our place There is a group of West Auckland women who enjoy good company, fun, and providing support for other women who need a helping hand. And it would welcome new members. Now celebrating its 100th year, Zonta is an international organisation that is committed to women’s personal development and leadership. There are over 700 ‘Zontians’ in 30 clubs around New Zealand. The West Auckland group meets every second Monday at Lincoln Green for a dinner, starting with drinks at 6pm. Speakers have included health experts, the Prostitution Collective, health providers, educational experts, The City Mission, small business owners and a representative from the Police. The group has raised funds for the Teen Parent Unit at Henderson High School (for a scholarship for a girl wanting a tertiary education) and also supports Family Action which supports women and their families at a refuge in Henderson. Other activities include supporting PADA (Peri natal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa), keeping girls in school in Madagascar and helping women who have fled Syria to set up businesses in Jordan. Funds are raised through fashion parades, film afternoons, quiz nights and a variety of other fun events full of fellowship, a glass of wine and food. Zonta is made up of women from diverse backgrounds who provide a global perspective on women’s issues. It is also a friendly group of women who enjoy the company of others with similar values, sharing their talents, having fun and developing leadership and speaking skills while helping other women. To find out more and perhaps join the group phone Sue Devitt on 021 521 352 or 845 1920 or Pam Antill on 813 3375 or 027 351 0628
Talks continuing
Discussions about the revitalisation of the sites at 14 – 22 Totara Avenue in New Lynn are continuing between Panuku and a development partner. (Panuku Development is a council controlled organisation (CCO) set up in 2015 to deliver urban regeneration.) The OAG building (above), erected in 1925, was part of the original Totara Avenue shopping block and there’s been active community discussion about the site for a number of years after it suffered significant storm damage and fell into disrepair. It remains propped up to safeguard the public and protect the fabric of the structure. A Panuku spokesperson says the vision for the Totara Avenue site is for a mixed-use development that will retain the OAG building’s facade in its design and include new residential apartments. To make the best use of the space in the meantime, it has been made available to local businesses and shoppers for use as a public car park. No resource consents have been lodged for the site although it’s thought the development partner aims to do that mid-year. – Moira Kennedy
How do we prepare for a post-petroleum future? Right now Australia is burning. Five million hectares has burned. Sydney has had dense clogging smoke for weeks. New South Wales has already lost an estimated 30% of its koala population. It is not even peak bushfire time which normally starts in April. Australia is not the only country to experience severe adverse weather patterns and consequences. The cause is clear, increased temperatures and changing rain patterns caused by climate change, just as predicted by numerous scientific studies. We have got to the stage where school kids are lecturing politicians on the subject. We are clearly facing a climate crisis. Phil Goff recently released the Mayoral Budget Proposal and included measures to address climate change. These include further tree planting, investment in a decarbonised Council fleet, and more funding for schools and adaption. I believe that the proposal needs to go much further. It should encourage low emission vehicles, rapidly increase highquality cycling and walking infrastructure, encourage and support teleworking and help develop decentralised energy networks. The last Council introduced special rates for water quality and environmental issues. These rates will raise $452 million and $311 million respectively over ten years. Most locals were very supportive.
Maybe it is time for Auckland Council to propose an urgent Climate Change special rate. The local board has completed the local Greenways Plan. It sets out a blueprint of how our walkways and cycleways could look. But we don’t have the funding to do any more than a small proportion of the plan. If we are going to be carbon neutral by 2050 then by 2030 the introduction of petrol cars into New Zealand’s fleet will be rare. Which is why alternatives to driving, including public transport, walking and cycling and teleworking will need to be nurtured as much as possible. Council needs to be brave and urgently start investing in infrastructure to get ready for our future. The argument for a dedicated fund so that we can get our city ready for a post petroleum future is I believe especially strong and especially urgent.
Greg Presland, Co-Chair Waitakere Ranges Local Board
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The Fringe FEBRUARY 2020
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