The 2022-2025 Napier City Council pictured after swearing procedures in the War Memorial Centre.
The 2022-2025 Napier City Council pictured after swearing procedures in the War Memorial Centre.
The Napier City Council has started the ball rolling in the public phase of its three-year plan process by approving timeline for consultation amid forecasts of huge rates increases and future debt.
At Thursday’s council meeting Mayor Kirsten Wise warned of the consequences of past lagging on infrastructure, with the imminent brunt of rates increases over the next three years. That includes a 23.7 per cent increase for the next 12 months, and a possibility of debt hitting $500 million in a decade.
The public will have their say in submissions and hearings to be completed by mid-May before the formal council debate and decisions.
Hastings District Council votes on vehicles on Waimārama Beach
Waimārama Beach on a Hawke’s Bay summer day. Photo / NZME
Hastings District Council voted on Thursday in favour of putting four options to the Waimārama community around a possible permanent ban of vehicles on the popular beach.
There is an existing bylaw in place which prevents vehicles driving on a portion of Waimārama Beach (the main swimming area) for about five months of the year.
Option one is to keep the status quo while the other three options are all year-round bans of vehicles on the beach (with differing ban zones).
Feedback on the four options will help the council with its future decisions, including whether to change its current bylaw to a permanent ban.
Big step for William Little
Hawke’s Bay World cross-country championships selection William Little has achieved his major goal of the summer by winning the men’s 5000 metres title on the first day of the New Zealand track and field championships in Wellington.
William Little, 24-year-old son of Wairoa Mayor Craig Little and wife Jan, told Hawke’s Bay Today of the dream in January after being named for what is now the next goal – the World championships in Serbia on March 30.
An Athletics NZ media release said Little, who ran for the Auckland centre, took charge after a “pedestrian” first 8-9 minutes of the race on Thursday at Newtown Park – “launching a vicious turn of pace”, producing a “stunning” 60-second lap, and then opened a gap from the only realistic chaser with about 500m to finish in 14m 44.72s, and beat runner-up and Canterbury runner Connor Melton by six seconds.
Hawks swoop on teen basketball prodigy
A 16-year-old Napier Boys High School basketballer is the latest signing confirmed for the Taylor Hawks ahead of the side’s first game in the men’s 2024 Sal’s National Basketball League in Tauranga on March 28.
Balin Casson is known for his athleticism and ability to score, poses a threat on offence, fearlessly attacks the rim and excels in offensive transitions, the club said.
Head Coach Sam Gruggen said: “Balin brings a good level of intensity and hustle every time he steps on the floor. We are excited to welcome Balin, another young Hawke’s Bay local, into our programme and look forward to watching his development over the season.”
Casson joins teammates Isaiah Moore, Jackson Ball, Jacob Murphy, Jordan Ngatai, Josh Roberts, Keanu Rasmussen, Kobe Kara, Tanae Lavery, Tommy Fergusson and Zoram Smiler with more signings to be announced soon.
Eid e Nowruz music festival
Pakistan and Friends Hawkes Bay Ahlulbayt Association invite the Hawke’s Bay community to join them for a Eid e Nowruz Music Festival.
The free, family-friendly event will take place at the MTG Century Theatre in Napier from 6pm to 9pm on Saturday, April 13.
The festival aims to celebrate cultural diversity, and community recognising the spirit of Eid and Nowruz.
Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.
While more than 300 million people around the world observe the first day of the Persian or Iranian New Year known as Nowruz.
The festival will feature a mixture of vibrant Bollywood music, captivating performances and an array of cuisine and is aimed to bring together people from all walks of life.
March is endometriosis month
Endometriosis New Zealand is set to host the Living Well Together Event for awareness month.
The event will take place at the Napier War Memorial Centre on Tuesday, March 19 from 6pm to 9pm for those who live with endometriosis or have symptoms, and friends and family are encouraged to attend.
The event hopes to raise awareness about the condition and inspire collaborative efforts to help individuals affected by the condition.
Guest speakers will include Bernadette Nolan who established Hawke’s Bay Pelvic Health & Women’s Physiotherapy in 2017, Amelia Ryan and Brianna Egley.
Yulia Senkovwill also share her journey after being diagnosed with endometriosis in early 2023, and enduring 15 years with no answer to her escalating pain.
The event will also include talks and a 20-minute pilates session and food and drink will be available.
Tickets will need to be purchased before the event.
Pāua pinching highlighted
Fisheries NZ has highlighted the misbehaviour of some fishers over the summer period in Hawke’s Bay for taking undersized pāua. It was the most common reason people were caught out.
From December 1 to the end of February, 29 infringement notices were issued in Hawke’s Bay for mostly possession of undersize pāua.
Fisheries NZ regional manager, fisheries compliance, Tyrone Robinson, said staff were also investigating 13 more serious offences under the Fisheries Act, all of which involve people taking too much or undersize pāua.
“Some of these cases could result in court proceedings.”
The NZ Fishing Rules mobile app is free to download.
On one occasion, fishery officers contacted Police for assistance as a precaution but were able to de-escalate the situation before Police arrived at the scene.
“Generally, most people are aware of the daily limit for gathering pāua being five per person,” Robinson said.
“We’d remind people this daily limit applies only to people who are actively gathering pāua. You cannot gather pāua on behalf of other people in your group.”
He said the best thing to do to ensure compliance was to download the free NZ Fishing Rules mobile app.
