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ORAKEI LOCAL BOARD

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In Ellerslie, we’ve undertaken world-leading research on artificial turf for the Michaels Avenue Reserve redevelopment, funded the establishment of Ellerslie Community Patrols, provided funding for two beautiful mosaic murals, supported events like the Ellerslie Spring Fairy Festival, ARTerslie and the Ellerslie Santa Parade, among other projects.

We look forward to continuing our work in the suburb and the ward.

There have been some changes to the Ellerslie Business Association, with Rob Pollard stepping down from the role of chair and John Rennell from Ellerslie Jewellers taking up the position. The Ellerslie Residents’ Association has also had a change in leadership, with Edgar Henson taking over the chair role from Bryan Johnson. A big thank you to these hardworking volunteers who put their time and effort into supporting the community.

Cricket players in the board area will be pleased to know that work is moving ahead at Michaels Avenue Reserve. Weather permitting, the premier cricket block should be ready for play by the end of November and half of the cricket nets are already open. There will also be a second artificial cricket block installed Please proof, sign and with two grass practice strips alongside it.

The silly season is nearly upon us and although it’s a time of celebration, it’s also a chance to reflect on the year that’s been – or in the board’s case, the past five years.

November marks the fifth anniversary of the Orākei Local Board’s formation and we are the only board to have been re-elected in its entirety for a second term. It’s great to look back on all of our achievements to date and to look forward to the projects we have under

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The pond at the reserve has also had a clean-up, with the council’s Stormwater Operations removing two 10-tonne truckloads of aquatic weeds, mainly willow weed, at the community’s request. The result is a much cleaner and clearer pond.

The third stage of the reserve’s development is about to go out for public consultation, so make sure you visit the Shape Auckland website (shapeauckland.co.nz) between 16 November and 7 December to have your say on the plans.

This stage includes the reconfiguration of car parking, improved pedestrian and vehicle circulation and the creation of an ‘activity hub’ in the centre of the reserve. Implementation of this stage is intended to coincide with construction of new clubrooms planned by the Ellerslie Sports Club.

There will be an open day on 22 November at the YMCA childcare centre play area in the reserve between 11am and 2pm, so make sure you head along to discuss the draft options.

Finally, Christmas events are currently being finalised in our area. I may well see you on December 6 at St Heliers’ Community Carols on the Green, which will be held on Vellenoweth Green from 5.30pm, or at the Ellerslie Santa return by Parade held at 11am the same day.

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Local MP Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga

The Changing Face of Ellerslie Over the past ten years Ellerslie has undergone some steady changes, with more coming – changes I even noticed when I owned a house in Marua Road, up until last year.

Some outsiders may wrongly think Ellerslie’s population is full of oldies but the reality is the local median age sits at 36.

There are lots of children keeping that number down.

Interestingly, Ellerslie’s ethnic diversity has not changed as fast as other parts of Auckland between the last two Censuses.

I suspect that’s probably because many ethnic Aucklanders have sadly been priced and forced out of Ellerslie, replaced by young middle-class Pakeha couples who, in turn, are also now getting priced out.

What has changed though, is the number of people who call Ellerslie home. In 2001, 7,000 people lived in Ellerslie. This number is already well up, and is expected to double in the coming 30 years.

The relatively new Ellerslie Rail Station, on the other side of the Southern Motorway, has been a success since the $8m upgrade in 2012. The improvements included station access, safety, and aesthetics. In addition to the arrival of the new electric trains, we’ve seen a significant increase of residents who catch a train on a daily basis.

In fact, over the last year alone annual patronage at the Ellerslie Rail Station has increased by 56,369 train trips, or 15.5% in the 12 months to July, with the newly-constructed shelter amenity currently set to lift that.

As a central and well located suburb, for better or worse, Ellerslie is at the forefront of Auckland’s growth. But it must be quality and sustainable growth.

It’s great to see the ongoing efforts being made by the Orakei Local Board and the Ellerslie Residents’ and Business Associations in advocating for town centre upgrades, cycle paths, and other infrastructure to ensure that Ellerslie is prepared for the future.

For more views and news please visit: www.cameronbrewer.co.nz or email: cameron.brewer@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz Cameron Brewer - Auckland Councillor for Orakei

My family and I enjoyed the Ellerslie Spring Fairy Festival along with many local people. It ended as a glorious spring day with families enjoying the many fun activities and food on offer. Events like these help define our local area and I look forward to the upcoming Christmas Santa Parade to provide more of the same.

The big news locally has been the decision to finally plant a tree(s) back on our maunga, One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie). I know this is an issue that means a lot to many people in our community. While it has taken a while, in my opinion, it will be an enduring solution and will bring all people together as a symbol of hope and unity. A plan is set for planting to start in mid-2016, which is encouraging.

As Associate Minister of Health I gave the opening address at the New Zealand Aged Care Association annual conference. Our shared goal in Government is to improve the lives of senior people in care. The theme of the conference was “Aged Care Technologies: from Paper to Cloud”. The key to the future will be the role of new and advanced technologies in improving care. All this needs to happen while retaining a high quality workforce and dealing with rapidly shifting demographics. I have visited many care facilities in our area and many are well run. However, we need to do more to improve the lives of our elderly, which is why I will be working closely with industry groups to make sure these issues are addressed by developing an update of the Health of the Older Persons Strategy, in 2016.

The government also recently signed the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.

It is New Zealand’s biggest ever trade deal and will deliver us significant benefits.

There will be over 800 million customers around the world for our goods and services. The economy will benefit by at least $2.7 billion per year by 2030 and this will deliver more jobs and higher incomes. The bill will go through our standard parliamentary processes and be implemented within two years. Our local area will benefit from this through expanded opportunities in manufacturing, tourism and services industries.

In parliament, as Corrections Minister, I moved the second reading of the Drug and Alcohol Testing of Community-Based Offenders and Bailees Legislation Bill.

This bill will allow authorities to test offenders whose release conditions include abstinence from drugs and alcohol. This bill will lead to reduced reoffending rates, as offenders are deterred from breaching their conditions. A substantial majority of crimes are committed by offenders with drugs or alcohol addictions, so these measures reinforce the need to address the drivers of crime at their source. Many public submissions were taken into account in the changes made at select committee stage and I expect this bill to progress through the house with widespread parliamentary support.

EMAIL: sam4maungakiekie@parliament.govt.nz ADDRESS: Electorate office, 268 Onehunga Mall PHONE: 622 0300 FACEBOOK: facebook.com/pesetasam.lotuiiga WEBSITE: www.lotu-iiga.com

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