PREDICT WEATHER.COM

KEN RING: WEATHER BY THE MOON - AUCKLAND WEATHER DIARY, MAY 2022

May is expected to be a wetter and cloudier month than average, with nearly double the normal rainfall.

May is expected to be a wetter and cloudier month than average, with nearly double the normal rainfall. The first week with the highest pressure may be driest, and the second week the wettest. The third week may be the sunniest. The best weekend for outdoor activities may be the 28th/29th.

For fishers, highest tides are around 17th. The best fishing bite-times in the east are around dusk on 1st-2nd, 15th-18th and 29th-31st. Bite-chances are also good around noon of 8th-10th, and 22nd-25th.

For gardeners, planting is best (waxing moon ascending) between 7th-14th, and pruning is best 20th-28th, (waning moon descending). For preserving and longer shelf-life, pick crops or flowers around neap tide of 9th.

Always allow 24-hour error for all forecasting. (KEN RING)

For future weather for any date, and the 2022 NZ Weather Almanac, see www.predictweather.com.

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

CONTINUED FROM P30

THE STATE OF MEOLA CREEK Looking at the state of Meola Creek from the bridge immediately behind Pasadena School is distressing. The lack of weed control by the Auckland Council's contractors has allowed many areas to become overgrown with invasive vegetation. This has restricted the flow of the stream allowing even more invasive plant growth.

Most distressing is having had discussions with contractors while crossing this same bridge on two separate occasions. They were spraying the banks with the contents of their backpacks. Both times they verified it was "Roundup"!

This is not the first time council contractors have been observed applying glyphosate in unsuitable conditions. In response to my official complaint to Auckland Council in October 2021, Mr Karl Beaufort, Community Facilities Manager wrote, "We have also instructed the contractor to provide us with a written plan on how they will address this issue and prevent it occurring again".

However, it would appear the council’s instruction had little control or monitoring of the behaviour of contractors with regard to the use of glyphosate, as I again observed, and had confirmed, the use of Roundup in November 2021. Mr Beaufort’s reply acknowledged this second complaint by saying, "...they have since returned to the same location and undertaken the same activity in exactly the same conditions reported in your first complaint. This is not acceptable behaviour from our contractor and the matter has been referred to the contract manager to address through performance management within the contract bounds".

So my query is, why is the council contractor not fulfilling their contractual obligations by keeping the waterways around Western Springs clear of vegetation and importantly, why are they still using glyphosate when the Waitematā Local Board have assured this area would be free from this poison?

Linda Hill, by email

MAKE THEM WALK THE PLANK Our city is a shipwreck, wind swept and abandoned, torn sails flapping in the wind, bankrupted by a bunch of drunken sailors asleep at the wheel.

Political pirates high on power, their plan will see us run aground. Cannon balls of legislation are blasted indiscriminately across our bow, while bootleg barrels are smuggled secretly away.

"Shiver me timbers," I say, "make 'em all walk the plank, vote this motley crew OUT come October"!

LOCAL NEWS LIFE HACKS OF TRIBAL ELDERS: WHAT DO LAILA AND HEATHER HAVE IN COMMON?

Laila has moved on. Because in the end she knows that’s all she can do. That and hope.(1)

We are sitting in a lively Grey Lynn café one Saturday morning, drinking tea and coffee - a couple of local tribal elders intent on identifying a personal example of ‘elder wisdom’ that we can pass on to others via this series of Probus profiles.

As I listen to Heather recounting stories of her life, I am struck by the similarities that come to mind between Heather’s way of responding to life and the experiences of Laila, one of the main characters in a novel I am currently reading. In the novel, Laila refuses to submit under the oppressive conditions to which she is subjected.

Nor does she succumb to any bitterness either, as she strives to prove her own value and stand up for women in her society. While there is little similarity between the harsh conditions Laila faces in Afghanistan, compared to Heather’s lived experiences in Australia and New Zealand, what strikes me immediately, is how both women have responded over time to cumulative adversity and loss.

Heather was born in Australia, grew up in Melbourne in what she candidly describes as a dysfunctional home environment. She left school at 15 and by age 17 had run away to get married. She had three sons by the time she was 23 but that early marriage did not survive as the young couple grew up and grew apart. Heather took on the responsibility for her young family as a solo mother, determined to make things work out well for her children.

Years later, she had another child, a daughter. She describes how she always trusted her instincts about people and situations in which she found herself. As time went on, with growing confidence in her ability to manage life on her own terms, she taught herself the skills she needed and took on as much responsibility as she was offered.

