Launch of Te Kakau
Sunvue Park has a new name gifted by Te Kawarau ā Maki.
Its new name is Te Kakau.
It refers to the star known as Regulus which is the brightest star in the Leo constellation.
The park is in the centre of the Zodiac Constellation in Glen Eden and a reference in Te Reo is in my view very appropriate.
At the launch I had the privilege of speaking.
I said that I had found this process, the restoring Te Reo descriptions to parts of the whenua, to be very satisfying.
Te Reo is a beautiful language. Its rhythm, its lyrical nature, the history behind it, the sense of locality, the sense of it being integrated in our surroundings is strong.
And it is important.
Out west we have a smattering of Māori place names and Pākehā names.
To be frank some of the Pākehā names lack the beauty and the relevance of the te Reo Māori names.
The Māori names are beautiful and eloquent and descriptive.
This is an important process. Te Reo Māori is integral and unique to Aotearoa New Zealand.
It is beautiful and it needs to be preserved and enhanced.
If you want official justification for this in 1986 the Waitangi Tribunal said this when it considered the te Reo claim:
“Some New Zealanders may say that the loss of Māori language is unimportant. The claimants in reply have reminded us that the Māori culture is a part of the heritage of New Zealand and that the Māori language is at the heart of that culture. If the language dies the culture will die, and something quite unique will have been lost to the world.”
Sir James Henare previously said this:
The language is the core of our Māori culture and mana. Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori (the language is the life force of the mana Māori). If the language dies, as some predict, what do we have left to us? Then, I ask our own people who are we?
That rationale is one of the reasons I believe that making the use of te Reo part of every day life is so important.
The local board has unashamedly chosen to adopt sole Maori names for many of the parks throughout the Te Kete Ruku ruku process. We believe that proper respect for Te Ao Māori is shown by giving the te Reo Māori name primacy.
Can I thank Te Kawerau ā Maki again for this gift and also for their contribution out west, particularly to the protection of Te Wao Nui a Tiriwa, the great forest of Tiriwai in the Waitākere Ranges.
Help for Titirangi Stickered Group
These are my speech notes from a resent presentation to Council in relation to locals whose access to their homes have been compromised by slips in road reserve but who cannot access existing funding sources to effect repairs.
“The local board has taken a major interest in issues relating to storm damage caused by the two storms last year.
Our area, particularly Titirangi, Piha, Karekare and Te Henga have borne the brunt of the effects of the storm.
Previously we advocated for full remission of rates for some affected properties and we thank Council for doing this.
I note that the buy back scheme is proceeding. I personally know a few families who are very grateful that they have been able to extricate themselves from difficult situations.
But some families are still caught up, particularly those whose properties are affected by slips that are adjacent to their properties.
EQC can’t help, their insurance company will not help but they are caught in a situation where their lives are on hold through circumstances beyond their control.
If I could comment on the paper it presents a cautious approach to the issue.
I accept that impacts of natural hazards on private property are considered normally to be a private responsibility – but insuring against loss and protection from serious harm which are covered by the buy back scheme could also be considered to be a private responsibility.
I do not believe that creating a fund to help people with landslips will create a precedent.
If this was the case then the buy back fund could also be considered as creating a precedent.
I have always regarded that as being a discrete decision of Council to help affected citizens.
With ongoing threats of supersized storms because of climate change I am afraid these damaging storms will become more and more common.
Council may reach a stage where it decides that it cannot provide any further assistance to citizens affected at some stage in the future.
This is why a national adaption plan and a climate adaption fund are vital and clearly needs central coordination.
But for now we have a situation where one group, home owners with safety threats, are being offered assistance but another group, home owners with degraded access to their property, are not.
This distinction to me is an anomaly and one that I believe needs to be addressed.
The scheme generally is to help our neighbours move on from a traumatic and dramatic event and get on with their lives. But there are some who because of an administrative distinction are prevented from doing so.
I note the suggestion that $5 million be set aside and understand this will be discussed by councillors. The local board supports the creation of this fund.
We do not consider that it creates a precedent. And in some situations, for instance the slip on Paturoa Road in Titirangi we consider that there is a benefit for Council funding this work so that a stability compromised area is strengthened so that no future slips occur.
