Mahurangi Matters_E Edition 1_27 August 2021 by Localmatters

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Lighter side of lockdown page 9

Sadly, it is a nail in the coffin for many enterprises that utilise the Gulf page 3

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E EDITION 1 August 27, 2021

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Second Delta case in Warkworth

A staff member at CHT Amberlea in Algies Bay was confirmed as a positive Covid-19 case last night (August 26). In a release on the CHT website, chief executive Carriann Hall says the staff member is a household contact of a confirmed Covid-19 case and went into precautionary self-isolation earlier this week. She says the rest home will be conducting surveillance testing for all staff and residents via a mobile testing unit. “Staff members who have been working closely with the positive staff member have gone into self-isolation and will only return to work once cleared by Public Health,” her message said. “We are working to ensure we have adequate staffing levels to continue to take care of all our residents.” Residents who were close contacts of the staff member are currently being identified by Public Health and will go into precautionary isolation. This is the second case confirmed in Warkworth this week. The other case is linked to one of the large Auckland clusters, but the Ministry of Health has not released any further details. As at 10am this morning, there were no locations of interest in Warkworth. Organisers fear the Kowhai Festival may be in doubt if the Government takes a hard line on its scanning rules.

Scanning rule risk for Kowhai Festival A decision to introduce mandatory scanning for businesses and large gatherings will sound the death knell for events such as the annual Kowhai Festival in Warkworth unless the Government can be flexible, a festival organiser says. Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says those responsible for certain businesses and events will need to ensure people keep a record when they visit, either by scanning QR codes with the Covid-19 Tracer app or making a manual record.

The new rule is designed to ensure that the Government can contact trace quickly in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. It would apply to places where people gather consistently and in large numbers including cafes, restaurants, bars, casinos, concerts, gyms, nightclubs and libraries. Kowhai Festival organiser Murray Chapman says while he agrees with the rationale behind the new rule, he thinks the Government needs to allow some

leeway for event organisers and businesses. He says for unticketed events such as the Kowhai Festival Huge Day Out, which takes place on Warkworth streets, it is just not physically possible for organisers to ensure everyone scans in. He thinks that as long as the organiser does everything possible with QR codes and manual registers scattered throughout the venue, that should be sufficient. “If the Government insists you have to

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ensure there needs to be 100 per cent sign in then that will be the end of outdoor events that are not ticketed,” he says. Mr Chapman says that would be a great shame, because when New Zealand emerged from the last Level 4 lockdown people were desperate to attend events and celebrate their new found freedom. He says planning for this year’s Kowhai continued page 2

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www.localmatters.co.nz Book your advertising now General manager: Jannette Thompson gm@localmatters.co.nz Editor: James Addis ph 022 549 9801 editor@localmatters.co.nz Journalist: Jonathan Killick ph 022 549 8271 news@localmatters.co.nz Journalist: Sally Marden ph 022 478 1619 reporter@localmatters.co.nz Advertising: Ken Lawson ph 022 029 1899 advertising@localmatters.co.nz Advertising: Marc Milford ph 022 029 1897 local@localmatters.co.nz Online: Alysha Dudley ph 022 544 0249 online@localmatters.co.nz Accounts: Angela Thomas ph 425 9068 admin@localmatters.co.nz Graphic designer: Heather Arnold design@localmatters.co.nz A division of Local Matters. Mahurangi Matters is a locally owned publication, circulated to more than 14,750 homes and businesses two weekly from Puhoi to Waipu. Views expressed in Mahurangi Matters are not necessarily endorsed by the publishers. All rights reserved. Reproduction without editor’s permission is prohibited.

Third sand mining consent sought A third consent application to mine sand offshore from Mangawhai and Pakiri is before Auckland Council. McCallum Brothers has applied to extract sand from a “mid-shore” depth of between 15 and 25 metres. It has applied to extract 125,000 cubic metres a year for a period of 35 years – more than double the length of time of its now-lapsed consent for nearshore mining. The lapsed consent was for 76,000 cubic metres a year for 14 years. The application says that Pakiri sand supplies 43 per cent of the Auckland market for concrete manufacturing. It also says that McCallum has engaged with mana whenua and has commissioned Ngati Manuhiri and Te Uri o Hau for cultural values assessments, which will be provided to Council upon completion. The latest application has come to light following allegations from Friends of Pakiri and the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society that McCallum Brothers has been allowed to continue sand mining despite its consent for near-shore mining, having been lapsed for more than a year. McCallum chief operating officer Shayne Elstob said the near-shore extraction could lawfully continue as it had applied for renewal and the delay was on Council. In a statement to Mahurangi Matters, Council acknowledged that it had had all the necessary information since December last year, but had delayed publicly notifying the consent because it had received yet another application. “If the second application proceeds with

Sand is a sought-after commodity.

public notification, the two applications will be notified together,” resource consent manager Ian Dobson said. Council further acknowledged that in the meantime McCallum could legally continue to extract near-shore sand. Meanwhile, a consent application by Kaipara Ltd for extraction further offshore has been paused while coastal experts investigate allegations that the sea floor has

been damaged. Council says delays in McCallum’s consent applications are also a result of its experts being occupied by Kaipara Ltd’s application. If all three consents are granted, up to 300,000 cubic metres of sand could be extracted from Pakiri’s seabed each year, or six million cubic metres over the next 20 years.