Determinedly, she worked her way into positions of responsibility to become one of the administrators of an agricultural college in Shepparton, Northern Victoria, overseeing the provision of the college’s technical and further education courses and serving as secretary to the chair of the Department of Conservation Committee. Much later, when she emigrated to New Zealand, she worked in a similar administrative role for the School of Architecture at the University of Auckland, a remarkable feat for a teenager who ran away from an unhappy home.

Inevitably, life was very hard at times, but Heather trusted that everything would get better if she paid attention to those

Heather Lynch is President Elect of the Combined Probus Club of Ponsonby. Her previous role on the committee was the organisation of monthly speakers for club meetings.

factors within her control. She clearly had no tolerance for wallowing in self-pity when things got difficult. Each day that could be managed well enough was a step in the right direction. She made a point of determining that the glass would be half full, never empty! As you would expect, for someone whose outlook was cultivated optimism, Heather went on to find romance and marriage again.

Later in life, when her second son died suddenly of an aneurism at age 38 she faced this tragedy with stoicism. No mother should ever have to bury her child, but Heather accepted it and knew that she had to move on, with hope, just like Laila in the novel.

“When you’re at your worst, all you have to remember is that it will pass. Never give up, just move on because that’s all you can do. That and hope.” Heather Lynch

With ever-present positivity, Heather tells me that she knows she has passed on her confidence and independence to her own daughter Kate, and life goes round again. (ALEXA LAWRENCE)  PN

If you’re retired and think you might enjoy getting together with Heather and other like-minded retirees, do come along for a visit next month. It’s a good way to enjoy new experiences including regular speakers and social events. To find out more, contact Rosie Armstrong on 09 486 5181, or email her at rosiearm@xtra.co.nz

(1)Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York, New York: Penguin Group , 2007.

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…Not much it would seem.

On Tuesday 19 April Auckland Council pulled back the covers on a preliminary proposal for amending Auckland’s Unitary Plan, to meet the government’s plans for housing intensification.

The proposal amounts to a garroting of years of city planning and citizen participation, particularly the preservation of the character of our older residential areas. These areas contribute much to making our city interesting, livable, diverse and community focused.

Council has been dealt a very limited hand by government in what it can or cannot do in responding to the NPS-UD (National Policy Statement – Urban Development). But it has shrunk from bringing the public into the process until the die has largely been cast.

The response has been to thrust a ‘one size fits all’ plan on local communities:

· There is insufficient regard or understanding of the practical realities of living in the older areas of Auckland or the character they bring to the city and it is not clear how zoning street after street for terrace housing and apartment building will meet the government’s goals of intensification and affordable housing in these older areas, except by

DESTROYING irreplaceable parts of the city’s history.

Auckland holds the world’s largest remaining stock of timber Victorian and Edwardian houses.

For years council has controlled development in these older areas, to protect their character, and history. Local residents have accepted these restrictions because they recognize and value the preserved character. This proposal has blatantly disregarded the part these older areas have played in the very genesis of Auckland – it’s hard to imagine another city in the world where such actions would be contemplated.

Nowhere is this more obvious than in St Mary’s Bay. As a small residential area to the west of the city centre, and one of Auckland’s oldest residential areas, it faces a wholesale change to its character. It is not a large area, but it has a very high concentration of wooden buildings (workers’ cottages and turn of the 19th century villas) mainly on small lots of land; they are living history, even after being modernised for current times.

Council’s proposal is to replace the single house residential zone (which applies to most of the area) with a terrace house and apartment building zone. On what analysis will this provide a better outcome for Auckland?

The council has chosen to approach its task, and to develop a methodology to produce its preliminary proposal, without public engagement, preferring to work in a vacuum. The result is a proposal which is littered with inconsistencies.

Again, using St Mary’s Bay as an example, the proposal is for most of St Mary’s Road, including blocks of flats on adjacent Caroline and London Streets, to be protected, while other completely intact streets like Percival, Hackett, Seymour and Vine (to name a few) have been abandoned. Even the oldest house in St Mary’s Bay – the Captain’s House in the SE corner of Selby Square – seems likely to be abandoned.

When the prospect of change was promulgated in mid 2021, the St. Mary’s Bay Association led an approach to council by five residents’ associations on the western side of the city seeking early engagement on the way they might respond to government’s policy. Rather than engaging, council developed its methodology on its own. To make this radical change without engaging first on the values that should be supported and how that could be presented as a “qualifying matter” under the legislation, is unacceptable.

Council needs to put this right – and we the citizens of Auckland need to make our views known (by 9 May).

akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/housing

DAVID ABBOTT, Chair, The St Mary’s Bay Association Inc.

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LOCAL NEWS APPEAL TO HELP PONSONBY TOY LIBRARY FIND A NEW HOME!

