An open letter to Gavin Benney - NZ First candidate (Whangarei)

 

Dear Gavin

Congratulations on your selection as the candidate for NZ First. I am wiring to you on behalf of Democracy Northland in your capacity as the NZ First candidate.

NZ First has confirmed to me via email that it would reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001. As you are aware, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 which was introduced by Nania Mahuta in her then capacity as Minister of Local Government. The effect was to remove the right of electors to demand a binding poll on the creation of Maori wards, and place the onus on local councils to respond to the demands of electors.

A question to Winston Peters

 

Democracy Northland has (twice) asked Winston Peters, leader of NZ First, the following question:

Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?

 By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021

A question to David Seymour

 

We put the following question to Act:

RE: Local government Māori wards – right of electors to demand a binding poll

Your website states, “Our Democracy or Co-Government paper sets out how ACT would restore universal human rights in New Zealand’s laws, public affairs, and constitutional settings. We would do this with the following policy changes…2. Repealing recent laws, such as the Three Waters legislation, local government representation legislation, and elements of the Pae Ora legislation, that give different rights based on identity.” https://www.act.org.nz/democracy

Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?

By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021.

We look forward to your reply.

A question to Chris Luxon

 

Democracy Northland has asked Chris Luxon, the leader of the National Party, the following question:

Should your party be in a position to do so after the October election, would it reinstate sections 19ZA to 19ZG of the Local Electoral Act 2001?

 By way of background, those sections were repealed by section 7 of the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021

The effect was to remove the right of electors (the people) to petition their local council to force a binding referendum about the introduction of Maori wards/constituencies. The Labour Party (Nanaia Mahuta as the then Minister of Local Government) removed that right retrospectively.   

Here is Chris Luxon's reply:

Cr Gavin Benney to stand for NZ First

Whangarei District Councillor, Gavin Benney, is to stand for NZ First in Whangarei. 

Making the announcement, Winston Peters said Benney is “an experienced city councillor and with many years of experience as a local police officer, with an admirable record of community service in Whangarei and Northland”.

However, his voting record on the council has been less than admirable. 

NRC Chair breaches code of conduct rules

Tui Shortland should stand down as the Chair of the Northland Regional Council. 

The call comes from a former NRC councillor, John Bain. and follows an incident where, according to the Northern Advocate, Shortland, and other activists, “used their bodies to block the hall’s entrance” to prevent members of the public from entering a meeting that the organisers had every right to hold. John Bain’s letter to councillors said, 

Kamo now Te Kamo

Kamo is now Te Kamo. The New Zealand Geographic Board (now known as Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board) has agreed with a proposal lodged by Ngāti Kahu-o-Torongare and several hapū to change the name. 

This is despite widespread opposition. Of the 651 submissions made to the Board, 535 were opposed (82%). Just 116 (18%) supported the name change. Clearly, the co-governed Geographic Board had little or no regard for the views of the community, including those who actually live in Kamo. 

Ngāti Kahu-o-Torongare said the name change was required because: 

Tough times on the farm

 

A cut in Fonterra’s forecast payout from $8 to $7 per kg of milk solids will wipe $5 billion off the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Most farmers need $8 to just break even. Northland is going to be hit hard.

Letterbox spoke with local Federated Farmers President Colin Hannah for his take on things. Here's what he had to say:

"The largest industry in Northland is about to be hit again and the impact on the Northland economy is going to be reasonably dramatic. 2017 Northland produced 101million Milk solids, this year 63 million. Depending on what multiplier you use the effect is being felt all round. For every Dollar a dairy farmer spends it is floating around 8 to 9 times.

The NZ Local Government Funding Agency

The NZ Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) has been the subject of some chatter on social media following some “out-there” comments about the organisation by Loyal NZ, a new party contesting the 2023 general election.

The LGFA is an organization that has largely gone unnoticed in the last decade or so that it has existed. Here’s some background information.

What does the LGFA do?

True Lies

 

A new report has found that vegans emit five times more carbon than those on a meat-based diet. That’s according to a new report prepared by an Auckland University researcher. Dr Heather Winkelbottom says the high-fibre vegan diet causes high levels of flatulence. “Most humans pass gas between 13 to 21 times a day. This increases to between 60 to 120 times a day for vegans, or once every 15 minutes. Not only does this contribute to global warming, but flatulence also contains dangerous levels of methane which is potentially harmful to human health. I consider it dangerous to be confined with a vegan in a small space like a lift for more than 10 minutes.”

Dr Winklebottom said further research is required and has applied to the Marsden Fund for funding assistance. 

Is this true or a lie?

Three Waters Guinea Pig

Auckland and Northland will be the guinea pigs in a revised Three Waters model. Entity A (which includes four councils: Auckland, Kaipara, Whangarei and the Far North) will be the first of the now 10 water entities to be created. The Auckland North entity takes effect from July next year. The remaining nine entities will be staggered through to mid-2026.

The Three Waters reform is being imposed on councils despite widespread opposition. More than 60,000 submissions opposed the reform, but the government continued with only minor changes. The co-governance provisions remain, which give local iwi half of the seats on an entity’s regional representative group. The other half are shared between the local councils. The iwi and hapu Te Mana o te Wai statements, which must be put into effect by the water entity, have also been retained.

NRC increases rates to increase staff

It’s good news for residents in Kaipara, and bad news for everyone else. 

The Kaipara District Council has one of the lowest rate increases in the country at just 4.96% for the year ended 30 June 2024.

Mayor Craig Jepson said the Council contained the rate increase by deferring non-essential spending and achieving greater operational efficiencies. This is despite council infrastructure sustaining significant damage

National on track to win back Northand

Polling released by Reality Check Radio on the 27th of July shows the National Party is on track to retake the Northland electorate seat.

National’s Grant McCallum is well ahead of Willow-Jean Prime (Labour) who won the seat from National in 2020. He is also well ahead of Matt King from Democracy NZ and Shane Jones from NZ First. 

Both NZ First and Democracy NZ are polling well below the 5% party vote threshold and need to win the seat to guarantee their party a place in Parliament. Both have previously expressed confidence that they have the support to win, but the poll results show otherwise.