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Festival, due to be celebrated in October, continues in the hope that New Zealand will be out of Level 4 by then. Mr Chapman, who is also manager of the One Mahurangi Business Association, also worries about the burden that will fall on businesses if the Government takes a hard line. “What happens when somebody turns up to a business who is an anti-vaxxer or just decides they are not going to scan in? I

would hate to see businesses penalised for not enforcing it when it is beyond their control,” he says. “At the end of the day, all the business can do is refuse to provide service, which in itself penalises the business,” he says. The Government is currently developing guidance to support businesses to comply with the new requirements. Minister Hipkins says he understands the

from page 1

new rule adds an extra responsibility for businesses and hosts. “But it is necessary to help New Zealand maintain its Covid-19 elimination strategy and help us return to the freedoms we have enjoyed for the past year, which so many countries have not,” he says. The new rule comes into effect seven days after any change in alert level settings that allows more businesses to open or gatherings to go ahead.

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Checkpoint silence angers Ngāti Whātua

Sadly, it is a nail in the coffin for many enterprises that utilise the Gulf

”

There are calls for more flexibility for recreational fishing and a ban on commercial trawling.

Fishing groups slam Gulf plans at forum The Government’s strategy for revitalising the Hauraki Gulf has been labelled farcical, biased and offensive by recreational fishing groups and tour operators. Orewa’s Terry Creagh, of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC), and Tony Orton, from Mangawhai, representing nearly 20 charter boat guides, told the quarterly Hauraki Gulf Forum meeting held via Zoom on Monday that they rejected the Revitalising the Gulf plan. Their principal objections were with the Government’s failure to ban commercial dredging and trawling in gulf waters and the “locking-up” of 18 new or extended marine protection areas being proposed, including around the Mokohino Islands, Te Hauturu Little Barrier, Kawau Bay and Tiritiri Matangi. Although Revitalising the Gulf has been put together in response to the call for action made by the 2017 Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan, Mr Creagh said the result was compromised and offensive to those who had worked hard to produce

that original consensus-based plan. “The proposals are a win for industrial fishing interests and a loss for both the marine ecosystem and the people of the Hauraki Gulf,” he said. Tony Orton said he owned a sustainable fishing business and he had been eagerly anticipating Revitalising the Gulf. “Sadly, it is a nail in the coffin for many enterprises that utilise the Gulf, particularly for people looking for a special fishing adventure or the chance to take home fresh fish for dinner,” he said. “Put plainly, the marine protection proposals are not acceptable in the absence of any meaningful effort to curb destructive commercial fishing pressure. “World class fisheries could be lost forever under the current proposed plan, yet with simple management they could remain sustainable forever.” After government department updates on the process, timeframes and workstreams involved in implementing Revitalising the

Gulf, Fisheries NZ manager Jake Hore said that this was a road map and there would be public consultation on marine protection and fisheries management in 2022. “There are a lot of actions set out, a lot of things have been carried forward, but this is when you can really lay out the direction of travel,” he said. Forum co-chair Pippa Coom said she appreciated those who had voiced their concerns, but this was the only proposal on the table. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s a first step, a starting point,” she said. “We want to make sure we improve the proposals – bottom-impact fishing should be removed from the entire marine park – but this is the continuation of a journey. We want to be actively involved going forward.”

Info: Hauraki Gulf Forum https:// gulfjournal.org.nz/ Revitalising the Gulf: https://www.doc. govt.nz/globalassets/documents/our-work/ sea-change/revitalising-the-gulf.pdf

After building up a successful relationship with NZ Police over the last few lockdowns working side by side on checkpoints, Ngāti Whātua say their contribution and expertise have been ignored. “We are disappointed to be cut out of the conversation (re checkpoints) and left in the dark, despite regular meetings with top NZ Police and Crown officials,” Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua chief operating officer Antony Thompson says. “We bring valuable expertise and experience to safely managing checkpoints which have the potential to be points of conflict.” Mr Thompson says Ngāti Whātua believe the border between Northland and Auckland should have been set up when the lockdown was put in place regardless of Covid-19 levels, to protect vulnerable Northland communities while vaccination is still relatively low across Aotearoa. Ngāti Whātua found out late Tuesday night from media and other sources that checkpoints would be stood up in its rohe. There was no prior notice from the Crown, its executive or its leadership despite being a part in a number of communication groups involved with coordination efforts for the current lockdown. “Sadly, this lack of Crown collaboration is no longer a surprise, but it is still disappointing,” Mr Thompson says.

Cannabis bust

Two people were charged with the cultivation of cannabis when they appeared in the North Shore District Court last week following a raid on a house in Wellsford. Police searched a house on Rodney Street, opposite Rodney College, on August 17 and discovered a professional cannabis growing operation. They say a “significant amount” of cannabis plants and harvested material were seized as well as a sum of cash and equipment for growing cannabis. The offenders, aged 39 and 60, were arrested and will again appear in court on September 13. A police spokesperson says the investigation is ongoing and Police cannot rule out further arrests or charges. NEW OFFICE OPENED at 3 Hibiscus Coast Highway, Silverdale