Auckland’s iconic Ponsonby Toy Library, part of the Ponsonby community for nearly three decades, is appealing to everyone to help it find a new home.

Run as a not-for-profit by dedicated volunteers, the Ponsonby Toy Library must vacate the premises in which it currently operates. The move is triggered by Auckland Council’s decision to sell the existing premises in St Mary’s Bay to support renovation of one of the neighbouring buildings. Victoria Carpenter, Chair of the Ponsonby Toy Library and the volunteer team are gutted by the decision.

“Born from a strong desire to support the families, the Ponsonby Toy Library opened nearly 30 years ago after months of planning and extensive fundraising efforts. Over the years we’ve grown to be an integral part of the Ponsonby community and we remain committed to providing for families in the area,” says Ms. Carpenter. “While this decision is difficult to accept, we respect Auckland Council’s decision and are focusing on searching for a new home”, she adds.

Today, the Ponsonby Toy Library goes beyond just providing toys for children.

She adds, “We understand that not all parents have a lot of disposable income and as the cost of living continues to increase, by having a membership with our toy library, families can save money and equally cut waste.”

The Ponsonby Toy Library is looking for a lock and leave facility that’s 50 square meters and can be easily accessed by a stroller. While they’d like exclusive access to the facility, they are open to sharing the premises with another large or small business if storage of the toys can be secured.

“There’s a sense of urgency in finding the new home as the existing premises is expected to be sold before July this year. We’re looking for support from our community to help us find a happy and friendly home for the toys so we can continue to enable families to build important connections and enhance children’s learning through play,” says Ms. Carpenter.

The Ponsonby Toy Library currently has a membership of about 200 families and offers nearly 3000 known and well-loved brands of toys for children aged six months to eight years, and services a growing local population. Please contact Victoria Carpenter if you have any leads or space available.

About Ponsonby Toy Library Ponsonby Toy Library is a well-established not-for-profit community-based toy library that has been serving the Ponsonby community since 1992. Operating just like a book library, the Ponsonby Toy Library offers toys to around 200 members to enable educational, physical, psychological, social, and cultural development of the children through play.

For further information and property leasing contact: Victoria Carpenter on victoria@redkey.nz or 021 383 099.

PONSONBY NEWS READERS ARE EVERYWHERE…

Ex-locals Janet Wilson and Bill Ralston with Ross Thorby, a visitor to the Hawkes Bay enjoying the latest issue and their new view.

DAVENPORTS LAW: LESSON LEARNED

Despite a recent cooling of the market, New Zealand remains one of the most expensive places in the world to buy a home.

Many young people can only get onto the property ladder with a leg up from Mum and Dad. For parents who can, a financial contribution is a wonderful way to secure their children’s future. However, there are a number of potential pitfalls, a tough lesson that John, Pam and their daughter Stacey learned the hard way.

John and Pam were by no means wealthy, but they were in a comfortable financial position entering retirement. The family home had become too big, so they decided to downsize to a townhouse, using some of the difference in value to help their daughter and her new husband into their first property. They had been concerned for some time that the couple wouldn’t be able to save enough for a deposit without their support.

Recently married, Stacey and Matt found a two-bedroom unit listed for $1m, perfect for their first home. Between their savings and Kiwisaver, they had enough for a 15% deposit. John and Pam offered to lend them $150,000 which would boost them to a 30% deposit, leaving them with a $700,000 mortgage.

Stacey and Matt went to see a mortgage broker who said that the bank wouldn’t accept the money as a loan from John and Pam – it had to be a gift, otherwise it wouldn’t be included as part of their deposit. Stacey and Matt were eager to get their offer in quickly – even though the market had slowed, there were still very few properties in their price bracket. So, in the rush to make an offer, John and Pam made the mistake of not seeking legal advice. They simply signed a gifting document supplied by the broker and handed over the money. The offer was accepted and soon Stacey and Matt took ownership of the unit.

Initially, the couple were very happy in their home. However, about two years into their marriage, cracks started to appear. Finances were tight and they started arguing about money.

Tammy McLeod Stacey wanted to start a family, whereas Matt still liked the life he had at university – late nights out at the pub with his friends and not ready to be a family man. Eventually Stacey and Matt agreed to separate, sell the unit, and move on.

The unit was sold for $1.2m, $200,000 more than what they paid for it. When Stacey went to see a lawyer, she explained that her parents had put $150,000 into the house. Her expectation (and John and Pam’s) was that the money would be repaid or at the very least, Stacey would take the $150,000 in priority to Matt. However, Matt’s lawyer advised him that when the money was gifted toward his and Stacey’s family home — a relationship property — it had become “intermingled” and he was legally entitled to half of it.

