Shirin's blog

Waiheke Finally Presented the Roger Award to Auckland City Councillors Cathy Casey, Denise Roche, and Richard Northey at a lively Artworks Ceremony on Saturday.  

Amidst much hilarity and some sombreness, the award was finally accepted by the City Vision Councillors on behalf of Auckland City Council.  

Denise Roche spoke of conflicts of interest, John of the shenanigans that led to the final decision (unfortunately the recording mechanism failed so you'll need to see him if you want the gory details).

Cathy Casey spoke poignantly about the personal stress of the campaign and the fear that went with feeling that her emails were being looked at and passed around without her knowledge.  

Many spoke of their fears for the new Supercity but some felt these fears may well be opportunities in disguise.  Mike Lee spoke of the self-governance opportunities that might arise, Jacinda Ardern spoke of her amendment to the third supercity bill to transfer waste management powers to the Waiheke Community Board.    David Clendon spoke of the travesty of justice that the contract was awarded to a multi-national over a local provider.  

For most of the people who had joined the fight at various stages the event represented closure and the recognition that although the battle was lost, Waiheke was radicalised into opposition to the Supercity.   

See the press release below for additional details.  

At this time last year the Waiheke community was in the midst of a battle to preserve its innovative waste management programme. The programme had been widely hailed as a model for the rest of New Zealand, with articles in the major magazines touting the advances made by The Waste Resource Trust and Clean Stream. Waiheke's campaign to keep its highly successful programme, called Waiheke Does It Better, made news across the country with a music video that circulated on the internet and an appearance on Campbell Live as well as articles in nationwide publications. 

Although the C&R-dominated Auckland City Council Community Development Committee ignored its own waste management policy and the stated wishes of the Waiheke Community Board representing island residents by awarding the contract to TPI, some interesting things have come out of it.  The term "Mt. Visy", coined by a Waiheke resident, is now the de facto name for the Onehunga MRF. Waiheke's campaign is also frequently cited in Parliament as an example of poor governmental consultation. TPI meets with  a group of Waiheke community members reglualry to montor their progress and see if they can attain the waste recovery percentage that Clean Stream achieved. Waiheke is the only community to enjoy that privilege. And this year, an independent panel awarded ACC the Accomplice Roger Award for the role they played in giving the Waste Tender to the dodgy multi-national, TPI. 

The award, however, has yet to be presented. Unsurprisingly, the CDC did not acknowledge receipt of the award. Now, a group of Waiheke Residents, headed by Millie Watkins, have put together an Award Ceremony at Artworks Theatre on 22 May, 2pm, to give the Roger Award presentation its due.  The ceremony will be attended by Mike Lee of ARC, Jacinda Ardern, Labour MP and David Clendon, Green Party MP. Denise Roche, Cathy Casey and Richard Northey will be on hand to accept the award on behalf of the rest of the Auckland City Councillors. Two of the Roger Award judges, Joce Jessen and Wayne Hope will officially present the award. 

The event on Saturday will close the chapter on the Waiheke Does It Better campaign. Many people put extensive amounts of time and energy into preserving a wildly successful  community waste programme, not to mention Clean Stream itself. This Roger Award is for them and the many thousands of supporters on the island and elsewhere. All are invited to come hear the speakers and enjoy refreshments and a cash bar.

Meriel Watts, scientist for the Pesticide Action Network, and local resident, talks of the dangers of spray drift from pesticide and weedspraying on Waiheke, citing a possible link to increased cancers and fatigue syndromes.  

Currently residents have no recourse against spraying, but she suggests that wineries should take the long term view, and switch to organic pesticides and weedkillers.   Concerned residents can contact her, merielwatts@xtra.co.nz, with any specific concerns or for ideas on how to approach the neighbours.

Interesting Listener article on winery spraying  http://www.listener.co.nz/issue/3531/columnists/10303/vine_arts.html 

She also discusses the risks Roundup, and how people seem unaware of the high health risks associated with even small exposure.  See the article in Nov/Dec 2009 Organic New Zealand.    

With the Supercity, there is a risk that our roads,  currently sprayed with organic weedkiller, will need to fall into line with an Aucklandwide policy of using Roundup on roads.  

Personally I think it would be good to compile a list of wineries and landscape gardeners with details on whether they use pesticides,weedkillers, or fungicides and whether or not these are organic, with a view to supporting those that are keeping our environment safe.  

Let's start the ball rolling here.

Listen to the interview with Merial Watts on Island Life.

Shirin

 
Spraying at Cable Bay. Nearby residents need special  filters fitted  to filter out insecticides and herbicides from their water.

The Select Committee

A beautiful day at Onetangi, had the usual suspects and other concerned residents huddled into a dark room to submit on the Supercity GAC concept. To their credit, the Select Committee seemed on the whole to be listening, with committee members asking pertinent questions and showing interest in Waiheke issues.    

The waste contract came up again and again as a focus for community dissatisfaction with Auckland City Council decision-making,  as a reflection of the negative and anti-participatory culture at ACC and as an illustration of the fact we need a community board with more authority and power to make budgetary decisions.  Both in terms of local awareness of  local issues, but also because we have an educated and committed population that is keen to self-manage its affairs.

Tony Sears opened with a plea for local decision-making, this was followed by me, for the Campaign for Fair Ferry Fares, talking about the sorry state of public transport and the need to have a transport management plan which meets the needs of islanders  as well as tourists.    

Brent followed with a radio submission on the importance of radio for participatory democracy and the support we've had from the Community Board which makes this possible.    We found out that the Hon. John Carter, chairman of the committee was also chairman of Dargaville community radio for 4 years.  

Bernard Rhodes spoke on the biosphere reserve idea and Nikki Kaye asked for more information on this to be provided.    

I didn't sit through it all but the calibre of submissions was incredibly high, making me proud to live in this community - Speakers  offered a range of theoretical perspectives or anecdotal stories which reflected their commitment to local democracy,  the importance of protecting Waiheke Island from turning into another suburb, and  which showed a strong awareness that the Supercity represents a consolidation of power which needs to be addressed.

Check out the coverage - Click the links

John Carter Podcast 

One News  

NZ Herald

It would be great if submitters posted comments on their view of the proceedings or comments that they made at the hearings.

This Monday, the Campaign for Fare Ferry Fares will be presenting Nikki Kaye, our MP, with a petition calling for affordable and sustainable fares on the Waiheke to Auckland Central Route.  

Recognising the importance of sustainable and affordable public transport, she has agreed to present this petition to Parliament as part of the discussion on the Public Transport Management Act. 

This programme broadcasts on the Thursday, 18 June at 7.00pm and Sunday, 21 June at 12 noon.  

Phil Twyford talks about why it's important to make submissions on the Supercity, what kinds of issues to submit on.  In the second half he talks about the outcome of the Mount Alber bi-election. 

Listen to podcast

One Waiheke is a group coming together to make submissions on the supercity.   Listen to Island Life on Saturday 10 to 12 to hear more about them, as well as Colin Beardon's suggestions for Waiheke becoming part of a UNESCO Heritage area.  

TheOne Waiheke link  is very useful in terms of telling you where to submit as well as key issues you can talk about and how to frame the submission: 

Information below supplied by Nikki Kaye's office: 

Submissions

Submissions will close on 26 June 2009.

Hearings

 It is currently proposed that hearings will be held throughout Auckland from 6 July 2009.  Those who wish to appear before the Select Committee should advise that with their written submission.

Further Information

The most recent announcements from the Government on Auckland’s local government can be found at http://www.national.org.nz/auckland

More information on the Select Committee can be found at http://www.parliament.nz

Where do you see Waiheke under a supercity structure?