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Sayers sceptical of unsealed roads change $50,000 boost

for Fight the Tip court case An anonymous contributor has given a massive $50,000 donation to help fund anti-landfill campaigners to fight Waste Management’s plans to develop a new regional tip in the Dome Valley. Fight the Tip Tiaki Te Whenua executive Michelle Carmichael said the “incredibly generous” gift was made because the donor wanted to make sure that the group’s legal costs were covered for their appeal to the Environment Court. “What an amazing thing to do to help our cause, which they are completely supportive of,” she said. “Their intention is to ensure our base legal costs are covered when combined with a Ministry for the Environment grant that we are applying for, which is to a maximum of $50,000.” She said legal costs were expected to be around $100,000, plus the group may need to hire technical experts for the case as well. “We have some experts who have volunteered, but the money will help us hire any expert witnesses we are missing, or in specific technical areas we need to cover,” she said. “That’s why every bit will help and, of course, we won’t know until later how much of the maximum $50,000 grant we will get.” Ms Carmichael said the group had received support from many other people, too, with more than $15,000 donated to Fight the Tip’s Givealittle page, as well as $1300 from a recent movie night in Mangawhai and $500 from BYO Bags in Dargaville. “We want to thank every single person who has donated so far,” she said. “Every donation strengthens our ability to engage the experts we need in our legal battle. The more we have, the stronger we can be.”

Auckland Transport (AT) has announced a new approach for dealing with unsealed roads, but the move has provoked a sceptical response from Rodney Councillor Greg Sayers. The new approach would see AT working with local boards, including the Rodney Local Board, to prioritise work on the roads. Around 640km or 80 per cent of Auckland’s gravel roads are in Rodney. Mayor Phil Goff says working with local boards will enable AT to target upgrades to the specific condition of roads needing improvements. “It will help us get better value for money from our roading upgrades and improve more roads across the region,” he says. AT chief engineer Murray Burt adds that AT previously used a narrow set of criteria for prioritising road maintenance and upgrades. The new scheme allows for a broader range of treatment options, rather than always defaulting to a full seal. “There is a limited pool of money for sealing roads and we are looking at ways of getting better value,” he says. The treatment options, in addition to full sealing, include pavement strengthening, road widening, safety improvements, repair of potholes, drainage improvements and dust mitigation. Rodney Local Board deputy chair Beth Houlbrooke welcomes the change saying unsealed roads are a constant issue in the rural community with dust, mud, run-off and potholes. “We strongly support AT finding a better way to look at these problems so that we can deliver more fixes to more roads,” she says. But Cr Greg Sayers remains unimpressed. “The reality of the matter is the budget for improving unsealed roads was slashed from $121 million for the next 10 years to just $40 million. This will have a huge negative impact on the condition of the unsealed roading network,” he says. Cr Sayers says the budget was taken away in preference for building more public transport and cycling projects in the city. “Rural communities continue to be marginalised under the Supercity’s preferred transport priorities,” he says.

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Brazen thieves prompt warning Police are encouraging Rodney residents to be vigilant amid reports of increasingly brazen burglary attempts. Warkworth plumber Jason Wech had his workshop in Glenmore Drive broken into and copper pipes stolen this month. Jason caught the offender on CCTV, but they remain at large. He is now in the process of building a bigger fence. “It’s hard, because if thieves want to take something, they will find a way,” he says. Builder Nick Dobbyn has been the victim of theft three times in the last two years. He says that on one occasion, $70,000 worth of tools were stolen. The loss wasn’t covered by his insurance because the tools were in his shed and not his work vehicle. This month his car was broken into at his house in Wyllie Road and his tools were stolen again. “It is a bit crap when someone takes your tools because you have to start from scratch. I haven’t got 30 grand to buy new tools to keep working.” Nick has been unable to work as a builder while his insurance claim is processed, but has found temporary work on a digger. Philip Solaris was working in his garage in Matheson Bay around midnight when he heard someone opening his car door outside. “The dog started barking so I went to take a look and saw a man running back across the road. It was just fortunate there was nothing in the car to steal,” Philip says. He has subsequently identified the man he saw fleeing the property, but has not approached Police because there was no evidence and nothing was taken. Warkworth Police Sergeant Mark Stallworthy says statistically, theft has not increased in recent months but brazen burglaries have highlighted the issue. He says tools and construction materials may be a popular target for thieves servicing a methamphetamine addiction as they can be quickly converted into cash.

Central’s Tips September 2021 In the Edible Garden Jason Wech caught a thief on camera.

He says it is a timely reminder to be vigilant about theft and there are steps that tradies can take to deter thieves. Warkworth Police have been attending tradies’ breakfasts to provide engraving on tools. The Warkworth station also has innovative “invisible ink” markers which can be used to write on tools and then viewed by Police with an ultraviolet light torch. Sgt Stallworthy also encourages tradies to purchase GPS trackers for tools. They are available for around $50 online and some tool manufacturers are including them as standard. He says people also need to be extra cautious about buying tools from online marketplaces where there is no accountability for the sale of stolen goods. “Don’t buy anything with the serial numbers removed,” he says. Most importantly, Police want the public to call in any suspicious activity. “We are on patrol 24/7 but we rely on public information to respond. If in doubt, call it in.”

