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Tuesday • MAY 27 • 2014 PHONE: 09 235 78 35 FAX: 09 235 78 34
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‘Taggers’ set for shakeup
Auckland Council investigators will be taking a hard line on Waiuku graffiti vandals after local businesses expressed frustration
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Shortland Street A chance encounter led to Waiuku’s Mary Eagleton becoming one of the longestserving actors on New Zealand’s longest-running drama.
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Fishing Report
The harbour continues to fish well for snapper, with gurnard starting to appear in numbers, just in time for the Counties Sport Fishing Clubs annual ‘Grunter Hunter’ competition on June 1st. PAGE
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VOL 26 • NO.20
Frustrated Mudlarks down tools
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INSIDE THIS WEEK: PG 12 - 14
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The Mudlarks group, which has been clearing mangroves in the Waiuku Estuary, has elected not to continue with the last section under the current consent, saying it would be pointless under new council conditions. Auckland Council, acting on advice from environmental consultants, says the Mudlarks have to leave a 10-metre buffer zone of mangroves around the edge of the estuary, something the Mudlarks say is ridiculous. Council says the reasoning behind the 10-metre zone is to prevent erosion, and also to provide a habitat for the banded rail, but the Mudlarks disagree that the new requirement will have any effect on either issue. The Mudlarks say leaving the buffer area will simply mean that the areas that have been cleared will soon be growing again as the mature trees in the buffer zone will drop seeds, something which has already happened in the Sandspit area where a community clearance was held last year. They also say the native rushes they have been planting are not only far more effective in guarding against erosion that the mangroves, but that they also provide a home for the banded rail, which uses the rushes as a nesting area. The Mudlarks say there is clear evidence that their work is already having a major positive effect on the estuary, not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also in terms of the bird and marine life which is returning to the area. They say there have been far more fish in the estuary, which in turn is bringing in wading birds like the pied stilt, and they have even seen white heron returning to the area. The Mudlarks will be planting more rushes in June and July, but until the Council’s ‘ridiculous’ demands are altered, it appears unlikely there will be further mangrove removal.
Hundreds affected by telephone, eftpos outage, on Peninsula
Almost 500 homes and businesses in the Awhitu Peninsula were left without land lines, internet or eftpos services for almost a week after Chorus equipment failed. The telephone links had been erratic for some time, but lost service completely on May 18. A Chorus spokesperson said “Unfortunately a few hundred residents in the Waiuku / Awhitu area have experienced some service disruptions with phone and internet this week, and mobile service may also have been affected. This was due to a faulty piece of network equipment. “Chorus technicians have been working since Sunday to repair the fault but unfortunately it has taken time to get all the parts and people in place to undertake what is a substantial piece of work to permanently restore services. Technicians managed to permanently repair the fault on Thursday afternoon, restoring services to those affected.” Chorus vehicles were in the area on Friday to fine tune the major repairs.
Gary Pyes
GARY PYES
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Ian Parry of the Big Bay Motor Camp said he had no way to check online bookings, and with no eftpos facilities there was no way for people to pay for their accomodation or services without cash. Jeram Bhana at the Matakawau service station said the outage caused major disruptions not only for the station, but also for the nearby store. Some residents contacted national party Hunua candidate Andrew Bayly, who says Awhitu residents deserve better, and that it was disappointing it took so long to resolve the problems. “After this issue was brought to my attention I have spoken with local business owners in the region and share their concerns over the impact this failure has had on their businesses. I then contacted Chorus and a number of agencies which oversee telecommunications in New Zealand,” Andrew says. “Chorus have advised me the services at the top of the peninsular are provided through a radio link (a DMR – or Digital Microwave
Radio) which links Waiuku to the exchange at Awhitu and an older DSL cabinet. It is this link which has failed, and Chorus assure me they are working hard to identify the issue as well as repair and replace components. “However, this is obviously having a detrimental effect on local business, and even more concerning is the risk that 450 families may have no way of contacting emergency services if required. “People having to make a 60km or more round trip to get cash to buy their groceries seems ridiculous in this era of instant communication. “It is also disappointing to note that during my enquiries, Chorus have advised there are no plans under the Rural Broadband Initiative to upgrade any equipment in the area. “I have spoken with the Telecommunication Users Assoication of New Zealand, and I advise all affected businesses to keep a record of missed sales and transactions, and ensure they note carefully the disruption and impact to their business.
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