JOHN ELLIOTT: THE BIG ISSUES

LOCAL NEWS JOHN ELLIOTT:

THE BIG ISSUES OF 2021 AND CONFRONTING 2022

I don’t intend to have a major splo about the Covid-19 issue which unfortunately is still with us and now Omicron is confirmed as present. But I would say this...

Like prominent science experts, I am concerned how many Omicron cases are emerging at the border. Too many are testing positive on day one and a pause is necessary until more suitable pre-arrival tests are undertaken. Some, I’m told are even buying negative test results before they leave their country of temporary residence.

I also think schools should not open until as many as possible 5-11 year olds are vaccinated. Get on with it, I say. It’s a worry how many overseas kids are in hospital with Omicron, including under-one-year- olds.

HOUSING: MAYBE LODGERS FOR CODGERS WOULD HELP? The cost of housing, and the inability of young couples to buy a first home, is getting right out of control. I partly blame the four major overseas banks, who each made more than a billion dollars profit last year. Our government should get control of our own bank, Kiwibank, build affordable homes and sell some by equity sharing. There are lots of young couples earning $100,000 between them, who can service a reasonable mortgage, but have no show of saving $100,000 deposit for a $700,000 home, and then secure and repay a $600,000 mortgage.

They may, however, be able to put down $50,000, secure a $200,000 mortgage, and own half a house, with the government retaining half, and a right of further purchase as the couples’ circumstances improve.

Another quirky possibility is for empty nesters living in large houses with spare bedrooms might take in young people as both companions and boarders. This is the premise of the British programme now on TV, 'Lodgers for Codgers'. A lot of learning can take place both with the young and the old. Any innovative ideas are worth trying.

We can’t go on with young people saving thousands of dollars, only to find house prices are escalating at twice the amount they are saving. It’s not only dispiriting, it’s morally wrong. A left leaning government should be able to fix it.

CARCINOGENIC GLYPHOSATE STILL ENDANDERING OUR LIVES I have been banging on about the dangers of glyphosate for several years, but nothing seems to change.

Recently I was incensed to find my berm outside my house had been sprayed. We are on the no-spray council list, or are supposed to be. My understanding is that that illustrious independent body, answerable to no one - Auckland Transport - is responsible for road and berm control. I have been repeatedly assured by council, including councillor Pippa Coom, that glyphosate is being “phased down”.

This is an intractable problem when the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), refuses to ban it from use in New Zealand. Why would they, when they take their advice from the US EPA, a reputedly corrupt organisation which in recent years has been using former tobacco lobbyists to argue for glyphosate maker Monsanto that glyphosate is safe.

Meanwhile many enlightened countries have banned Roundup, the product most likely to include glyphosate, and law suits have cost Monsanto millions of dollars as courts find against them. Now, Bayer, the German company which bought glyphosate from Monsanto for 63 billion dollars, CASH, is being sued right, left and centre, around the world.

There are Aucklanders who are vulnerable to chemicals including glyphosate getting sick after berm spraying. It’s only a matter of time before someone sues the council for its use, as well as owner Bayer. I have tried several times to get an answer from council why my berm was sprayed, unsuccessfully. I’m threatening to sue them.

WESTERN SPRINGS FOREST Last week I walked through the forest (the tracks are good) to see how the newly planted natives are faring. Most are still alive, but very dry. It will be way beyond my lifetime before any real restoration of a native forest actually occurs. It’s a shame, but relitigation of the pine removals is pointless. We have to move on. But what an error of judgement was made by our local board.

It is also shameful that council has not stopped trees being cut down all over Auckland, partly as a result of National’s weakening of the Resource Management Act when they were in power.

There is still, as Greta Thunberg has said, a lot of 'blah blah blah' about climate change and too little action.

THE WAITEMATĀ LOCAL BOARD IN 2022 Last year was anything but a vintage year for the Waitematā Local Board. This was particularly disappointing because democracy was threatened on a number of occasions. Perhaps it was unfortunate for the Board that they struck two such intractable issues - the Western Springs Pine Forest and the Erebus Memorial. I was pretty involved with the Forest issue, not so much the Erebus Memorial, and I remain convinced that the Board erred seriously against public opinion on both issues.

I don’t know if Dove Myer Park can be spared the Erebus Memorial or not, but I do know the pine trees have gone for ever from Western Springs and we must move on.