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Covid-19 outbreak

Mahurangi responds to lockdown Here is a look at how the region is coping with another Alert Level 4 Covid-19 lockdown ... The announcement that New Zealand would head into Level 4 Lockdown on August 17 gave Mahurangi a sharp reminder that although there had been no community transmission for months, Covid-19 remained an ever-present threat. The community quickly learned that anything non-essential, including Auckland Council services, would close and strict new rules would apply for visiting places such as a supermarket. Shoppers were told to wear a mask, reminded of physical distancing measures and told to limit purchases of high demand items such as toilet paper, rice, pasta and baby formula. Police promised they would take action on those who failed to wear a mask and although they vowed an “education-first” approach, they did warn of infringement notices, arrests and court action for repeated refusal to comply. Hundreds made use of an online reporting service to dob in those failing to observe the rules. An early warning that Covid was in striking distance of Mahurangi came on August 19 when the Ministry of Health identified Albany Westfield Mall – a popular shopping spot for locals – as a location of interest.

Those who had visited earlier on August 13 were told to self-isolate and call Healthline. With complacency well and truly gone, Mahurangi medical centres reported a massive upsurge in people seeking testing for Covid-19. Around 100 people a day began seeking testing at Kawau Bay Health, up from about 30 a day before the current lockdown. Fortunately, centres coped with the upsurge in demand since most other consultations were now being conducted by phone, rather than face-to-face, freeing up staff to be redirected to the Covid response. Despite the constrained conditions, Mahurangi residents, businesses and local government showed a remarkable ability to adapt. The Rodney Local Board conducted its monthly business meeting via Skype and many stores that were forced to close during the last lockdown revealed they had online ordering and contactless delivery systems in place. With none of its regular custom from restaurants, Warkworth Butchery put together a new range of mixed meat boxes and delivered everywhere between

Police promised action against those failing to comply with lockdown rules.

Wellsford and Orewa. Matakana Village Butchery, Mangawhai Meats in Maungauroto also offered online ordering and delivery, reaching remote spots such as Kawau Island and Pahi respectively. Meanwhile, fruit and veggie producer

Mangawhai Grown said it could continue lockdown deliveries even across border checkpoints should they be put in place, as its drivers had exemptions. For those needing a drink, most liquor continued next page

Warkworth Christian Foodlink appealed for food to help people struggling during lockdown.

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Oasis for a great nights sleep Warkworth made national news when Covid was detected in its wastewater. from previous page

stores were able to offer online ordering, though with strict ID requirements. Mahurangi schools also were well prepared with most seamlessly transitioning to online learning, but there were concerns for students with upcoming exams and rural students without internet. Mahurangi College principal Tony Giles’ message to students was to try to maintain their routine as much as possible. “That means keeping up with online lessons but also staying in contact with classmates and maintaining classroom culture,” he said. Tomarata School principal Cherylene Neels expressed hope that the Ministry of Education would be forthcoming with supplying “hard packs” for children lacking digital devices and online connections. Meanwhile, teaching staff called school families, checking how they were and seeing if they needed additional support. That caring approach was further in evidence when Warkworth Lions and Mahu Vollies reprised their ‘assisted shopping service’ from last lockdown at Warkworth New World. Senior citizens, the immune compromised and those juggling child care responsibilities were invited to come to New World and have their shopping done for them by a volunteer

while they waited safely in their cars. As it turned out, there was little demand for the service during its first run on August 24. Lions spokesperson Peter Henderson suspected the requirement to wear masks and the fact that many senior citizens were now vaccinated had given shoppers more confidence to shop for themselves. But lest there was any lack of confidence further north, Wellsford Lions offered another shopping service, whereby people could call Four Square Wellsford (The Top Shop) and have a volunteer call them back, take their order and deliver essential supplies. Warkworth made national news following the announcement on August 21 that Covid had been detected in its wastewater. It prompted around 400 people to get tested over the weekend at a pop-up testing centre run by Coast to Coast health in Morrison Drive. Initially, there were no reports of anyone returning a positive test and there was speculation that perhaps the initial wastewater was related to someone passing through Warkworth rather than a resident. However, on Wednesday August 25 Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed the first positive case of Covid-19 had been identified in Warkworth during the current lockdown.

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Bringing forward transport investment Three years on since the Rodney Local Board recommended the introduction of a targeted rate to speed up transport investment, projects are underway across the local board area. Local board chairperson Phelan Pirrie says the rate is used to fund parking, to support public transport, bus stops and services, and footpaths. “It’s scheduled to be in place for 10 years from its 2018 inception and has enabled us to work with Auckland Transport to advance projects that aren’t in the Regional Land Transport Plan, but are important to local communities,” he says. The rate was established on the principle that each subdivision receives the proportion that reflects the revenue collected in it. “It’s critical the money is used in an equitable way,” Pirrie says. “Few things wind people up as much as the notion they are paying and getting nothing for it, or that their money is going elsewhere. With the targeted rate, they can be assured that 100 per cent of the rate collected is invested back into Rodney.”

Community transport hubs The local board selected Warkworth and Kumeū for park and ride-style community transport hubs. Detailed design for Warkworth’s Great North Road hub was completed and the local board approved construction work, which began earlier this year and is expected to be completed in March 2022. The facility will feature a bus layover, two bus stops, 137 car parks, including 15 short-term and four accessible parking spots, footpaths, a signalised pedestrian crossing across Great North Road, two toilet blocks, bike parking, lighting and CCTV. Local Board Deputy Chairperson Beth Houlbrooke says, “The success of similar facilities throughout Auckland leaves us confident that the Warkworth hub will be a critical part of the transport infrastructure for this area.” The local board and Auckland Transport are currently undertaking investigation work to identify a suitable site for the Kumeū hub.

