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?