Latest news with #Ruapehu
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
'It's all go, everyone's really buzzing' on Mt Ruapehu
October at Whakapapa ski field, Mt Ruapehu, 2023. Photo: Supplied/ Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Ruapehu's mayor is happy with how this years ski season is shaping up, under new operators . Whakapapapa Holdings now manages Whakapapa ski field on Mount Ruapehu while Pure Tūroa manages Tūora field. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) which oversaw both ski fields, went into insolvency in 2022. Mayor Weston Kirton said while the start of the 2025 season was slow due to low snowfall, things are looking better now. "June was a bit spasmodic but kicked in a bit more with July. So from my understanding is that they're good to go, they've got enough snow to allow people to go up there and enjoy both at the beginning level, if not in the intermediate level. "I think it's all go, everyone's really buzzing, everyone's excited and both sides of the mountain with new ownership, but they got new ideas and I think they've had a huge number of people over the school holidays for example, both visiting and also skiing. "So from the point of view of ski season, we're off to a pretty good start," Kirton said. The Delta Chair is likely to open on Saturday, and Tūora ski field is also opening its upper mountain facilities. Kirton also reflected on the journey to secure government funding that enabled the continued operation of both Whakapapa and Tūroa ski fields following the collapse of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL). "The snow industry is critical to our economy and regional tourism. It's fantastic to see Whakapapa and Tūroa up and running again, but we must keep building on this success." Kirton said he was hopeful for a few more snowfalls to help extend the season and encouraged people to visit the maunga [mountain] and enjoy all the experiences Ruapehu has to offer - on and off the slopes. He also stressed the need to keep building on the economic momentum generated by the ski areas. "Council is committed to working with government and others to complete our cycle and hiking trail networks which are turning Ruapehu into a true year-round destination while providing much-needed economic resilience." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
15-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Whanganui backs new water services body with Ruapehu
Whanganui District Council is the last among neighbouring councils to choose a new delivery model for water services. Photo: Tuakana Te Tana Whanganui councillors have voted 8-5 to form a new entity with Ruapehu to manage the delivery of water services. Whanganui and Ruapehu district councils will be the shareholders of the new council-controlled organisation (CCO) that will own the water assets. "This is a big moment in this council's history," Mayor Andrew Tripe said. The entity will include drinking water, wastewater and possibly stormwater assets and services, and operate on non-harmonised or 'local pricing'. This means residents will be charged only for the cost-of-service delivery in their own district, while still benefiting from a share of the savings gained through scale. Whanganui was the last among neighbouring authorities to choose a delivery model. At a meeting on Tuesday, councillors debated balancing cost efficiencies gained in a larger grouping with the opportunity for local voice and the council's obligations to Te Awa Tupua legislation. Following the decisions of other councils, Whanganui weighed up four options: Council staff recommended a joint entity with Ruapehu. The council's Local Water Done Well transition manager Kathryn Stewart said the joint models were projected to outperform an in-house business unit. The two-council model would save water users an estimated $620 a year or $18,000 over a 30-year period. A five-council model would deliver customer savings of $870 a year. Chief executive David Langford told councillors that cost efficiency modelling did not set precise savings but was a mechanism for comparing options. "The numbers are there to help you compare options, they're not predictions for the future. Hanging your hopes on exactly $620 per year for 30 years is an erroneous use of the model." Langford said joining a bigger grouping of councils would likely provide greater savings for households but "bigger is better" was a misnomer. He cautioned councillors against making a decision on cost savings alone. "It's not cost efficiency at any cost. As you get bigger, your ability to influence and the size of your voice gets smaller. [It is] a trade-off between how much you make in savings and how much voice you retain." Much consideration had been given to Te Awa Tupua legislation, Langford said. The two-council model with Ruapehu would create a water service delivery entity that was exclusively focused on the Whanganui catchment. It would ensure governance remained close to the community and was not consumed by a larger entity. Stewart said all joint options would bring opportunity, including increased collaboration, resilience, and staff and technical capacity. But the two-council model would also preserve local voice and influence and put Te Awa Tupua and the wellbeing "of all our connected communities" at the centre of decision-making. The CCO would manage the delivery of water services for about 24,000 connections. The councils would appoint a board of independent, professional directors who would be responsible for making decisions. The board would be informed by expectations set out and agreed upon by the two councils. Advantages included improved ability to fund infrastructure investment, maintenance and compliance costs and improve environmental outcomes, and greater ability to respond to emergencies, manage risks and adapt to future challenges like climate change. In favour of the two-council partnership were: Tripe, Glenda Brown, Josh Chandulal-Mackay, Jenny Duncan, Ross Fallen, Kate Joblin, Charlotte Melser, Peter Oskam. Against were: Deputy mayor Helen Craig, Charlie Anderson, Philippa Baker-Hogan, Michael Law and Rob Vinsen. The Ruapehu