Buses The local board has achieved considerable success with two of its targeted rate-funded bus routes. Route 126 (between Westgate and Coatesville) and Route 998 (Wellsford to Warkworth) have both seen steady growth since their inception in 2019 and are meeting patronage targets. Based on this, Auckland Transport has agreed to take over funding these two services from May 2022. Having Auckland Transport fund these two routes means that the targeted rate funding that would have been used for them can be used for additional local transport services or infrastructure. The local board is currently exploring options with Auckland Transport on how to use this funding. The local board is also adding bus stops to the network. In December it allocated funding for stops on the Coatesville-Riverhead Highway. Work is expected to start this month. As well, the local board has worked with the community on a more frequent bus service for route 128 from Helensville to Silverdale after residents raised issues about students using the school bus. “Because the route was only operating on an hour-and-a-half service, moving to hourly meant two buses were needed,” Pirrie says. “Funding an hourly weekday service and a two-hourly weekend one adds more than $300,000 in costs every year, so it’s important people use it, because ultimately it will be use it or lose it, with a review scheduled for December.”

New footpaths “There are a number of footpaths currently progressing right now across each of our four subdivisions, and for the people who live in those areas, they’re critical,” says Pirrie. “We are committed to improving transport services across our area and that starts from people’s front doors. If you can’t walk up the road to catch a bus because there’s no footpath, it doesn’t matter how often the service runs.”

| Mahurangimatters | August 27, 2021

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A look at the lighter side of the local lockdown When the country plunged into lockdown, people reacted in all the usual ways. Some rushed to the supermarkets to buy toilet paper and canned goods, and others lined up at petrol stations to fill up their jerry cans with fuel. But while some were panic buying, others were quick to see the lighter side of lockdown. Geoff Upson pictured his dog George with a 12 pack of “mega roll” toilet paper priced at $200 on the Wellsford Buy & Sell page, available for contactless delivery. “No low ball offers – I know what I have,” he wrote. The Omaha community page was satirically filled with residents asking about the traffic from Auckland. “It’s a bit slow because I’m towing the boat,” one resident responded. There were also acts of generosity. Staff at Warkworth Dominos decided to use up their ingredients by cooking up a batch of pizzas to feed staff at New World as they braced for the weeks ahead. As the days have gone by, the community has attempted to make the best of it. Each day Mike Paddison has posted a picture in the Kaipara Flats Community Group of his three daughters with a sign counting down the days, each time with a different pose. They’ve received so much praise from local residents, the pressure is now on to maintain it for what could be a month or more of lockdown. Others haven’t let lockdown stop them from making a political point. Followers of the Groundswell NZ protest group have been honking their horns each Friday at 12.30pm, much to the confusion of their neighbours. Mangawhai’s Shaz Austin wanted to help out people in the community doing it tough. She bought three $50 vouchers from the Four Square in Mangawhai Heads and offered them on Facebook to anyone who might need them. But Shaz got more than she bargained for, when instead of asking for the vouchers, the community rallied behind her and donated a further 18 vouchers. The supermarket has become a centre of

The Paddison household in Kaipara Flats has been doing daily updates. From left, Alyssa, 7, Holly 12, and Hannah, 9.

Geoff Upson’s dog George - lockdown loo paper entrepreneur.

daily life during lockdown but, for one elderly man, the supermarket was responsible for saving his life. A regular customer of the Maungaturoto Four Square, who is partially blind and known for walking long distances to do his shopping, collapsed on a table in the store. Fortunately, a member of the Kaiwaka Volunteer Fire Brigade was there and performed CPR, and successfully “revived him back to life”. Pamela Nattrass and her co-workers at the Four Square

followed their first aid training and warmed the man up with a blanket and called in the local GP. The man is now recovering in Whangarei hospital. “We’re just glad that it happened in the shop and not out on the road somewhere, because there’s a lot less traffic around at the moment,” Pamela says. Other remote locations have received more traffic than they ought to this week. A group of people in utes visited Manukapua

Big Sand Island at Tapora to go fishing, and neighbours weren’t surprised when the vehicles got stuck in the sand. The renegade fishermen called in some mates to help them get out, who also got stuck. With six vehicles then left immobile, the group approached neighbouring residents for assistance, who justifiably declined. Ultimately, a tow vehicle from Warkworth had to come to pull them free. Sand Island has been closed off to all visitors.

Cash boost for Horizon School Warkworth real estate agents Avalon and James Sanders presented Horizon School principal Helen Pearson with a $1000 cheque earlier this month. The money will go towards the school library, furniture and upgrades. Avalon and James, together with Bayleys Real Estate, are sponsoring Horizon School to support the ongoing growth and development of its learning spaces. Avalon says their $1000 contribution kick starts an ongoing relationship with the school. “As they develop into facilitating secondary school years, inevitable growth in their roll means a growing need for resources,” Avalon says. Pictured, from left, James and Avalon Sanders and Helen Pearson with the $1000 cheque.

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August 27, 2021 | Mahurangimatters |

Us in lockdown

Courtney-Love is crocheting comfort toys. “The octopuses are made for newborns and premature babies, the tentacles are comforting to the babies as it simulates the umbilical cord in the womb. Babies with tubes don’t pull on the tubes but instead hold onto the tentacles of the octopus.”

Mud and kids, a match made in heaven.

Michelle Fistonich is giving embroidery a go, while daughter Paige is busy painting.

