via State Highways 20, 16 and 18. Mr Joyce says when complete, the $220 million project will, significantly reduce congestion in North-west Auckland and improve journey times between the West and the North Shore. “The new road will also greatly improve road safety in the area by taking through traffic off the local roading network. The NZTA expects traffic on Hobsonville Road to reduce from 40,000 vehicles per day currently to 6,500 per day.” "The news that the project is on track to be complete ahead of the Rugby World Cup is an added bonus." NZTA is currently seeking planning permission and resource consents from a Board of Inquiry to complete the largest remaining piece of the Western Ring Route – the Waterview Connection and associated improvements to the Northwestern Motorway. $20,000 environmental awards openSchools are being urged to act quickly to try to win a share of this year’s $20,000 Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards. Council Environmental Education Officer Susan Botting says schools have until Tuesday 17 May to apply for funding via the awards, which aim to boost environmental education in the North. Ms Botting says the council recently sent fliers to 150 Northland schools alerting them to the awards. “Each school can apply for a maximum $2000 in Environmental Curriculum Awards’ funding, which must be spent on school-based environmental education projects.’’ “Although the 17 May deadline is some time away, schools are urged to get their applications in as soon as possible as this helps us avoid a last minute rush that can slow application processing times.” Ms Botting says last year 19 Northland schools were funded for schoolground projects ranging from honey harvesting to a bush-based learning platform and tackling exotic pest plants. She says applicants need to show how their schools are putting effort into sustainably managing Northland’s natural and physical resources, which is a key regional council goal. Application forms can be downloaded from the council’s website via www.nrc.govt.nz/eca The website also includes details of previous awards winners and their projects. Completed applications should be sent to the council’s main office – Private Bag 9021, Whangarei Mail Centre, Whangarei 0148 - by 5pm Tuesday 17 May. Third bird joins Northland Emergency TrustNorthland Emergency Services Trust (NEST) announced today the purchase of a third helicopter to help service its Northland operations. The purchase is significant for emergency services in the region, with Northland’s steady population growth over recent years putting increased pressure on the capacity of organisations such as NEST to provide comprehensive coverage. The investment is welcome news for local medical professionals and residents of Northland communities, 11,500 of whom have used the service since its inception in 1988. Garry Ware, CEO of the Whangaroa Health Services Trust, says the addition of a third helicopter is essential in a region where remote townships struggle for direct access to quality medical care. “The North has a large number of isolated communities that rely heavily on the services NEST provides to maintain connections to major hospitals, with access by road in excess of a several hours for some regions ” says Ware. “For those travelling in one of NEST’s helicopters the level of need is almost always high and time is of the essence. Put simply, the service increases the chance of our people staying alive. Adding to that resource to ensure complete coverage for our region can only be a positive,” he says. The move follows the three helicopter precedent set by Otago which, along with Northland, has the highest workload of the rescue services nationally. NEST Chairman John Bain says the addition of the new helicopter was essential in ensuring rescue services and medical transfers can continue to keep pace with demand. “Civil aviation requirements state that each of our helicopters must undergo a full inspection every 300 flight hours with each of those inspections lasting around five weeks. With the rapid growth in Northland driving up the number of call outs, we are reaching this 300 hour mark increasingly quickly,” he says. “While the grounding and inspection of these helicopters is carefully scheduled by the Trust, not having a backup helicopter at all times in such an expansive area is certainly not ideal.” The new Sikorsky S76 helicopter will go some way to alleviating the demand caused by the increase in flight hours and will also introduce a second winch – a much needed resource for rescue operations. Currently Northland goes without a winch service during inspection periods. Along with improving rescue services to Northland, the additional helicopter will benefit other North Island services with a backup helicopter when required. During times when all three aircrafts are operational, one will also be made available for the Advanced Pilot Training Programme at Ardmore where training is focused on up-skilling pilots in a vocation which is steadily in decline. The revenue generated from this will further offset operating costs for a third helicopter, ensuring local residents in Northland communities will not wear the cost. Call for disabilities representativesApplications have opened for membership of Auckland Council’s Disability Group. The Mayor and councillors are seeking group members who understand the region wide issues facing people with disabilities in the new Auckland Council structure. Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the group is part of the council’s vision for a fair and inclusive Auckland where all Aucklanders have a good quality of life, share in economic prosperity and have opportunities to reach their full potential. “We acknowledge that people with disabilities still face barriers to their equal participation in the economic, civic and cultural life of the city. We seek greater equality by ensuring the views of people with disabilities are heard in relation to all council plans and activities,” says Penny Hulse. The Disability Group’s role, which is advisory, is strategic and will focus on issues such as affordable housing, accessible public transport, planning of community facilities, leadership development and social connectedness. The council is looking for applicants who have expert knowledge regarding disability issues in Auckland, have a pan-disability approach (i.e. a broad knowledge of Auckland’s disability community), and are passionate about enhancing the wellbeing of people with disabilities. Applications open Monday 28 March and close on Friday 8 April 2011. Applicants should email their CV and a covering letter outlining their relevant skills and experience to: disabilitygroup@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz For more information please contact Marion Davies on 09 301 0101 or email Marion at marion.davies@franklin.govt.nz Prince William visits ChristchurchPrince William will visit the people of Christchurch as they cope with the tragic aftermath of the February 22 earthquake. St James’s Palace has announced that Prince William, on behalf of The Queen, will attend the National Memorial Service at North Hagley Park on 18 March. He will also visit Greymouth to speak to the families of the Pike River Mine disaster. “This is a heart-warming gesture that will mean a lot to the thousands of people whose lives have been forever changed by these events. “I would like to personally thank The Queen for thinking of New Zealand in its darkest hours and very much look forward to seeing Prince William again, even though it is in very sad circumstances.” Prince William will be in New Zealand on March 17 and 18 before flying to Australia on March 19 where he will visit areas affected by Queensland’s cyclone and flooding. Prince William’s itinerary will be released closer to the time of the visit. Oil prices reach 30-month highsThe price of oil continued to rise during February, jumping US$15 a barrel (15%) to reach US$115, a figure not seen since August 2008. The rising cost saw a litre of 91 octane petrol increase 3 cents per litre to $2.03 per litre in the main centres, with diesel rising 6 cents to $1.43 at most stations. “Ordinarily, the big jump in oil prices due to the crisis in major oil exporter Libya would have led to a large increase at the pump in New Zealand during February, but the oil companies held off raising prices until March due to the Christchurch earthquake and the need to maintain fuel supplies into the city. Even then, the oil companies have chosen not to increase prices in Christchurch for the foreseeable future, which is commendable,” says AA PetrolWatch spokesperson Mark Stockdale. “We calculate that the imported cost of petrol has risen 10 cents per litre since the last pump price rise on 16 February, which is double what the oil companies have passed on at the pump, and their costs have increased again since then. “Unless oil prices drop soon, it is likely that retail prices will rise again.” According to AA PetrolWatch, the last time oil prices were this high, 91 octane petrol cost $2.03 per litre – but petrol taxes were 13 cents lower. Yet diesel, which has no fuel excise, was $1.80 per litre due to a higher commodity price relative to petrol at that time. At current prices, the imported cost of petrol makes up $1.10 of the retail price of a litre of petrol, and taxes another 89 cents. Significant support for Cantabs in AucklandMore than 2000 Cantabrians have now registered at Auckland’s reception centres, with agencies predicting a short-term population boost of up to 21,000 for the Auckland region. Auckland Council’s Civil Defence team has set up three reception centres for people displaced from Christchurch, at Auckland Airport, Lambie Drive in Manukau, and Whenuapai, where they are allocated emergency accommodation and other support. Auckland Council’s Civil Defence Controller Clive Manley expects there will continue to be a need for the reception centres for the foreseeable future. “We are expecting an ongoing arrival of people from Christchurch – some for respite or short-term stays, some in transit, and some long-term stay or permanent relocation. “So far, 1192 people have been provided with accommodation in Auckland, either through billets, community centres and groups, and in motels. “The health sector alone predicts a population increase for Auckland of up to 21,000 people, with resulting increased demand for housing, education, social welfare and employment.” All residents who have left Christchurch should call 0800 Red Cross (0800 733 276), to be registered. Auckland has provided the following in response to requests for support:
Auckland Business Advisory Panel chosenA panel comprising many of Auckland’s leading business minds has been formed to advise Auckland Council. Councillor Cameron Brewer will chair the Auckland Council Business Advisory Panel, which will be a voice for the Auckland business community on council policies, plans, by-laws and strategies, particularly the economic development strategy. "We have worked hard to select a range of people from across Auckland, across business sectors, from companies, organisations and industries of different scales, experiences and perspectives so we have balanced input and a good overview. This is a high calibre group of well-respected Auckland businesspeople from all walks of life,” says Cr Brewer. "This is a great opportunity for the new council to have an open channel to business. This panel is not about us telling business how to do things. This is about Auckland business having a regular opportunity to directly give the council feedback and policy ideas. This initiative will ensure there is an ongoing full and frank dialogue between business and local government.” The Mayor says a productive, high-value economy is an important factor if Auckland is to become the world’s most liveable city. “We must work alongside Auckland’s businesses to build the platform they need to deliver jobs, investment and development,” says Len Brown. “We must unleash Auckland's economic potential. For New Zealand to thrive, Auckland needs to succeed.” The panel will advise the Mayor and elected representatives, both councillors and Local Board members, about the most effective means of engaging with the Auckland business community. It will also provide advice to Local Boards on business issues, and will alert the council to any matters it judges to be of particular concern or interest to the business community. "Auckland is the country's main commercial centre,” says Cr Brewer. Everyone is keen to lift our city's economic performance.” The panel will meet for the first time on 24 March, and will convene for workshops and informal meetings as required. Panel members House sales jump in FebruaryRents fall, but benchmark increasesThe resilience of the Auckland housing market showed up