logo
Mayor demands U-turn on ‘totally unaffordable' Ruapehu water plan

Mayor demands U-turn on ‘totally unaffordable' Ruapehu water plan

NZ Herald5 days ago
'Ruapehu has the highest levels of deprivation in the country. Continuing with the current model will drive unacceptable and unnecessary financial hardship.'
He has formally asked councillors to revoke the July resolution and instead join a four or five-council option with the Palmerston North, Horowhenua and Rangitīkei councils and Whanganui, if it wished to join.
The larger groupings would deliver significantly lower water charges for ratepayers, Kirton said.
The council voted 6-4 on July 9 to reject the officer-recommended four-council model. Kirton and three councillors were in favour.
The bid to overturn the decision comes after new affordability guidance from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
Kirton said the advice showed the decision would increase all Ruapehu water bills well above what was considered affordable.
In the first year of the two-council entity, charges would be nearly $2500 per household – almost $1000 more than under a five-council model.
For affordability, the DIA recommends water charges stay under 2.5% of median household income. Updated financial modelling shows Ruapehu would breach that benchmark under the two-council arrangement.
'Totally unaffordable'
For the poorest households, particularly in northern Ruapehu, water charges could climb to nearly 6% of median household income within 10 years – more than double the threshold.
'These costs are totally unaffordable for many of our people and will be especially severe for Māori communities.'
New regulatory requirements would further increase cost pressures, Kirton said.
National water regulator Taumata Arowai has told the council to bring forward upgrades to its non-compliant wastewater plants sooner than planned.
This meant water charges under the two-council model were forecast to rise to $2800 per connection within a few years and reach more than $4000 by 2033/34.
The estimated cost for the upgrades ranged from $66 million for wastewater dispersed to water, to more than $200m if dispersed to land.
River protection
Kirton said he was not rejecting Whanganui or the many constructive partnerships between the two districts.
'We have strong and ongoing collaboration with Whanganui across multiple areas, such as the Mountains to Sea cycle trail and economic development, which will continue regardless of our water services structure.'
A five-council model would deliver the lowest possible user charges for all water users, the greatest operational efficiencies, and align the Whangaehu and Whanganui river catchments under a single regulator and service provider.
Existing commitments to river protection and shared services would not be compromised by moving to a larger model.
Kirton said some councillors had downplayed financial concerns, arguing that affordability could be addressed by the new entity or the Commerce Commission.
'At our workshop this week, the only proposed solution to unaffordable charges was 'writing a letter to the Minister'. That's not good enough.
'I'm not prepared to defer responsibility and hope someone else sorts it out. This is our chance to act decisively and protect the people of Ruapehu from excessive costs.'
'Blood out of a stone'
Councillor Fiona Kahukura Hadley-Chase told Local Democracy Reporting she thought it unlikely the decision would be overturned.
She was unconvinced by the cost projections.
'There's no clear data, information or evidence. The modelling, the forecasting and the legislation keeps changing. They're plucking figures out of the sky.
'Because of that, I'm going to say the relationship with Whanganui must stay strong. If we don't have that, then we're paddling upstream.'
Hadley-Chase said the district's 5500 ratepayers could not afford upcoming water costs and the council should seek a partnership with the DIA to pay for water.
'Dumping us in a bigger pool is not going to help. Our people can't afford to pay for water, full-stop.
'We cannot afford to build this infrastructure. It shouldn't mean we should go into millions worth of debt. It's unreasonable for the Government to put that on us.
'The DIA should develop a unique solution to help those [councils] who are struggling. You cannot get blood out of a stone.'
Decision looms on water plan U-turn
The council will consider the motion to overturn the two-council decision on August 13.
Kirton is encouraging the public to contact their elected members or speak in the public forum before the vote.
Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said he was surprised to learn that the decision was being reconsidered.
'It was disappointing to learn of this without direct contact to me – fortunately, I was advised informally.
'I am confident that when this matter goes to vote next week, the majority will continue to support the two-council water services CCO.'
Tripe said the councils were to consider a joint water services delivery plan (WSDP) for adoption next week to make sure they meet the September 3 deadline.
'It's a strong model, which balances local voice, and the benefits of scale and consolidation. A majority of Ruapehu councillors recognised this when they also adopted it as their preferred model.'
Tripe said if Whanganui's preferred model became unavailable, the council would have to reconsider its remaining options, revise its WSDP and work to meet its legislative obligations.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Education minister over-reached on te reo in books, say principals
Education minister over-reached on te reo in books, say principals