John and Pam were shocked to say the least. They consulted Stacey’s lawyer to find out what, if anything, could be done and what they could have done differently to avoid this situation. She told them the truth - that they should have sought legal advice at the time of gifting the money.

She explained that banks will accept limited loan agreements rather than gift documents in these scenarios. By that she meant a loan agreement where it is agreed that the loan won’t be called up unless the property is sold and the lender won’t register any security (e.g a caveat) against the property. This agreement would have been signed by Stacey and Matt.

Alternatively, to gift the money (if there was no intention for it to be repaid) to Stacey, she and Matt would have entered into a “contracting out agreement” ensuring that the money gifted by John and Pam would remain Stacey’s separate property.

In the end, Stacey tried appealing to Matt’s better nature, but the relationship was so broken, and Matt was so angry and bitter, he refused to walk away with anything less than his legal entitlement.

There are many ways of structuring loans and gifts from The Bank of Mum and Dad. Seeking sound legal advice is the essential first step in understanding your options and protecting your family investment.

LOCAL NEWS PONSONBY U3A: MAY 2022 UKRAINE BEYOND THE NEWS

Presenting by Zoom did not deter the erudite Wayne Brittenden. Wayne, with a long career as a foreign correspondent, is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and filmmaker, an environmentalist, a philosopher, and a film buff.

His guiding principle is akin to that of Omar Khayyam whom he quoted: “When I want to understand what is happening today or try to decide what will happen tomorrow, I look back.”

In unravelling the background history leading to the tragic events in Ukraine, Wayne contends the conflict needs to be grounded in history and context rather than the binary view presented in the news of 'good guys/bad guys'. Even though there is a clear aggressor and a clear victim, and no excuse for Russia’s behaviour, this is not the whole story. Contrary to popular impressions, Ukraine is not a shining light of democracy.

For example, on a corruption index New Zealand is in the top five of 180 countries, Russia sits at 136 and Ukraine on 122. This shows how much closer Ukraine is to Russia than to democracy and may explain why the EU is not keen on admitting Ukraine. In Ukraine, the hundred richest oligarchs control 27% of Ukraine’s economy and hold as much sway as they do in Russia.

While President Zelensky was elected on a platform of reducing oligarch corruption, they remain unencumbered. And although the president is elected, representatives are not, which is a long way from how a democracy should function.

And the West’s actions in relation to Russia have not been entirely virtuous ever since the end of the Cold War. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the US promised Russia that NATO would not expand an inch eastward, but Clinton broke this promise leaving Gorbachev, because of the West’s duplicity, being seen as weak.

Missing from mass media coverage is Russia’s fear of being surrounded by NATO countries, a fear which is now heightened as even more European countries apply for NATO.

Putin has watched US activities in Cambodia, Vietnam, and the bogus invasion of Iraq and while nothing justifies the Russian invasion, the Russian bear has been somewhat baited. Of the future, Wayne posits, it is likely we are in for a non-aligned movement as in the Cold War where the world sees the West as an unreliable friend and Russia as an aggressor and it is better to stay out of it altogether.

Wayne bemoaned the mass media dynamic to get in first with the news and to use sound bites. It dumbs down the news so that we can only concentrate on one crisis at a time rather than make the connections and ask the big questions such as ‘is the economic growth model the right one given the conflict between growth and the environment?’

Ten-minute speaker, Ponsonby U3A member John Holmes traced his career as a lawyer starting in general practice to become a partner in a law firm specialising in trusts and estates. To this day he is still a member of jazz group, Lex Pistols that will feature at the August Jazz Festival in the Bay of Islands.

Ponsonby U3A continues to welcome new members to its monthly meetings. If you are interested in attending as a visitor, call President Philippa Tait on M: 027 452 3108.

The next meeting will be in May and for every month thereafter on the second Friday of the month at the Herne Bay Petanque Club. The May speaker will be Dame Silvia Cartwright, lawyer, jurist and Governor General of New Zealand and an advocate for women and their rights. (CHRISTINE HART)  PN

NEXT MEETING: Herne Bay Petanque Club, Salisbury Street, Herne Bay10am, Friday 13 May, 2022

ENQUIRIES: Philippa Tait, President, Ponsonby U3A. M: 027 452 3108, www.u3a.nz

Wayne Britttenden

TIGERDROPS HOLY HEMP

Use religiously

Prohibited food. Not intended for the treatment or prevention of any disease or condition.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON PROPOSALS THAT MIGHT INTENSIFY OUR NEIGHBOURHOODS

Auckland Council is consulting on how intensification should occur across Auckland.