strongly in February, with sales volume increasing on January’s number by 9.9 percent to 619, and the average price increasing 1.2 percent to $521,887. “In February, the average price and the number of homes sold were virtually the same as in February last year,” said Peter Thompson, Managing Director of Barfoot & Thompson. “The number of homes sold in the month is on a par with the number we have sold at this time of the year for the past four years, while the average price is the highest we have ever achieved for the month of February. “Another positive factor is that during the last three weeks of February the number of sales agreements reached were higher than for the same three week period last year. You have to go back 12 months to find when this last occurred. “It adds up to a housing market that, while turning over relatively modestly, is holding up price wise.” Mr Thompson said a key factor that revived interest in the market in February was the return of new sellers. “New listings at 1529 were close to what we would expect at this time of the year in a moderately active market. “They were also up 70.6 percent on those for January, but that month’s new listings were exceptionally low and this comparative figure is somewhat misleading.” Mr Thompson said sales, geographically across the region and in the various price segments, were consistent with regular patterns. “The number of homes sold in the million dollar plus bracket were not a factor in house prices holding up in February, with sales in this category being consistent with the volume achieved last year.” Mr Thompson said that at the end of February the company had 6053 homes on its books, 3.4 percent more than in January but down 3.1 percent on February last year. “The key to the market continuing to turn over modestly is new listings. There is not a glut of homes on the market, there are buyers out there and there is competitive mortgage money available. “What remains tight is choice.” RentalsThe average weekly rent in February dropped by $14 to $402 from January’s all time high of $416.“The fall in weekly rent was anticipated as the normal influx of people into Auckland over January eased,” said Mr Thompson. “Even so, February’s average price is $12 above the average rent for this time last year, and the market has certainly settled at a new benchmark.” During the month Barfoot & Thompson rented 817 properties, on a par with the same number as January and 112 more than in February last year. Shakespear pests bewareIndependent commissioners have granted the Auckland Council resource consent to carry out animal pest eradication on a defined area of Shakespear Regional Park, by way of aerial bait application. “This is a significant milestone in working toward open sanctuary status,” says Ian Maxwell, Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation for the Auckland Council. “A lot of work has gone into securing funding, building a pest-proof fence and preparing the park for pest eradication. This includes rigorous research into the methods for applying poison bait and managing the park during the eradication period,” he says. Planning for the open sanctuary and fundraising for the fence began in 2004. Fence construction officially kicked off in early 2010 and completion is scheduled for late February 2011. Community partner, the Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society Inc (SOSSI) has raised $475,000 toward the cost of the fence. The open sanctuary will encompass more than 500 hectares of land, including Shakespear Regional Parkland and the adjoining wastewater treatment plant and New Zealand Defence Force land. “Integration is a core philosophy of this project,” says Mr Maxwell. “It brings together varying land uses, including farming, recreation, a utility and a military operation; and adds a viable conservation layer. “The benefits of this mainland island will be seen for generations to come, as treasured species are reintroduced, or return naturally from nearby protected areas, and are allowed to thrive without threat from predators,” he says. The pest eradication programme, which will be carried out while the affected area of the park is closed, is scheduled for the latter half of this year. Shakespear Regional Park will be closed to the public from 1 July until mid-December. This coincides with the traditional low-use period for day visitors, camping and site bookings. Okoromai and Army Bays are a buffer zone for the open sanctuary area and remain open throughout this eradication period, except on days when bait is being aerially applied. The poison bait (brodifacoum) will be spread by controlled aerial application using a helicopter and specially designed bucket. This is international best practice for rodent eradication and has a substantial track record for achieving conservation outcomes. A system called trickle baiting will be used around the coastal margins and the coastline will be swept by ground crews after baits have been laid to remove any bait that falls below the high water mark. The conditions of the resource consent and the council’s operational plan clearly identify all of the necessary precautions that need to be taken to ensure that the bait application is safe for both the public and the environment. Public notices, signs and boats patrolling the coast will inform the public in the lead up to and during the operation. “Council will be providing park users and the public with further information in the coming months,” says Mr Maxwell. “It is important to note that all information from the council will include the Auckland Council logo and a contact number or website for further information,” he says. The resource consent process was subject to an appeal period that is open to all submitters. No appeals were lodged and the Auckland Council is now refining its operational plan, according to the conditions outlined in the resource consent. The council has already carried out a similar project at Tawharanui Regional Park near Warkworth. The Tawharanui Open Sanctuary was officially opened in 2006 and kiwi, kakariki, whiteheads, robins and pateke have all been successfully reintroduced. To find out more about the Shakespear Open Sanctuary project go to www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or to support the Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society Inc go to www.sossi.org.nz. |
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