We asked our Facebook followers to share some of the activities that are keeping them sane during the current lockdown. Here’s a few of the responses:

Aimee Whitaker sent in these pics of the bubble chase and some night-time fun.

Labour MP Marja Lubeck was Zooming into Wellington from Tomarata

Natasha Symons made this cross from driftwood.

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| Mahurangimatters | August 27, 2021

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Homebuilders Quentin Jukes, Coordinator www.homebuildersfs.org

Numbers you may need With so many of us under emotional and financial stress at the moment, it’s not surprising lots of people are feeling pretty fragile. This is the time to be using the supports available to each of us so that small problems don’t escalate and to ensure we have good plans in place to manage problems which are already big and may get bigger. It seems that for many of us when we were growing up we got the message that asking for help was a shameful thing and a sign of weakness. This is especially so for us men. While rationally this makes no sense, it can still deter us from asking our family, friends or support agencies for support. It’s good to be able to pass on a different message to the next generation by showing that it’s clever to reach out and ask for support early on, rather than just bury our heads in the sand and hope the problem will go away. If you or someone you know needs support here are some useful numbers: • Homebuilders Family Services free help around relationships/parenting, 425 7048 • Government 24-hour free helpline with trained counsellors, text or call 1737 • Your local GP is a great local source of support and information • DHB Mental Health Crisis Team (CATT TEAM) 487 1414, after hours 486 8900 • Hestia Women’s Refuge, 0800 321 361 • Abuse Prevention Services – courses around non-violent and respectful relationships, 422 2102 • Women’s Centre Rodney – free counselling for women, 425 7261 • CAB Wellsford, 423 7333 • Warkworth/Wellsford Budget Service – free budgeting advice, 423 7123 • Lifeline, 0800 543 354 • Youthline, 0800 376 633 • Family Services Directory, 0800 211 211. Free call from a cell phone and they can link you to all other services.

Comedy smash

With impeccable timing, the Snells Beach Kindergarten held its Comedy Night at the Salty Dog Inn on August 14, just days before the country went into lockdown. Organisers says that they had hoped to “crack $4000 as we were just $70 off last year”. However, Snells Beach Kindergarten Parent Whanau Group chairperson Roxanne Halliday says, “thanks to our community, we smashed past that to raise an astonishing $6304.” Rosanne says the funds will go to the kindy for more equipment to enrich the experience tamariki have in their home-away-from-home.

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August 27, 2021 | Mahurangimatters |

Council’s latest bylaw proposal replaces one that was dropped in 2019.

New freedom camping plan fails to win Local Board favour Auckland Council’s latest attempt to regulate freedom camping has been given the thumbs down by the Rodney Local Board. Members say the proposed legislation, which would exclude all reserves from a new freedom camping bylaw, could lead to an increase in nuisance for local residents by forcing campers onto roads and other inappropriate places. “The proposed bylaw, in excluding reserves, is being driven by an urban lens which is not in the best interests of rural Auckland,” members said in their feedback. “A number of the reserves in the Rodney Local Board area are popular freedom

camping sites, and the prohibition of freedom camping at these sites will restrict the number of desirable sites for freedom campers, and negatively impact the local economy.” Council’s draft proposal includes allowing restricted freedom camping at five sites in Rodney: • 8 Church Hill, Warkworth • Parry Kauri Park, Warkworth • the carpark on the road reserve next to Whisper Cover, at 70 Kokihi Lane, Snells Beach • Port Albert Wharf Reserve • outside Wellsford Community Centre.

It would also prohibit freedom camping parking areas at Leigh Library, Pakiri Hall, Ti Point walkway and Warkworth Town Hall. These restricted and prohibited areas were originally recommended by Council’s bylaw panel in 2019, but now have all the reserves removed. Board members have “strongly requested” the Governing Body to review its decision to exclude reserves and have asked for the chance to nominate specific reserves as freedom camping sites as part of the schedule of exceptions. They also said freedom camping at the Wellsford Community Centre would be inappropriate, as the carpark was regularly

filled to overflowing, expressed concern that Council would not be able to enforce the new bylaw and suggested its name should be changed to the Responsible Camping Bylaw, “to reflect the expectation of campers and the intent of the bylaw”. Council staff will present local board views and a finalised proposal to the Governing Body on September 23, followed by a public consultation period. Info: See item 18 on the Rodney Local Board agenda from August 18 http://infocouncil. aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2021/08/ RD_20210818_AGN_10657_AT_WEB.htm

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Brian says Mahu West Pest was formed around two-and-a-half years ago, but only really started trapping in earnest in the last six months. Previously, it spent about two years working with Auckland Council to develop appropriate biodiversity plans. But he says in the last six months, Mahu West Pest has successfully trapped hundreds of rats, stoats and possums, and this with only a fraction of the traps it hopes ultimately to have set in the area. Brian says trapping has been so successful in the immediate vicinity around his own property that he now seldom catches predators and the bird life has exploded. “I talk to some people who say they have not seen a wood pigeon (kereru) for a while, but I routinely see around 10 of them just on my own property,” he says. He adds that puriri trees that were formerly all but destroyed by possums are now thriving and appear as lush and beautiful as one could hope for.