Taken to its extreme the intensification envisaged in Central Government policy will result in irrevocable change to our local neighbourhoods, our way of life, and our city’s heritage. As residents it is imperative that you speak up loudly and let Auckland Council know how important the characteristics of your neighbourhoods are.

Central Government is focusing on intensification of urban areas through the instruments of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD), and the Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS) contained in the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 (Amendment Act).

The unique place of our neighbourhoods is recognised in the Auckland Unitary Plan (AUP), with the zoning of Residential – Single House Zone supplemented by the Historic Heritage and Special Character Areas Overlays. These mechanisms were arrived at following a long and involved process with significant community engagement. The resulting provisions function to protect the beauty and uniqueness of these neighbourhoods as held dear by our people and communities.

The Central Government instruments require Auckland Council to:

Enable greater housing density by permitting buildings of six-storeys or more within at least a ‘walkable catchment’ of rapid transit stops and the edges of city centre and large town centres; and apply new MDRS to allow three dwellings of up to three-storeys on most residential properties without a resource consent, and non-notified resource consents for four or more dwellings or dwellings which do not comply with the standards set out.

Taken at face value, and to their extreme, these intensification requirements could enable and encourage the rezoning and subsequent replacement of a majority of Ponsonby’s, Grey Lynn’s, and Herne Bay’s existing historic heritage villas. As is evidenced by a number of such developments to date such high levels of intensification can have a plethora of other effects, including increased traffic, increased noise, overload on local schools and infrastructure (including water services), and increased demand on local services which address current community needs but would be overwhelmed with unsupported population increase.

The mechanism to ensure that a measured and proper approach to intensification is taken is to rely on the AUP Special Character overlay. This overlay would be a ‘qualifying matter’ under the Central Government regulations, which would provide a pathway to exempting such areas from intensification.

There are two stages of consultation underway.

The first stage of consultation closes on Monday 9 May 2022 and deals with the council’s preliminary response to the sixstorey intensification required around city and metropolitan centres and transport hubs. Currently this walkable catchment of 1,200 metres from the city centre, 800 metres around rapid transit stops (including the proposed Auckland Light Rail), and 400 metres from large town centres (Ponsonby Road) captures many properties in Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, and Herne Bay. Feedback is also sought on council’s proposal to include identified special character areas as a qualifying matter.

The second stage of consultation runs from 18 August – 15 September 2022 and deals with the detailed intensification changes that will be proposed to the AUP in a plan change, including the MDRS in the Amendment Act and the proposed wide-spread three-storey intensification.

To have your say on these important matters you can make submissions on both stages letting Council know:

a. In relation to Stage 1 - your views on whether our neighbourhoods (or parts of our neighbourhoods) should be considered to be special character areas and therefore exempt from intensification;

b. In relation to Stage 2 – your views on the details that need to be included in the plan change to ensure that any

Special Character Overlay areas retain the protections currently afforded by the AUP to villas in the Single House zone with the Historic Heritage and Special Character protection.

There is no doubt that Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, and Herne Bay are special and unique, and deserve our full consideration and protection from any proposal that would damage their uniqueness. (Nicole B, by email)

More information on the consultation and the proposed intensification is available here:

www.akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/housing

crane-brothers.com

LOCAL NEWS AUCKLAND TRANSPORT PLAN FOR PARKING REMOVAL FULL LIST OF AFFECTED ROADS

“The design mistake began with choosing arterial roads for cycleways, instead of quiet side roads where cycling would be more pleasant, because it came from exclusion rather than inclusion.

In its path, this juggernaut will destroy our shopping villages - Ponsonby, Mt Eden, Parnell, Remuera, Karangahape Road - these names create a picture of their unique character. Their demise would be devastating for Auckland.” Gael Baldock, Community Advocate.