council voted 6-4 in favour of the two-council model last week. Chief executive Clive Manley welcomed Whanganui's decision and said it was an important milestone that enabled both councils to begin work on detailed planning and implementation. While Whanganui voted to include stormwater in the new CCO, Ruapehu was still considering whether to transfer its stormwater services or retain them in-house. This decision would not affect setting up the new CCO, Manley said. "We'll make a decision on stormwater in due course, but it doesn't prevent us from moving forward with the rest," Manley said. "Both councils are committed to continuing to explore opportunities that improve efficiency and reduce costs for our communities." Whanganui council officers will now finalise a Water Services Delivery Plan for adoption at the next council meeting in August. The council will then submit its final Water Services Delivery Plan to central government by the early-September deadline. If approved, implementation will begin later this year. The new water services CCO could be established by mid-2026 and fully operational by mid-2027. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Scoop
15-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Ruapehu And Whanganui To Form Joint Water Services Entity
Ruapehu District Council (RDC) will join with Whanganui District Council (WDC) to form a two-council Water Services Council-Controlled Organisation (WS-CCO) to deliver future water services under the Government's Local Water Done Well reform programme. RDC had voted to support the two-council WS-CCO model at its meeting on 9 July, with the decision contingent on WDC confirming its preference to partner with Ruapehu. That confirmation came today, with WDC elected members voting 8–5 in favour of the joint model. Chief Executive Clive Manley welcomed the confirmation and said it was an important milestone that enables both councils to begin work on the detailed planning and implementation. 'This has been a long and complex process, and a significant amount of work has gone into getting us to this point,' said Mr Manley. 'Now that we have clarity and agreement from both councils, staff can progress the necessary steps to implement the new water services delivery model. Until we had confirmation of our partner council, there were key aspects we simply couldn't move forward on.' The immediate priority will be the development of a joint Water Services Delivery Plan (WSDP) with WDC. This plan must demonstrate how the proposed two-council WS-CCO meets the Government's legislative requirements - particularly around financial sustainability - and must be submitted to the Minister of Local Government for approval by 3 September 2025. 'Given ministerial approval of the WSDP, Council staff will be working closely with Whanganui to operationalise the new WS-CCO as quickly as possible,' said Mr Manley. 'The target is for the WS-CCO to be fully operational by mid-2027. In the meantime, water users in Ruapehu will continue to be serviced by our existing provider, Veolia, with no change to service levels.' Mr Manley noted that WDC had also voted to include stormwater services in the new WS-CCO. Ruapehu is still considering whether to transfer its stormwater services or retain them in-house. This decision will not impact the establishment of the WS-CCO. 'We'll make a decision on stormwater in due course, but it doesn't prevent us from moving forward with the rest of the WS-CCO implementation,' he said. Mr Manley added that this partnership builds on the strong history of collaboration between the two councils. 'This new water services partnership adds to a growing list of shared services between Ruapehu and Whanganui. Both councils are committed to continuing to explore opportunities that improve efficiency and reduce costs for our communities.'
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Whanganui club rugby: Marist Knights win senior title with 40-17 victory over Ruapehu
Marist Knights avenged their May loss to Ruapehu to claim the Senior title. Photo / Kate Belsham, Ivy Digital Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby For the second year in a row, the Tasman Tanning Senior champion is the previous season's runner-up and they likewise beat an undefeated team to do it as Forest 360 Marist Knights grabbed the silverware on Saturday. The Knights avenged their May loss to
Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Telegraph
10 reasons New Zealand is the best country on Earth
New Zealand, Aotearoa, is back on top of the world. After being knocked off the premier spot of the podium by South Africa in 2023, the Land of the Long White Cloud has once again been voted the best country in the world by our readers. What has changed over the last few years? Not a great deal, thank goodness. News? The 11th Great Walk, the 39-mile Hump Ridge Track, opened in October last year; the cycle trail network continues to expand and upgrade in accessibility; and visitor numbers increased by 12 per cent. Yet while other countries have become less welcoming, more violent, too hot, or too polluted, New Zealand has simply continued to offer a safe and friendly welcome to visitors who come for its mountains, forests, geysers, wineries, city harbours, and beaches – to be thrilled, awed, relaxed, and awakened. Which is why we go on holiday, after all. Here are 10 amazing things about New Zealand that make it the best country on Earth. Take a deep breath of Pacific air and dive in. 16 spectacular regions The country is made up of sublime regions all offering something different. Rather than driving all day every day in a desperate bid to snap the perfect Insta shots of everywhere from Bluff to Cape Reinga for Insta, immerse yourself in one region for the lion's share of your trip. It makes for a far more relaxing break. Take the Ruapehu region, for example. It boasts bike trails for every age and ability, the World's greatest one day walk (the Tongariro Alpine Crossing), the Tongariro Northern Circuit (a three-day 'Great Walk'), fly fishing and deer hunting, canoe safaris and white-water rafting, ancient beech forests, and luxury lodge accommodation.