RNZ News

time30 minutes ago

  • RNZ News

Education minister over-reached on te reo in books, say principals

Erica Stanford was worried five-year-olds would be confused by Māori words in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii Education Minister Erica Stanford has overstepped by excluding te reo Māori from future books in a series for learner readers, says the NZ Principals' Federation. A ministry document showed Stanford made the decision in October because she was worried five-year-olds would be confused by Māori words in the Education Ministry's Ready to Read Phonics Plus series. At the same time, Stanford ruled that one of the 27 books that already contained Māori words should be re-sized as a big book and would not be reprinted as a 'reader' that children could take home or read together in groups. She also told officials to ensure that Māori pronunciation was explicitly taught from children's second year at school - a first for the English curriculum. Stanford later told RNZ the decision about future books would affect only 12 books that were being developed to complete the series. But Principals' Federation president Leanne Otene said the minister was out of line. "I don't support any of these decisions. One book, 12 books, 20 books, future books - these decisions have not involved the sector. The people who should be making decisions about the resources that are used in classrooms are teachers. They're the ones who are selecting the books to teach the children how to read," she said. "I do not understand why the minister is hands-on in this. That's an overstep. It's an over-reach. The experts are the teachers in front of the children. They have always selected the readers and resources that meet the needs of the children in their class." Otene said the minister was doing five-year-olds a disservice if she thought they could not cope with Māori in their readers. "We are very disappointed and there will be some very upset whanau, parents of children who want their children to see themselves in these books, who want the language that they're using at home being used within the the learning environment," she said. "We're not just talking about Māori children here, we're talking about everyday Kiwi kids who are using Māori." Stanford said she disagreed with the federation. She said English words were not used in Māori language readers in Māori-immersion classes, so it made sense not to have Māori words in readers in English-medium classrooms. But Rawiri Wright from the runanganui for kura kaupapa Māori said that was not a fair comparison. "We are a total immersion Māori language setting for primary school, that is not my understanding of the majority of English-medium schools. "They say they are English-medium but they are supposed to be places where both official languages or all three official languages are recognised, so I don't think the minister's argument holds any water," he said. The Education Ministry said it had released 78 books in the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, of which about 30 included kupu Māori (excluding the names of characters). "These titles will continue to be printed and made available into the future," it said. It said seven books currently in development would include Māori names and a further 12 further books were planned. "Once students have mastered decoding, te reo Māori continues to be supported through the Junior Journal series for Year 3 students and the School Journal series for Years 4-8 students," it said. The ministry said it also provided additional support for te reo Māori use within the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, sending packs of te reo Māori Kete Cards to all schools. "These resources introduce the origins of the words, support correct pronunciation, and explain the sound-letter relationships of te reo Māori. "We are including appropriate information and guidance about te reo Māori vowel sounds and pronunciation in the English learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum from Year 2. This aligns with when te reo Māori increasingly appears in the Ministry's literacy resources, such as the Junior Journal and School Journal series." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

'Once A Poster Girl, Now An International Laggard': Pay Equity Appeal Goes To UN
'Once A Poster Girl, Now An International Laggard': Pay Equity Appeal Goes To UN

Scoop

time3 hours ago

  • Scoop

'Once A Poster Girl, Now An International Laggard': Pay Equity Appeal Goes To UN

A pay equity advocacy group is making an urgent appeal to the United Nations (UN) to investigate the government's changes to pay equity laws. The Pay Equity Coalition Aotearoa (PECA) has made a formal submission to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to investigate what it calls a "historic and deliberate regression" of women's economic and political rights in New Zealand. In its appeal, PECA outlines how the Equal Pay Amendment Act has dismantled the country's pay equity system, cancelling 33 live claims covering more than 180,000 women, many of whom are low-paid essential workers in care, health, education, and public services. The group's Dame Judy McGregor told Nine to Noon it had informed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of the request about a fortnight ago, which had been done "in a spirit of desperation". "It's an unprecedented step," she said. After pleas to the government to review and potentially repeal the legislation, it felt dialogue between the independent CSW and the government would be useful, Dame Judy said. "Perhaps a country visit in which a committee member can hear the stories and witness personally the anger and despair… thousands of women, many of whom are Māori and Pasifika migrant women workers who really now are condemned to decades and, in some cases, a lifetime of poverty wages." The submission stated $12.8b previously set aside to address pay equity claims had been diverted by the government for other budgetary purposes. The group believed the legislation breached Article 11 of the UN's Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), which guaranteed women the right to equal pay for work of equal value, as well as Article 2(3)(a) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which ensured access to effective legal remedies. Dame Judy bemoaned New Zealand's reputational slide on gender equity issues. "I think New Zealand has gone from being a poster girl for gender equality now to probably an international laggard," she said. PECA alerted Luxon of the submission about a fortnight ago "as a courtesy". "Given women weren't given that courtesy in relation to pay equity, we felt at least the government should," Dame Judy said. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Women's Minister Nicola Grigg had also been alerted. No response had been received from the prime minister's office, other than receipt of the correspondence. The group was also considering filing a complaint to the UN's Optional Protocol to the CEDAW. Union backs move In a statement, the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions (NZCTU) said it backed PECA's appeal. Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges said cancelling pay equity for more than 180,000 working women was a "flagrant attack on their economic and political rights". "PECA are right to call for action from the United Nations to ensure that Aotearoa New Zealand lives up to its reputation on the world stage. "Overnight our world-leading system was gutted without consultation or normal checks and balances. What remained in its place is a series of roadblocks, thresholds and obstacles masquerading as pay equity." NZCTU said New Zealand was once proud to be world leaders for making progress on ensuring women were paid what they were worth. "It is shameful that our government has such low regard for women's rights," Ansell-Bridges said. "This government refuses to listen. We must use every forum to pressure them to restore pay equity claims. In June I raised pay equity at the International Labour Organization conference, and support taking the fight to the UN." Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden earlier this week said the pay equity changes were made to ensure genuine instances of pay inequity are identified and resolved. "As a government, we want to be sure that the pay equity process is robust, workable and sustainable and getting the settings right for claims that demonstrate genuine sex-based discrimination," van Velden said. "Equal pay is here to stay. Pay equity remains open as a process and the law is more robust." When the changes were rolled out earlier this year, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said claims the government was "cutting pay for women" were incorrect. "Equal pay remains, no change. Pay parity remains, no change. Collective bargaining remains, no change. Settlements that have already happened under pay equity, no change." RNZ has sought comment from Peters, Griggs and Luxon.

