Latest news with #GisborneHerald
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Gisborne advocate criticises Kāinga Ora land sales amid ‘housing crisis'
'We currently plan to sell about 36 hectares of land that is no longer needed for either new social housing projects or for urban development work,' an information sheet on land sales said. Land included a range of larger sites in Auckland and Wellington, as well as 'smaller vacant sites across the country which are not needed for social housing projects'. Kāinga Ora properties on the market and properties sold were also listed online. These included properties in Gisborne, on the Coast and at Te Karaka. A social housing property for sale as at July 31 is 4 Tui St in Gisborne. Vacant land Kāinga Ora has for sale in Kaiti as at July 31 is at 43 Ranfurly St, 5 Lawrence St, 23 Cavendish Cres and 28 Dalton St. Land at Tolaga Bay is also on the market – at 2,4,6,8 and 10 Discovery St and 1 and 9 Adventure Ave. Elgin properties sold as at July 31 were 47, 49, 51 and 53 Centennial Cres, as well as 8 Puriri St. In Te Karaka, the property at 22 Currie St had sold. 'Like any developer, we are continually reviewing the land we own to see if it is still fit for purpose, and as such, it is expected that the divestment of sites will be an ongoing process,' the Kāinga Ora information said. 'It is likely that further sites will be added to our divestment programme in the future.' In a separate statement to the Gisborne Herald, the agency said: 'Market conditions are continually evolving, demand for new housing can change, and more detailed due diligence may mean sites intended for redevelopment no longer work for us.' Lizz Crawford, the manager of Oasis Community Shelter in Kaiti, was concerned with the sales of Kāinga Ora property amid a "housing crisis". Photo / Gisborne Herald Crawford said the selling of properties was part of an ongoing crisis. 'It appears we have not only a housing crisis, but a societal crisis, which has more than likely exacerbated the lack of housing for the most vulnerable of society. 'There are countries that have actively reduced homelessness, and it is sad to see that New Zealand is not one of them. We have done the opposite and not only turned a blind eye, but perhaps our backs, too,' she said. East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick outlined the Government's policy on housing as well as helping the homeless. In response to questions about homelessness and housing, East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said the Government had recently released the latest Homelessness Insights Report and announced 'a series of actions to reduce the number of people living without shelter, including sleeping rough in New Zealand'. The report 'confirms what frontline organisations have been saying ... there are too many people in housing need. Accurate numbers are difficult to pin down. People without shelter often move around and may avoid engaging with government services, but it's clear we have a real problem', she said. The Government was making 'a serious response' to housing issues, Kirkpatrick said. 'At present, over $550 million is spent annually across a range of programmes run by multiple agencies, including Transitional Housing, Housing First, Rapid Rehousing and many other support services. 'We've made it clear that officials should engage with frontline providers to do this because they are the organisations working at the frontline of this problem. We will not be returning to the previous Government's large-scale emergency housing model, which cost over $1 million a day at its peak and was a social disaster.' The Government was reviewing housing support services, she said. 'Our aim is to make the system simpler, more effective and reduce duplication. We want to fund what works.' 'We're also looking at ways to improve the social housing system to ensure it delivers the right homes in the right places for the right people. The Government has recently changed Kāinga Ora's funding settings to enable the agency to build more one-bedroom units. About 50% of people on the Housing Register require a one-bedroom unit, but they only make up about 12% of Kāinga Ora's housing stock.' Some new homes were blessed recently on Kowhai St in Te Hapara and were ready for tenants to move in.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Human remains found at Waihau Bay in Bay of Plenty
Waihau Bay in eastern Bay of Plenty. Photo: Liam Clayton / Gisborne Herald An investigation is underway after the discovery of human remains at a beach in Waihau Bay, in Ōpōtiki on Friday. Police were notified about the find at around 11:50am today. The remains have been identified as human, and enquiries will determine how old these remains are, a spokesperson said. Inquiries would be followed by a formal identification process, which officers expected to take some time. Anyone with information that could assist police was asked to make a report via 105 using the event number P063420839. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
02-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Students from Tairāwhiti gain experience as Youth MPs in Wellington
Jake Higgins, 16, Youth MP for Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, Labour MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti. He is from Ruatōria and is a direct descendant of Sir Apirana Ngata, a statue of whom they are standing next to. Future leaders of the East Coast joined MPs this week at Parliament in Wellington as Youth MPs. More than 140 students, working with MPs from around Aotearoa, travelled to Parliament in Wellington for Youth Parliament from Monday to Wednesday this week. The Gisborne Herald spoke with the three local youths
RNZ News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Around the motu: James Pocock in Gisborne
Gisborne council will be investigating the return of ancestral land to Ngati Oneone, the NZ record was broken twice at the East Coast Angus bull sales, and more Gisborne drivers have been fined for mobility parking violations since the fine increase to $750. James Pocock is the Gisborne Herald Editor. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
NZ Herald
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Herald
State Highway 2 Otoko Hill restoration work could be completed by Labour weekend
Recently completed work at Site G on Otoko Hill included the use of shotcrete (a type of sprayed concrete) and soil nails (reinforced steel bars installed in pre-drilled holes) to repair an underslip to strengthen the roadside. State Highway 2 on Cyclone Gabrielle-ravaged Otoko Hill is planned to be fully restored to use by Labour Weekend while other SH2 and SH35 repairs are scheduled for completion mid-2026. Transport Rebuild East Coast (Trec) project lead Richard Bayley told the Gisborne Herald the 'stretch target' for completing Otoko Hill