CENTRAL AUCKLAND Beaumont St, Fanshawe St, Market Pl, Customs St West, Lower Hobson St, Hobson St, Nelson St, Wellesley St West, Wellesley St East, The Strand, Tamaki Dr (from The Strand to Ngapipi Rd), Symonds St, Anzac Ave, Vincent St, Pitt St, Grafton Bridge, Park Rd, Khyber Pass (from Park Rd to Broadway), Broadway (from Khyber Pass to Alpers Ave), Manukau Rd (from Alpers Ave to Mount Albert Rd), College Hill, Ponsonby Rd, Great North Rd (from Ponsonby Rd to Crummer Rd), Surrey Cres, Richmond Rd (from Surrey Cres to Parawai Cres), Old Mill Rd (from Surrey Cres to West View Rd), Garnet Rd (from Old Mill Rd to West End Rd), Meola Rd, Point Chevalier Rd (from Meola Rd to Great North Rd), Carrington Rd, New North Rd (from Morningside Rd to Symonds St), New North Rd (from Blockhouse Bay Rd to St Lukes Rd), St Lukes Rd (from New North Rd to Morningside Rd), New Windsor Rd (from Tiverton Rd to Maioro St), Maioro St, Richardson Rd ( from Owairaka Ave to Maioro St), Stoddard Rd (from Maioro St to Sandringham Rd), Sandringham Rd, Owairaka Ave, Mount Albert Rd (from Owairaka Ave to Sandringham Rd), Mt Eden Rd, Mount Albert Rd (from Mt Eden Rd to Royal Oak Intersection), Hillsborough Rd (from Dominion Rd Extension to Mount Albert Rd) NORTH AUCKLAND Hibiscus Coast Highway, Matakana Rd (from Sandspit Rd to Green Rd), Glenvar Rd, East Coast Road (from Carlisle Rd to Glenvar Rd), Medallion Dr, Rosedale Rd (from Bush Rd to Apollo Dr), Glenfield Rd (from Pupuke Rd to High Rd), Northcote Rd (from, Takapuna Golf Club to The Avenue), Onewa Rd, Esmonde Rd, Lake Rd (from Esmonde Rd to Albert Rd), Bayswater Ave.

SOUTH/EAST AUCKLAND Coronation Rd (from Waterfront Rd to McIntyre Rd), Coronation Rd (from Taylor Rd to Walmsley Rd), McKenzie Rd, Bader Dr (from McKenzie Rd to George Bolt Memorial Dr), Kirkbridge Rd (from McKenzie Rd to Ascott Rd), Jordan Rd, Atkinson Ave (from Princes St to Great South Rd), Ellerslie-Panmure Highway, Lagoon Drive, Pakuranga Rd, Ridge Rd, Ti Rakau Drive, Te Iriangi Drive, Great South Rd (from Te Iriangi Drive to Ronwood Ave), Ronwood Ave, Davies Ave (from Ronwood Ave to Putney Way), Murphys Rd (from Stancombe Rd to Ormiston Rd), Redoubt Rd (from Hilltop Rd to Mill Rd), Mill Rd, Cosgrave Rd, East Tamaki Rd (from Spring Rd to Hills Rd), Preston Rd (from East Tamaki Rd to Ormiston Rd), Ormiston Rd (from Preston Rd to Jarvis Way), Allens Rd, Smales Rd (from Allens Rd to Sir William Ave), Waiuku Rd.

Source: Bernard Orsman, www.nzherald.co.nz

@ LEYS LITTLE LIBRARY

Kia ora koutou Ponsonby.

The beginning of May often feels like quite a shock, the cooler weather has set in and we are almost halfway through the year. It is a month where we become more acquainted with our umbrellas and start to set aside our sunglasses. May also brings Mother’s Day and the beginning of the second term for schools.

For our Waitematā libraries we are hoping May will bring the restart of our regular programmes. Here at Leys Institute Little Library that means we are planning to return to the Ponsonby Baptist Church Hall (corner of Jervois Road and Seymour Street) for Wriggle and Rhyme. All going to plan, we will be there on Wednesday May 4th at 10am and 11am with music and bubbles; there’s a chance we even remember a few rhymes too. The team are very much looking forward to seeing you and your little people and meeting some new little people and their grown ups too.

Film Club will be making a return to the Grey Lynn Library Hall with the first screening being on Friday 20 May at 3pm; this season’s theme is black comedy. For further details about film club, pop into Grey Lynn or Leys Institute Little Library. Book Chat are very excited to be meeting in person rather than via zoom. They held their first meeting, kanohi ki te kanohi, at the Ponsonby Community Centre in April. It was great to see everyone getting together and connecting in person even if it was still socially distanced.

While we are excited to see you at our programmes and events, facemasks are required for all attendees 12 years and over - just like for a regular library visit. As always check our Facebook page – Leys Institute Little Library for up-to-date information about our programmes and events.

Book Chat Recommends: The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku. The remarkable life of 100 year old Eddie, who has a story to tell the world as a prisoner of war who went through absolute hell but came out the other side with love, resilience, kindness, joy, friendship and family - a story that will have you valuing the life we now live and that being kind and happy can make a big difference. A must read.

LEYS LITTLE LIBRARY, 14 Jervois Road, T: 09 377 0209, www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz

SPCA OPENS FIRST HIGH-END OP SHOP – ALL POOCHES WELCOME

Do you enjoy a chic and sustainable shopping experience? Also want to show your love for the animals? Ponsonby locals can now combine these two passions in a new store located in the heart of Auckland’s trendiest suburb.

SPCA is delighted to open its first designer boutique on Ponsonby Road, with the aim of providing shoppers with luxury second-hand items while raising crucial funds for New Zealand’s most vulnerable animals.

