MELISSA LEE: NATIONAL LIST MP BASED IN AUCKLAND

Earlier this month, I held a fantastic public meeting with Mark Mitchell to highlight issues of crime in Mt Albert.

Whether it was the 739 thefts and related offences in Point Chevalier (east) last year or the total 6064 victimisations across Auckland just between March and April it is clear New Zealanders are sick of the crime across New Zealand. This is seeing schools closed out of fear in our regional towns and families feeling they cannot walk down city streets. In Parliament a few weeks ago, I led off the debate into these important local issues. I spoke directly to the issues facing Mt Albert and our Auckland suburbs:

“[New Zealanders] feel that there are not enough police to actually come to their aid. The justice system, they feel, is actually hitting the offenders with a wet bus ticket instead of being harsh so that they understand that they are not supposed to do these actions. The victims are the biggest worry that I have, because when people are victims of home invasion or they're victims of ram raids, it lasts a long, long time for them to actually get over the crime, and I think this Government needs to do more in this space.”

It is time for New Zealand to have law and order back again. In other news, as many households already felt was coming, New Zealand is now in recession and it’s hurting hard at the start of winter when power bills can soar, and the cost of living can bite as hard as the frosty weather. The news will be extremely concerning for many business owners that have faced years of economic uncertainty and in the current environment with rising rents and a shrinking economy; it’s going to be a tough July for many across the country. The data doesn’t lie, New Zealand is in bad shape, worse than Canada, the United States or Australia who have been fighting similar challenges and have managed to continue their economic growth. We are even worse off than the EU which faces the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine.

It’s time a strong National-led government, focused on prudent economic management that will lift incomes, economic opportunities and support for all New Zealanders is able to return to government to sort out the mess Labour have left us.

It is only with a strong economy that we can solve the cost-ofliving crisis, bring down interest rates, lift incomes and pay for the quality public services New Zealanders deserve.

Here in Auckland, my next public meeting on 3 July at Ferndale House, Mt Albert, will focus on our local small businesses across the Albert-Eden-Roskill community, and I’m pleased to be joined by Andrew Bayly, National’s Revenue & Small Business Spokesperson, and other Auckland-based National colleagues, to outline the way we can get our economy back on track for every business owner. Hope to see you there!

Best wishes for July and remember to rug up warm.

(MELISSA LEE)  PN

National Member of Parliament. National Spokesperson for Broadcasting & Media| Digital Economy and Communications | Ethnic Communities

E: mplee@parliament.govt.nz

Authorised by Melissa Lee, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

LETTERS CONTINUED FROM

Kauri Dieback Delusion

Over the last five years, I followed diligently the science behind kauri dieback, left no stone unturned, read uncounted articles and did many OIA requests. As kauri dieback was mentioned in the last issue of Ponsonby News, I would like to present some clarifications:

Forest dieback is a regular occurrence both in New Zealand and around the world, with drought being by far the most common cause.

Previously, in 1773, beech dieback was observed around Dusky Sound and just a few years ago, after a serious drought, a high number of unhealthy and dying trees were found in native forests in the top of the South Island. Periodic waves of dieback seem to be common in native forests due to competition stress, especially in regenerating forests.

Nobody denies there are unhealthy kauri in the Waitākere Ranges, but what is the reason? There are several hundreds of species of phytophthora (water moulds), no forest is free of them.

Finding phytophthora at a symptomatic tree doesn’t mean it’s responsible for the tree being sick (but it’s more likely to find phytophthora at a dying tree because the tree's resistance against infestation is weakened).

All the track closures around Auckland were based on the statement that by far most sick trees are close to a track ('70% of infections are within 50m of a track'). That was given as evidence that a kauri-killing pathogen (PA = Phytophthora agathidicida) is spreading mostly on walkers' boots.

But this information was incorrect: the latest survey revealed that only 22% of symptomatic kauri are within 50m of a walking track. That means the rate of symptomatic kauri (relative to all kauri) close to tracks is only slightly higher than away from tracks – a more detailed discussion can be found at ivkd.weebly.com

Unfortunately, the public is not correctly informed about the scientific findings. After the latest 2021/2022 survey, it was reported that 'the heart of the Waitākere forest' is still free of PA, but the really important information is not mentioned: kauri dieback started after two dry summers (around 2006) and symptomatic kauri are equally found both in areas with and without PA.

At the by far most symptomatic kauri, no PA was found in the soil around their roots and most kauri with PA around their roots were healthy.

I believe there are three main dangers for the survival of mankind: climate change, the spreading of misinformation, and our alienation from nature. Due to climate change, the weather extremes are increasing, all data is confirming that longer periods of droughts are putting trees under threat, not people enjoying nature on foot.

I really doubt it’s a good idea to misinform the public in order to push through an extremely precautionary approach and thereby drastically reducing the access to wilderness areas around Auckland. I believe we need the forest more than ever for our mental and spiritual health.

Matt Munro, Freemans Bay

Letter Of Concern Regarding The Leadership Of Waitemat Local Board

As a resident of Herne Bay, I was deeply concerned at the way the recent meeting of the Waitematā Local Board was conducted by Chairperson Genevieve Sage and feel compelled to voice these concerns publicly in the interests of the community.

‘Command and control’ is a very old-fashioned style of leadership often displayed by new leaders low in competence due to inexperience. It is a style that directs, tells, demands, does not listen and refuses to allow open discussion of issues because these might challenge the leader’s power and control. Typically, leaders adopting such a style have low selfawareness and so do not know what they do not know. It is only through accepting feedback that the leader can learn and grow into the role. This is the style I witnessed yesterday at the Waitematā Local Board meeting in Auckland City (Tuesday 20 June). The behaviour I observed was:

Questions, queries, suggestions by board members consistently shut down and refused air space by the Chairperson.

· A condescending and even arrogant attitude on display by the Chairperson.

The Chairperson refused to listen to board members.

· Board members were clearly frustrated with the Chairperson’s approach and at one point, unable to go on, a board member said, “The Chairperson needs to govern professionally.” Sitting at the back of the room, I was stunned at the dysfunction of the team which was clearly not being allowed to function properly. Mature, experienced team members were being treated like school children.

A skilled leader uses three tools, first identified in a broadranging research project conducted by the Australian Leadership Council in 2005. Those tools, which are proven to fully engage team members and assist them to be a high performing team are:

· Discuss their work. Ask their opinion. Recognise them appropriately.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of leadership is the ability to win hearts and minds by building trust. This is achieved through an empathic, disciplined approach in four key areas: people development, task management, ongoing culture transformation and strategic goal management. Above all, leaders must lead with integrity. All organisations have a political landscape that must be managed but when this is allowed to dominate, teams fall into disarray.

Currently, because of this leadership style, Waitematā Local Board cannot function coherently, team members suffer from a complete lack of trust in the leadership and tremendous frustration in terms of getting the task of the local board done.

The bottom line is that Waitematā Local Board has a mandate to serve the local community. Especially now, there are fundamentally important projects to be identified and delivered on. Performing this task to the highest standards for the benefit of all must be the leader’s and the team’s only agenda. The times demand clear, effective, inspiring leadership.

Sarah Newton-Palmer, Master of Business Leadership (MLM) Executive and Life Coach

Opinions expressed in Ponsonby News are not always the opinion of Alchemy Media Limited & Ponsonby News.