We also support the creation of a case management service.”
The Council approved the proposal to set up the fund. I am aware that there are a few locals who are really pleased that the terrible situation they have been stuck in may now be addressed.
Local Board submissions on National Legislation
The Local Board has taken the opportunity on different occasions to make submissions to Parliamentary Select Committees considering bills.
We have the mandate to:
“[identify] and [communicate] the interests and preferences of the people in its local board area” although admittedly that is “in relation to the content of the strategies, policies, plans, and bylaws of the Auckland Council”.
Arguably this does not include topics proposed by outside entities including Parliament.
The problem is that Auckland Council does not submit on everything.
As an example, the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill was introduced, allowed 5 working days to make written submissions and then within a few days wanted to get oral submissions made.
On behalf of the Local Board I chose to exercise this opportunity. The timeline was very tight. Submissions closed on a Tuesday and three days later I was appearing in front of the Select Committee.
We have always been interested in representing the views of locals.
Staff advice is that if Council chooses to make a submission, we should submit our views centrally. Otherwise, it seems that we are at liberty to do our job and represent local views.
Tipping point Recycling Centre
For a long time the local board has been talking about the importance of recycling and how a centre in the local board area was so important for multiple reasons. These include reducing emissions, the filling up of our refuse stations as well as the appalling waste that our use once then discard society has.
It was a real thrill to find out that there is a ready made centre out west. The centre is called the Tipping Point and it is located at the Concourse in Henderson.
The centre is a collaboration between Auckland Council and the McLaren Park and Henderson South Community Trust.
The centre has brand new premises (Te Wai o Pareira) being completed. The building is impressive, has plenty of room not only for sorting but also for display. It is clear that a lot of thought and a lot of aroha is going into the centre.
And the building has plenty of solar power as well as water conservation measures. The people behind the centre are walking the walk as well as talking the talk.
MPHS estimates that since 2016 the centre has diverted over 400,000 kilograms of rubbish from landfills, created more than ten jobs and found new homes for over 10,000 items.
More information is available at www.tippingpoint.org.nz.
Victory Road Land slips
Progress is being made on dealing with the myriad of slips that occurred during the storm events last year. One that has not been addressed yet is on Victory Road in Laingholm. AT has assured us that it is in the list for the next financial year.
Like the rest of the foothills the local roads are in stability sensitive areas and care is needed.
Open Studios Weekend
Open Studios weekend for this year has now finished.
This is a regular event out west where local artists open their studios up to the public. This year over 80 artists were involved.
It is a local board funded event. We provide resources to Renee Tanner who organises the event. There is a website (www.openstudioswaitakere.co.nz) and a printed brochure including a map so that people can plan their trips.
I have always been proud of the event. It gives you a real sense of the quality and diversity of artistic talent that we have out west.
Some of the artists, for instance Dean Buchanan and Monique Endt, are well known and have been prolific in the local arts scene for decades. Others are less well known or just starting up but their art is in many cases just as vibrant and engaging as their more well known counterparts.
And the event clearly shows the importance of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area and how the natural beauty and rugged landscape that we live in provides artistic inspiration for local artists.
There are artists that have achieved international recognition for their art that called the Waitākere Ranges home. Colin McCahon, Dean Buchanan, Ann Robinson, John Edgar, Judy Miller, Len Castle – these are artists of different disciplines that have found inspiration in the local beauty. The participants in Open Studios may include the next McCahon or Robinson or Castle or Edgar.
I managed to visit quite a few of the studios and spoke to the artists. They were all very happy with the event and they each stated that interest was high, possibly higher than last year which was a good year, and many reported increased sales.
The board will review the event in the near future. But I am confident that we will want to continue to showcase the exceptional artists that we have in our rohe.
Deed of acknowledgment with Te Kawarau ā Maki
This is progressing through Council.
I attended a recent workshop where options were presented to Councillors.
One option presented was to investigate further a new joint entity with Te Kawerau ā Maki as previously advocated by this local board.
A decision should be made soon but my view is that the joint entity option will be most effective, to highlight the importance of the heritage area.
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