‘Boutique for SPCA’ is the charity’s first ever store that specialises in selling pre-loved designer and high-quality pieces including clothing, accessories, homewares and furniture. Customers who shop at the store will not only be able to snatch up something unique, but know that each purchase they make is helping animals in need.

“We’re thrilled to have been able to open Boutique by SPCA right in the centre of Ponsonby, where we know locals care about animals as much as we do,” says SPCA National Op Shops and Retail Manager Cathy Crichton. “This store is all about connecting people with the perfect pre-loved luxury or designer piece for them, while also raising funds for our charity.”

The boutique is the newest addition to SPCA’s 58 op shops around the country, which help raise necessary funds for the animal welfare charity. SPCA helps rescue, rehabilitate and rehome more than 35,000 animals each year and operates 33 animal Centres nationwide. It’s also the only charity with legal powers to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, but despite this, SPCA receives less than five percent Government funding. As a result, the organisation relies solely on donations from members of the public to operate its Centres and care for the thousands of animals that come through its doors.

“We know there are many choices for people once they have had a wardrobe or house ‘clean-out’, and we would love to urge locals to support SPCA with their valuable donations. If you love animals as much as we do, please support our new boutique store. And of course, bring your furry family member in for a visit as well.”

“At Boutique for SPCA, each piece has been lovingly handpicked by our team so that customers can ensure they’re getting quality second-hand pieces. Whether you’re on the hunt for a pre-loved designer handbag, something to wear for a special occasion, or even new linens for the home, our staff can help match you with the perfect purchase.” Sustainability is a key focus of the new store, but not just through giving formerly owned items a second chance by keeping them out of the landfill.

“Protecting the environment is important to us at SPCA so we’ve chosen to use recyclable card for our price tags so that they can be reused, and we’ve sourced recyclable paper bags for our customers. We’ve also made it a priority to support local by working with New Zealand suppliers for our shop’s fixtures and signage.”

The new Ponsonby boutique also presents a chance for locals to become involved in the community, by volunteering their time to help out inside the store.

“We are looking for people who are happy to spend a few hours each week sorting through donated goods, placing items out for display and helping customers,” says Ms Crichton. “Volunteering is a rewarding way for people to give back to a great cause, while also being a part of something special within the community.”

Boutique for SPCA is located at 27 Ponsonby Road and it’s worth noting that furry customers are also welcome, if not encouraged. So next time you’re visiting, feel free to bring your beloved pooch in for a browse. If you’d like to drop off a donation, this can be done during store hours which are Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Those wishing to volunteer can apply online at www.spca.nz/boutique-volunteers

Mixture of native and ‘exotic’ trees on Owairaka photography: Sharon Jones

HOW DOES THE OWAIRAKA APPEAL COURT DECISION AFFECT US ELSEWHERE IN AUCKLAND?

A brave Herne Bay couple took the Tupuna Maunga Authority (TMA) and Auckland Council to the High Court for a ‘Judicial Review’ of Owairaka / Mt Albert, citing the lack of consultation.

The manipulative, dishonest way the TMA presented removal of all 'exotic' trees was ‘sold’ to us as a ‘native restoration’ - slowly cloaking the maunga in natives without mentioning the felling of more than 2,500 mature trees across 14 volcanic cones.

Appeal Court decision by three judges, unanimously ruled in favour of the plaintiff -

· The Tupuna Maunga Authority had acted unlawfully in failing to adequately consult as required by the Reserves

Act.

· Auckland Council had acted unlawfully in granting a nonnotified resource consent.

· The appeal was granted and the resource consent was overturned.

After these findings, the logical decision for Auckland Council would be to withdraw the non-notified resource consents on the other maunga but arrogantly, council’s legal team decided NOT to do so, leaving that decision to the TMA.

TMA’s unelected chair, Paul Majuery has applied to the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, choosing to spend more ratepayer funds rather than consulting.

The blatant disregard from elected officials and public servants towards those who pay their wages is distasteful. Being more intent on increasing and wasting rates, their insufficient consultation has been used to push vanity projects, unused cycleways that destroy businesses, slowing down traffic to create congestion, felling trees, and condensing living arrangements without the amenities or infrastructure to accommodate this intensification.

When did the people give local and central government the right to destroy our way of life and character of our city? Mismanagement of council funds has turned the ‘City of Sails’ into ‘City of Road Cones’.

Logically these Appeal Court and Ombudsman decisions should be a wake-up call to council and ‘council controlled organisations’ and the failure of the TMA co-governance model, to change the consultation process.