I sincerely hope the Board can redeem itself this year, and recover lost public support. There are unlikely to be two such controversial issues about this year, but the Board needs to recalibrate how it deals with the public, and focus hard on genuine democratic rule, with plenty of real community consultation - no more decision-making by caucus behind closed doors. I think there is plenty of ability among members, and a modicum of understanding of what went wrong last year and how the Board can function in a more democratic and conciliatory way.

There is, however, one issue that needs careful consultation this year - the restoration of the Leys Institute building. I spoke with local heritage expert, Alan Matson, who emphasised that there are many options for what and how a remediation could take place. He believes it will be a real test of whether the Waitematā Local Board can or will, be more democratic this year.

Keep an open face, I say, and use the expertise of local people, and wide consultation, and 2021 will soon be forgotton. Good luck - you deserve it.

CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTING NEW ZEALAND AND THE ENTIRE WORLD Just a few final words on climate change - it’s been a hard topic to grasp, so much of it happening in other parts of the world outside our ken. Now, however, it’s beginning to hit home, and our government must act. Seven of the last ten years have been the hottest in New Zealand’s history. Just as I write this, a tsunami from the Tongan volcanic eruption has hit Tutukaka in Northland and destroyed a number of boats. A giant fire in the far north has devastated thousands of hectares of land including important wet lands and habitats for rare animal species.

If it’s not fires, it’s floods. If it’s not floods, it’s serious draught. Food shortages are threatening famine all over the globe. Vaccine shortages are hindering control of Covid-19 outbreaks in third world countries, while several greedy western countries are touting fourth and fifth boosters, while some countries haven’t managed even half their populations with one jab.

We don’t have a particularly positive year ahead, but we have to do our best - all of us, individually.

We must avoid the trap that US environmental expert Gus Speth worries about when he says, “I used to think the top environmental problems were biodiversity loss, eco-system collapse and climate change. But I was wrong. The top environmental problems are selfishness, greed and apathy and to deal with them we need a spiritual and cultural transformation and we scientists don’t know how to do that.“

Good spotting to those who note I have used that quote before in the Ponsonby News, and I may do again. It seems to me to encapsulate the social and political aspects of climate change as well as the science.

Is it simply a matter of man waking up to the fact that his days on this planet are seriously limited if drastic action is not taken. I might not see Armageddon but my kids or their kids almost certainly will unless some drastic u-turns are taken.

Once Covid-19 has gone or is under control, our government has serious work to do socially as well as economically. I hope they are up for it. (JOHN ELLIOTT)  PN

LOCAL NEWS HELEN WHITE: Labour List MP based in Auckland Central

It’s been wonderful to see people out and about over summer having a great time in the sun while also taking Covid precautions to keep us all safe. Enjoying the long summer days and the chance to spend them with friends and whānau has been possible due to the hard work everyone has put in over the last two years.

Thanks to the dedication of people in Auckland Central and right across New Zealand, we’ve entered 2022 in a good position with a stronger than expected economy, historically low unemployment, and among the lowest rates of cases, hospitalisations, and deaths in the OECD. Our high vaccination rates and the safeguards of the traffic light system have meant we’ve been able to enjoy a great summer break.

However, in the past couple of months, we’ve seen the impact Omicron has had overseas. Many countries are grappling with soaring cases, overloaded hospitals, and new restrictions to slow the spread. Our border controls have protected us from Omicron so far, but we know we need to be prepared for cases.

Children aged 5 to 11 are now eligible to be immunised against Covid-19 – so parents can choose to protect their kids and, by extension, those around them. Meanwhile, most vaccinated adults will be eligible to receive booster doses by the end of February. These are both vital parts of our response to Omicron.

The Pfizer vaccine for children is available at sites throughout New Zealand, including walk-ins, drive-throughs, hauora providers, community pharmacies, and general practices. Getting vaccinated now is a great way to help protect tamariki before they go back to school. While children who contract Covid-19 may have milder symptoms, some will still get very sick and end up in hospital. Immunised tamariki are also less likely to spread the virus to vulnerable members of the whānau. This is a parent’s choice, and it’s really important to get the information you need to make that choice – whether by chatting to your healthcare provider, visiting covid19.govt.nz, or talking to a trained advisor on the Covid Vaccination Healthline at 0800 28 29 26. Once you have all the information, you can find a nearby vaccination site and make a booking on bookmyvaccine.nz.