Volunteer groups have banded together to deliver hundreds of traps to crack down on predators in Mahurangi West. Warkworth Men’s Shed this month completed construction of 250 traps for the project. Materials were funded by the Mahu Community Trading Post, prior to its closure, and the Warkworth Community Shop. The traps will be distributed and maintained by Mahu West Pest – a group of landowners who are seeking to eradicate predators from around 2100ha of land in Mahurangi West. Spokesperson Brian Bramell, who drew the organisations together to support the common cause, says Mahu West Pest currently maintains around 600 traps, so the additional ones built by the Men’s Shed represents a substantial increase. Moreover, more landowners are hoping to join the Mahu West Pest programme, meaning it will likely soon extend its activities into an additional 500ha.

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August 27, 2021 | Mahurangimatters |

Dome highway upgrades behind schedule Commuters will have to endure road works in the Dome Valley until early next year due to delays in the project. The Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has released an update following a community drop-in session held in Wellsford to address concerns from the public. It says the project was due to be completed by the end of this year but has been set back by “unexpected challenges” including difficult terrain. The upgrades required more retaining walls than expected and a slip near Warkworth, caused by a storm, delayed works. The project has been split into five stages. Two are complete while two are “65 per cent complete”. The remaining stage, near Wellsford, has been put on hold indefinitely. NZTA says the Wellsford end of the project is on hold because of geotechnical and “property access” challenges. “We are currently redesigning stage one to use the existing road,” it says. Works still to be completed include further wire barriers, right hand turning bays, road widening, chip sealing, planting and works for Vector. The project has included replacing power poles with below-ground lines. NZTA says it has installed 70 kilometres of ducting underneath the 15 kilometre road. At last month’s community drop-in session, northern commuters complained that the project appeared to have been done on an ad hoc basis with multiple incomplete sections with reduced speed limits. NZTA responded that the project was broken into five stages which were being worked on concurrently to complete the project faster. Another point of contention was the removal of two passing lanes near Warkworth, which Waka Kotahi says were not long enough to meet safety standards.

The upgrades include five “turn around” bays.

Instead, the lanes have made way for centre safety barriers. NZTA says the new safety improvements

across the project will reduce crashes by up to 35 per cent by providing vehicles with more room to recover if they lose control.

Seven people have died and 30 have been seriously injured in the Dome Valley in the last five years.

Call for summer hockey players The social summer hockey season will return to the Warkworth Hockey Turf from mid-October. Registrations for seven-a-side and nine-aside hockey teams open September 1 and close on September 30. The seven-a-side competition is held on Tuesday evenings and the nine-a-side on Thursday evenings, both from 6pm. It will be held from October to March with a break for the Christmas holidays. Warkworth Hockey Association is looking

for umpires for both evenings who will be paid per game. The association is also holding its annual general meeting at the Warkworth Hockey Turf on Thursday, October 18, at 6.45pm. Organiser Nicola Rathe says the association is always looking for new committee members to bring fresh ideas. For further information, contact Nicola at warkworthhockey@gmail.com. Registration forms are available at https://sites.google. com/site/warkworthsocialhockey/.

Right, summer hockey will be something to look forward to, depending on Covid alert levels.

Warkworth Social Summer Hockey @ the showgrounds 7 aside Tuesdays 6-9pm 9 aside Thursdays 6-9pm Starting 19th October breaking for Christmas/New Year then restarting mid Jan till March. Entries open 1st Sept close 30th Sept For more details and to register see the Warkworth Hockey Association website https://sites.google.com/site/ warkworthsocialhockey/summer-hockey

or email warkworthhockey@gmail.com Umpires required paid position please enquire.

| Mahurangimatters | August 27, 2021

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presents

Dozens of farmers and growers throughout Mahurangi and Northland have won awards in the past, and all have said the process was a positive experience.

Race is on to find rural winners Success in sustainable farming and growing is again being celebrated with this year’s Ballance Farm Environment Awards, which are open for entries until October. The awards are open to anyone achieving good practice across their rural business, whether in agriculture, horticulture or viticulture, from sheep, beef and dairy to produce, plants, forestry, fruit, wine and more. Facilitated by the NZ Farm Environment Trust, the awards programme is designed to give food and fibre producers useful feedback as they work to achieve sustainability. “The awards celebrate farmer and grower achievement and showcase good practice,

enabling the sharing of positive farming and growing stories with all audiences,” the trust says. Judges take a holistic approach by evaluating every aspect of the business, from environmental management, productivity and profitability through to family and community involvement. Informal advice and feedback is provided by industry professionals and judges, who then follow up with a recommendations report. Entries can be made by farmers and growers themselves, or people can be nominated by others, until Friday, October 15.

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Palliative care internship a first for NZ

Applications are open for the inaugural Harbour Hospice Community Nursing Intern Programme – the first of its kind in New Zealand. The six-week internship aims to develop specialist palliative care skills to assist patients in their homes. Harbour Hospice chief executive Jan Nichols says the programme aims to meet the increased need for palliative care locally and nationally. Any registered nurse can apply, including those who are new to hospice nursing practice or have no prior experience in palliative care. Three to four nurses will be accepted into the first intake, starting in early October, and intakes will be once every quarter thereafter. Harbour Hospice is the only specialist palliative care provider for families living in the Warkworth, Wellsford and Hibiscus Coast communities. Info: https://tt.harbourhospice.org.nz/jobs/1247406-community-

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Best Best At At

Tue Sun

Aug Sep 15 7

11:36am 4:31am 4:56pm

0.6 12:47am 1:46am 0.7 6:53am 3.1 8:10am 3.1 1:20pm 0.7 2:04pm 0.6 7:21pm 3.2 8:27pm