“The views presented to the local authority should be received by the local authority with an open mind and should be given by the authority in making decisions, due consideration” - Local Government Act 2002 Further examples of sparse consultation across the city -

· Removal of street parking from most main roads by

Auckland Transport.

· Grey Lynn / Westmere cycleway races ahead with urgent consultation during pandemic restrictions.

· Pūtiki Bay, Waiheke penguin habitat against marina developers (represented by environmental lawyer, Paul

Majuery).

· Central government’s ‘3 Waters Authority' confiscating council assets.

· Cross-party ‘Enabling Housing Supply Bill’ for housing intensification conflicts with well consulted ‘Unitary Plan’ and removes heritage protections.

· Reserves are being sold by Panuku, its un-elected chair Paul Majuery and ‘rubber stamped’ by local boards.

· Suggestions of selling publicly owned golf courses for housing, losing much needed green spaces.

· Marine reserves put into co-governance without public input.

· 21 of our 28 regional parks into a co-governance under

‘consultation’.

· Ombudsman finding a lack of consultation by Ministry of

Culture and Heritage for the Erebus Memorial in Dove

Myer Robinson Memorial Park, Parnell.

It's overwhelming! How can anyone keep up? Who’s there to support us?

During the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s consideration of changing the forum into a co-governance authority, comprised of 50% mana whenua membership, Councillor Pippa Coom stated, "We're not here to bring the public along or the 14,000 members of the Gulf Users Group, who've been wound up through a misinformation campaign".

In contrast, former Councillor Mike Lee wrote in the Ponsonby News, “Those politicians fail to understand that the primary role of an elected representative is to represent the public to the council – not the other way round.”(GAEL BALDOCK, Community Advocate)  PN

Melissa Lee: CRIME, THE ECONOMY AND BUDGET 2022

It’s hard to imagine that we are still being directly impacted by Covid-19 more than two years after it hit our shores on February 28, 2020.

For so many New Zealanders the pandemic has seen their livelihoods affected in ways we never could have imagined. From the damage the closure of shops and businesses has done to countless families’ economic futures to the on-andoff nature of learning in our education sector and the ability to travel, New Zealand has struggled valiantly and yet there seems to be no end in sight.

Kiwis are facing a cost of living crisis across Auckland and that’s heart-breaking. Police response times are now at a shockingly high rate with our own Auckland City District going up 321 per cent and, in some cases, Police are taking almost two hours to respond to emergencies. That is appalling and not good enough for the citizens of our largest city where people want to sleep safely at night and want to feel safe running their diaries, hairdressers and cafes. For me in particular, I was deeply concerned at stories many shop keepers have been telling me during my rounds visiting as a Member of Parliament.

The lack of support many local businesses are facing after ram-raids and local robberies threaten not only their finances but their lives and mental wellbeing. It is damning that local grocers, dairy owners and restauranteurs, some who have been in our community for decades, are now thinking of closing up shop not because of a lack of customers but because of a lack in confidence in community safety and commercial opportunity. Retail NZ recently released data showing that retailers, especially our local storefronts in Grey Lynn, Ponsonby and Westmere, expect prices to rise 7.5 per cent in the next three months should be a wake-up call.

On almost every point New Zealanders, Covid-19 or not, are doing it tough and it’s time for this to stop. We are now in autumn and inching closer to a winter of discontent across New Zealand with inflation soaring as crime, mortgage rates and government wasteful spending grow alongside it. Bluntly, New Zealanders need better leadership than the team in charge right now as it is quickly becoming clear two years on from Covid-19 and five years on since Labour took office they have no idea about the future of New Zealand and how to ensure we can all succeed and thrive in our amazing country.

On 19 May 2022 the Finance Minister will deliver the Budget. We can only hope there will be some relief for the people of our city who are struggling under this Government, after all they are spending $6billion! It will be a lolly scramble, and yet we should be looking at how the Government manages our taxpayer dollars when all of us have to tighten our belts and budget to stretch our household incomes.

Like most of my colleagues, I’m meeting with communities across New Zealand and engaging with industry leaders to ensure the issues affecting New Zealand are heard in our Parliament as we scrutinise the 2022 Budget. The National Team will be delivering a strong message of our plan for the future of New Zealand as an innovative, passionate and forwarding looking nation and I look forward to sharing this vision further with you over the coming months.

Best wishes for the month ahead! (MELISSA LEE MP)  PN E: mplee@parliament.govt.nz

If you require any assistance I and my office are always happy and ready to provide advice and support

Please get in touch on 09 520 0538 or at MPLee@parliament.govt.nz to make an appointment. Melissa Lee National List MP based in Auckland

MPLee@parliament.govt.nz • melissalee.co.nz • mpmelissalee

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Melissa Lee, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.