Meanwhile, if you’re aged 18 or over and it’s been at least four months since your second dose, you’re now eligible for your booster. I really encourage you to go out and get it as soon as you can, as data suggests that a booster dose can provide better protection against Omicron.

It’s brilliant we have two extra tools to ramp up our defences against Omicron. Of course, masking up, scanning in, and using our vaccine passes remain some of the most important ways we can take care of each other.

Thank you to all of those here in Auckland Central who are already taking these simple steps as you move around our community. It makes a real difference and will allow us to do more of what we love in the year ahead. (HELEN WHITE))  PN

www.labour.org.nz/helenwhite

SUMMER TIMES AT BREAD & BUTTER

“It has been an incredibly stressful and difficult couple of years in hospitality”, says Isabel Pasch, owner of Bread & Butter Bakery and Café in Grey Lynn.

Their online store was hugely popular during the strict Level 4 lockdown, delivering not only the baked treats and sourdoughs from Bread & Butter, but also, in collaboration with the Grey Lynn Farmers Market, a whole range of essential goods from fresh vegetables, milk and eggs to vegan spreads, chilli oils and more. Nevertheless the effects of the lockdowns have resulted in the smaller Bread & Butter outlets in Ponsonby and Whangaparaoa having to close in 2021.

For the iconic Grey Lynn café, having a supportive landlord has made things a bit easier. They embraced the idea of al fresco dining, so Bread & Butter set up a shaded outdoor space in the carpark outside the café, sheltered from the traffic by pallet planters with a seating capacity of up to 24 people.

“Having now only the bakery and café in Grey Lynn is in a way a blessing because we can really focus on product development”, says Pasch. Expect new flavours on the menu, from fermented vegetables that preserve the bounty of summer, to Kelmarna Gardens seasonal greens, a range of new smoothies, to new pastry flavours and tweaks and changes to some of the old classics. “Of course we are very apprehensive of how people in Auckland are going to react to Omicron finally making it into New Zealand communities”, says Pasch, “but we feel we have been able to provide a safe and welcoming space. We bake healthy organic sourdough breads that support gut health, which in turn supports overall health and our treats are good for the soul and available for purchase online and take away.”

Being able to enjoy community, good conversations and good food is something that is not dispensable forever and people will have to trust themselves and others and support each other. On the whole New Zealanders have been incredibly resilient and compliant, and we need to remember we need each other: hugs, smiles and embraces included.

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EREBUS MEMORIAL It has been such a pleasure for me to meet the wonderful people who have been peacefully protecting the very undesirable site the Prime Minister has chosen to erect a memorial to the Erebus tragedy.

I say undesirable because there’s a big risk we will lose the ancient pohutukawa tree which is a memorial in itself. I say undesirable because over 16,000 people have signed a petition saying they don’t want a plane crash memorial in the beautiful Dove Myer Robinson Park - a park that Auckland city dwellers use as their playground, walk their dogs, and go there for picnics. A park that has sea views, beautiful roses, although is very noisy from traffic, trains and the Auckland wharf. I see no resemblance to an air tragedy and wonder why it was chosen.

In 2018 I attended an Erebus Memorial Service and it was there I was informed by the Prime Minister along with the Mayor of Auckland that the Ponsonby Rose Gardens was the place where a memorial to the Erebus tragedy would be built. This announcement caused a lot of objections from the many family members present that day. The Prime Minister did reply “I’m hearing you.”

It is now nearing the 42nd Anniversary of the Erebus Disaster; she still has not responded to the petition that was presented to Government. She still has not heard the dedicated people who are protecting their park and the treasured pohutukawa tree.

I guess I have never got over from losing my father in the unnecessary and tragic way of the Erebus accident. Maybe it would be nice to have a memorial with his name on it, but not where it’s not wanted - somewhere more relevant, and somewhere where it’s wanted.

Margaret Brough, Tauranga NO MORE HIDE AND SEEK One of the children's favourite willow trees beside Western Springs Lake has been unceremoniously felled. The tree was healthy, even though its centre had rotted out forming a great hiding place inside the trunk.

What does it matter, willows are on the 'Pest Register'? Swans and cygnets eat willow leaves. Many birds and bats nest in hollows of craggy trees. No longer can children and adults use it to play 'hide and seek'.