MPI encouraged people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry’s 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 47 62 24)
The 27-year-old has been a longtime member of the endurance team winning a team pursuit World Championship gold medal in 2015 and silvers in 2017 and 2020. He was also a member of the pursuit team that finished fourth at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
Gough was the country’s most successful junior rider, with six medals at the Junior World Track Championships including rainbow jerseys in the madison and the points race. On the track, his unique mix of speed and endurance lead him to a key role as team starter.
Since the Tokyo games he has battled illness and injury including long Covid, influenza, tonsillitis, bronchitis, sinus infection and appendicitis.
Off to football school
Alex Bijou of St John's College and Raul Demarchi of Hastings Boys with coach Carlos Paulette (centre).
Two Hastings high school students are heading to Christchurch and a new school as they take the first big step towards professional football careers.
Alex Bijou, of St John’s College, and Raul Demarchi, of Hastings Boys, both aged 16, have been chosen after trialling for places in the Christchurch United Academy, reputed for state of the art facilities and year-round training for young players.
The pair will continue their schooling at St Thomas of Canterbury College.
Thousands of Hawke’s Bay schoolchildren will continue to enjoy fully funded Learn-to-Swim lessons for another year, with the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust extending the Royston Health Trust Learn-to-Swim and Water Safety Programme.
Following the success of the initial pilot in 2023, the Trust said it has committed to funding two additional years of the initiative.
The programme, scheduled to run throughout 2024 and 2025, will provide over 700 students per term, ranging from year 3 to year 8, with eight fully funded Learn-to-Swim and water safety lessons each.
“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the Hawke’s Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust to offer this vital programme,” Jacqui Gray, chair of Royston Health Trust, said.
“Ensuring that children have access to quality swim lessons and water safety education is paramount for us. It’s an investment in their health, well-being, and future.”
Primary and intermediate schools throughout Hawke’s Bay are invited to enrol in the programme, with sessions having already commenced in the first school term at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre in Hastings.
Interested schools can register by submitting a registration of interest to harshi@hbaquatic.co.nz.
Lotto Cyclone Gabrielle money meeting held
The fate of more than $10 million raised in a special Lotto draw and appeal run in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle is expected to be revealed soon.
The Department of Internal Affairs confirmed that the Trustees of the Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Fund recently held a meeting to discuss funding allocation. They anticipated an announcement on funding shortly.
Much of the money generated from the Lotto draw must be distributed in accordance with the Gambling Act, meaning it can only be used for “community purposes”.
This meant it could not be used to help individuals or businesses clean up or for infrastructure work.
The fund was set up to focus on projects that help to build resilience for the future and fix facilities where people come together, such as sports clubs, marae, or community halls.
Fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze on the C Shadow vessel, and Napier City Council has confirmed that the Harbour Master is dealing with this matter on-site.
According to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, while the vessel was underwater it released a considerable amount of pollutants, diesel, and hydraulic oil into the marine environment in addition to the thick, dense smoke that lingered in the air for hours after the incident.
“Whilst efforts were made to contain as much of the contaminants as possible, there was very little that could be done based on the situation,” a post on social media said.
Dive contractors were contacted, and the vessel was refloated at 7pm and towed over to the Napier Sailing Club, where it was lifted out at approximately 8pm.
The woman was critically injured in a two-vehicle accident on State Highway 2, Poukawa, near Pekapeka wetlands on Friday afternoon and was transported to hospital Hawke’s Bay Hospital before being flown to Wellington Hospital.
A Te Whatu Ora- Capital and Coast spokesman said she was in a serious condition in ICU on Tuesday afternoon.
A Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said a woman in her 80s, man in his 20s and man in his 50s were all stable after they had been seriously injured in a crash on Pakowhai Rd on Thursday.
A woman in her 20s had been discharged from Hawke’s Bay Hospital as of Tuesday after a crash on Brookfields Rd on Saturday night which left four people injured, one seriously.
A man in his 20s had been discharged from Hawke’s Bay Hospital as of Tuesday after a crash on Sunday afternoon at a rural property on Whakapirau Rd in Maraekakaho, left him seriously injured.
New defibrillators for hubs and holiday park
The gift of a new defibrillator at Waimārama Holiday Park and a rollout to establish community emergency hubs in rural Hawke’s Bay areas are some of the things Hato Hone St John is doing to help keep Hawke’s Bay safe.
The organisation said teams are working with Hastings District Council and the community to ensure community resilience for the hubs – including basic first aid skills – following Cyclone Gabrielle.
They are also helping with a significant rollout of automated external defibrillators (AED) across the region to ensure better survival outcomes.
“Our goal is to increase the distribution of AEDs across Hawke’s Bay as best practice and as a form of community resilience following the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle,” Hato Hone St John community engagement coordinator Harris Dowson said.
The new device Waimārama was donated by the Royston Health Trust and facilitated by the Hato Hone St John Hawke’s Bay Area Committee. It will be accessible 24 hours a day to the public.
Hawke’s Bay rangatahi will be the focus of a special initiative this week from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
From March 11-17, Hawke’s Bay branches will form part of the 80 CABs around New Zealand that will be shining a light on its youth services.
CAB can give young people information about their legal rights and responsibilities, provide advice, and connect them with the specialist services they may need.
It can provide resources to help rangatahi with starting tertiary study, getting a job, going flatting, buying a car, getting ID, and more.
“We want to make sure rangatahi know we are a safe place for them to come to when they have a question or need some advice and they don’t know who to ask”, CABNZ’s youth engagement advisor Anika Green said.