6:33am 7:04am 6:06pm 5:48pm

Best Best At At

Wed Mon

Aug Sep 16 8

12:01am 5:21am 12:26pm 5:47pm New Moon

1:42am 2:31am 7:50am 8:54am 2:22pm 2:48pm 8:25pm 9:12pm

6:32am 7:03am 6:06pm 5:48pm

Best Best At At

3.2 0.6 0.6 3.2 3.1 0.4 0.8 3.3

Thu Tue

Aug Sep 17 9

12:50am 6:14am 1:14pm 6:41pm First Quarter

2:41am 3:16am 8:53am 9:39am 3:28pm 3:33pm 9:30pm 9:58pm

6:31am 7:02am 6:07pm 5:49pm

Best Best At At

3.1 0.5 0.7 3.3 3.0 0.4 0.8 3.4

Wed Fri

Sep Aug 10 18

1:38am 7:10am 2:03pm 7:39pm

3:45am 3.0 4:02am 0.4 9:58am 0.7 10:26am 3.4 4:33pm 3.0 4:20pm 0.4 10:33pm 0.9 10:46pm 3.4

6:29am 7:01am 6:08pm 5:50pm

Best Best At At

Thu Sat

Sep Aug 11 19

2:27am 8:09am 2:52pm 8:40pm

4:50am 3.0 4:49am 0.4 11:02am 0.7 11:14am 3.4 5:34pm 3.1 5:11pm 0.4 11:32pm 0.8 11:35pm 3.4

6:28am 6:59am 6:09pm 5:51pm

Best Best At At

Sun Fri

Sep Aug 12 20

3:17am 9:11am 3:43pm 9:42pm

3.0 5:39am 0. 0.4 0.7 12:06pm 3. 3.3 3.2 6:05pm 0. 0.5 0.7 3.3

6:26am 6:58am 6:10pm 5:52pm

Best Best At At

Mon

Sep 13

6:25am 6:10pm

Best Best At At

10:12am 4:10am 10:42pm 4:37pm

Best A

5:05am 5:34pm

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Mick Fay

Licensee Agent Snells Beach 021 544 769 E. mick.fay@raywhite.com W. https://mickfay.raywhite.com/

www.localmatters.co.nz

August 27, 2021 | Mahurangimatters |

Disabled athletes compete at national level Three Warkworth athletes are preparing for the Special Olympics four-day games in Hamilton in December. More than 1300 athletes, 450 coaches and up to 600 volunteers will come from around the country to compete across eight venues. Grace Roberts, 15, has been training for six years for this moment. She swims at the Mahurangi College pool during the week and the Stanmore Bay Leisure Centre on weekends. Athletes have to qualify for the games, which are held once every four years. Roberts recently won silver at a two-day competition in the Bay of Islands and has been attending events as far away as Te Awamutu. She says attending a national level event for disabled people creates the opportunity to build self-confidence and meet new friends. “It’s about allowing anybody of any ability to compete and find their place in the world.” Just like the Tokyo Olympics, athletes have to live in an Olympic village and be self-reliant for the duration of the games. Hepburn Creek equestrian Gabriel Pring, 13, has been training with Hillcroft Equestrian Coaching. His mother Charlotte says it is amazing for him to be able to compete because people with disabilities aren’t usually able to be a part of sport clubs. “Putting a child with intellectual disabilities with nondisabled people can be hugely overwhelming.” She says that the Special Olympics value what every athlete can bring to the field and allows disabled people to develop their skills. “He can win medals and trophies like other young people.” Kevin Webb, who lives in LIFE homes for people with intellectual disabilities in Warkworth, is attending the games for the second time – this time competing in 10 pin bowling. He took up the sport two years ago and is pleased to be able to return to the games at age 56. He last competed at a Special Olympics in Whangarei eight years ago, when he played indoor bowls, which he now describes as a “young man’s game”. Webb says what he likes about the games is the atmosphere where fellow competitors encourage each other. “We all have different disabilities and we all just want each other to do our best.” He says he will be proud to represent his Whangaparaoa bowling club, whether he wins or loses. Special Olympics athletes have to pay their own way to the games. The Warkworth Quilting Club has donated a quilt,

Brenda May Warkworth resident

Grace Roberts, front left.

Warkworth Quilters donated a quilt for auction.

chosen by Grace Roberts, to be auctioned to help raise funds. Anyone who would like to support the Warkworth athletes can bid at: www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/crafts/ quilting/other/listing/3236512784 A group of athletes from Rodney and Hibiscus Coast have also started a Givealittle page: https://givealittle.co.nz/ cause/special-olympics-hibiscus-coast?

Gabriel Pring

Sincere thanks to everyone at Rodney Surgical for making my visit relaxed and stress-free. Booked in for a small medical procedure, I was immediately put at ease by the friendly welcome and professionalism of the staff. To have access to some of the best specialists in Auckland, and short waiting times, makes Rodney Surgical one of the area’s greatest facilities. My advice is to ask your GP if you can have it done locally. Or ring Rodney Surgical direct.

The best surgeons offering you day care surgeries right here in Warkworth. Ask your GP if your day care surgery can be done at Rodney Surgical.

www.rodneysurgicalcentre.co.nz • 09 425 1190 16 | Mahurangimatters | August 27, 2021

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