More inconsiderate behaviour from Waitematā Local Board Parks Portfolio holders, Adriana Christie and Richard Northey, making decisions without consulting park users, Auckland ratepayers.

Dimple Varma, Nature lover and Ethical Designer

EMERGENCY SERVICES VS CYCLEWAYS

Karangahape Road cycleway was criticised for reducing this main arterial road from two lanes to one lane each way, especially when it is a link between the emergency services in Pitt St and the Southern Motorway on-ramp at Symonds Street and Auckland Hospital on the other side of Grafton Bridge.

We have all experienced the long queues on Karangahape Road since Auckland Transport reduced the number of cars that are let through the K Rd/Queen Street traffic lights. The same occurs in Queen Street with only two vehicles allowed through each light change that blocks buses too. It’s all part of the plan by NZTA to deliberately slow down traffic by causing traffic queues to the point of annoying people out of cars according to a Radio New Zealand interview in June 2021. ‘Greater Auckland’ blogger, Matt Lowrie, went on to say that they are aware of the extra omissions this will cause.

This picture tells it all; on 5.30pm Friday 21 January a kitchen fire occurred in a below ground premise. Because of the narrow road buses and fire trucks couldn’t fit side by side in the street without crossing the centreline. At the same time a cyclist used the road while the cycle lane remained empty. Meanwhile traffic backed up down the length of the road.

All that space for a cycleway - bad design by Auckland Transport endorsed by Auckland Council and Waitematā Local Board. trucks were jammed in Nelson St and had to go with the flow of traffic to reach Hobson St, resulting in multi millions of dollars damage. The average time to reach any city fire is now 17 minutes more than before roads were narrowed for cycleways.

Auckland Council Community Facilities plan to consult on a ‘loop track’ in the cleared forest area in a ‘Have Your Say’ in February 2022.

This proposed ‘loop track’ will adjoin the refurnished walking track where it intersects the devastation caused by the removal of all vegetation when they removed the existing forest, inching approximately 150,000 native and then planted seedlings in the chip. These have been attacked by rabbits, which they are now shooting to control, and the seedlings are being left to survive or not in this hot, dry summer, without water.

The intention is that the ‘loop track’ will intersect with the walking path near the bridge that crosses the Waiōrea Stream before leading to Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Ōrea Park.

The main issue that a community ecologist pointed out is, that involves traversing down one of the ‘overland water causes’, the most sensitive part of this once ‘significant ecological area’. He is also concerned that this area has not had suitable native vegetation planted there that likes ‘wet feet’, like kahikatea.

Community are also concerned that cyclists will race down this track as the have been doing on the walking track while bouncing down stairs and nearly colliding with pedestrians as was noted in a previous letter to the editor.

Resident, Annette Isbey started the community protection group of the former forest in 2006 after off road cyclists had been causing damage to the native under storey. The cycle lobbyists were among those pushing for the removal of the forest, including former Waitematā Local Board Chair, Pippa Coom. Current Board Chair Richard Northey is suggesting the ‘loop track’ is for ‘accessibility’ but the slopes involved do not make it wheelchair accessible.

Waitematā Local Board Chair approved consultation for the ‘loop track’ in the September public meeting (File CP2021/13646). It is estimated to cost $83,000, to be taken from the Board’s Local Discretionary Initiatives (LDI) capital expenditure budget. Member Alex Bonham voted against the proposal, suggesting that a meeting to look into possible projects for spending of the LDI budget occur before making this decision. Members Sarah Trotman and Kevin Leoni also voted against the motion.

As could be seen by the pegged out location of the ‘loop track’ during ‘planting day’, the contractors had already removed native trees for the path of this folly. This planning therefore allowed avoidance of another resource consent and the consultation to claim that no trees need to be cut down for this part of the operation.

The forest removal has opened up a lovely view of the lake. So an alternative could be to extend the walking path into the cleared area to a viewing point with seating as a destination without accessing the sensitive overground watercourse, if that view is to be preserved.

This is about a fifth of the alternative and likely to be closer to $10,000 in ratepayers funding. Or the area could be left alone entirely to allow Nature to restore the damage done by unnecessary interference with the transitioning native forest.

Community need to decide, after spending blew out to $2million destroying the forest, if they want another $83,000 spent on this proposal, when that is likely to blow out again.

Gael Baldock, Community Advocate