Education Minister cut Māori words from future junior books, documents show
Education Minister cut Māori words from future junior books, documents show

1News

time3 hours ago

  • 1News

Education Minister cut Māori words from future junior books, documents show

Education Minister Erica Stanford has imposed a near total ban on Māori in new additions to a series of books used to teach five-year-olds to read. An Education Ministry report shows Stanford decided in October last year to exclude all Māori words except for characters' names from any new books in the Education Ministry's Ready to Read Phonics Plus (RtRPP) series. The paper showed the decision was driven by concern Māori words were confusing for children learning to read English though evidence of that was mixed. Stanford told RNZ the decision affected only 12 books that would finish the series, after which the series, including 27 books with Māori words, could be reprinted. The ministry's report said: "Under this option, we would not include kupu Māori in all phases of the RtRPP scope and sequence for any future books. The 13 RtRPP books currently in development do not contain any kupu Māori, apart from character names." ADVERTISEMENT It was not clear in the paper whether the books would be reprinted. "As noted above, the RtRPP resources are expected to have a lifespan in schools of approximately 10 years, so it would take several years for the books containing kupu Māori that are currently in circulation to be replaced in practice." The document showed Stanford also instructed the ministry to develop a teaching sequence in the English curriculum to help teachers prepare children to read Māori words from their second year at school. Children reading (file picture). (Source: Stanford told RNZ that would stop teaching children in mainstream classrooms to pronounce and read Māori from being "left to chance". The ministry's document said currently from Year 4, Māori words were included in the curriculum with increasing frequency and complexity. Stanford told RNZ she considered rewriting the 27 books that contained Māori words to retain only the proper nouns in Māori, but later decided against it. ADVERTISEMENT "These are very early readers that teach children to learn to read and there are already 'heart' words in there that children have to memorise in English and if there are some te reo words in there as well, then that's okay and we'll leave them as they are," she said. She described the decision as the middle position between conflicting advice. The minister's October decision included reprinting one of the books, 'At the Marae', as a big book but not as a 'reader' for children to take home — something that angered many teachers and principals in the past week. The document showed Stanford raised the issue after "experts in structured literacy approaches" told her that including two different languages in the books could confuse learners and make it harder for them to master English phonetics. The ministry's paper said evidence about that was mixed but there was a case to consider the amount of Māori words in books for children learning to read. Literacy experts told RNZ this week Māori words were part of everyday New Zealand English and did not present problems for beginning readers because their spelling was regular and their vowel sounds matched some of the English vowels. The document said 26 of the 75 Ready to Read books had up to three Māori words and a 27th, 'At the Marae', had six Māori words. ADVERTISEMENT The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including the legal fight to get a New Zealand woman and her child out of US immigration detention, sliding house prices, and Taylor Swift's big reveal. (Source: 1News) A hand-written note on the document showed the minister wanted te reo Māori introduced when children stopped using "decodable" books like the Ready to Read series, usually at the end of their first year at school or early in their second year. "I want to include in the NZC (English) a section on Te Reo vowel sounds and pronunciation to ready students for reading te reo words in school journals as previously discussed," she wrote. Stanford also noted that: "Interestingly — I asked kura leaders if they would accept English words in te reo Māori decodable books and they no. So it would be consistent to keep one language only in very early Year 1 decodable books, except for names." The ministry's paper said the Ready to Read series was designed to teach the reading of English "and the sound-letter correspondences in English". "Our advice to schools is to teach kupu Māori in RtRPP books as "told" words. The foundational skill of phonic decoding within the resources is based on the English language and students are not expected to decode the kupu Māori," it said. The paper warned the options could result in pushback from schools. ADVERTISEMENT "If we discontinue the use of kupu Māori (apart from character names) in RtRPP books, there may be a negative response and media attention. [REDACTED] In particular, recalling existing books has the potential to generate pushback." The minister wrote in response: "It's only in Year 1 decodable books that teach English and it would align with the approach taken in te reo decodables. Te Reo would be introduced immediately after the use of decodable stops which is typically end of Year 1 early Year 2 where students move on to journals."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store