New ambulances
Some Northland stations will be the first to get new ambulances designed specifically to support New Zealand's rural and remote communities. The first fleet of 14 Volkswagen First Response Units 14 were handed over to St John at a launch in Auckland on Thursday. They will roll out to stations around New zealand including Russell, Maungaturoto and Dargaville. Designed as specialist First Response Units, the new ambulances will enhance emergency response times to isolated communities, an important step in improving the equity and access of healthcare to all New Zealanders. Tony Devanney, St John assistant director of operations, says the fit-for-purpose vehicles are smaller and nimbler than a traditional ambulance. As part of St John's approach to delivering ambulance services, the new vehicles, crewed by dedicated volunteers, will be able to quickly locate and assess patients, and transport locally or to meet a helicopter or transporting ambulance. Up to another 60 vehicles will be rolled out over the next two to three years.
Advocate office opens late
We're backing the Black Caps. Northern Advocate staff will have a late start on Monday so we can watch the Black Caps in the Cricket World Cup final against England at Lords in London. It means the Advocate's office at 88 Robert St won't be open at its normal time of 9am. Win or lose though the office will open at 10am, hopefully with something to celebrate.
No voting at Local Govt conference
Once-bitten Far North District Council representatives abstained from voting on any of the 24 remits debated at the July 8-9 Local Government New Zealand conference in Wellington. Delegates from around the country voted on a series of policy positions to lobby central government on, including climate change, a ban on public fireworks sales, parking on berms and short-term guest accommodation (Airbnb in other words). However, at their last meeting, councillors decided they would take part in debates but abstain from voting. That was because Deputy Mayor Tania McInnes had received considerable flak from the Bay of Islands cat lobby after voting at a previous conference to ask the government to give councils the option of introducing more cat controls. With no time to consult the public before the conference, councillors felt they had no mandate. The Far North attendees were Mayor John Carter, Deputy Mayor Tania McInnes, councillor Kelly Stratford and community board member Rachel Smith, attending as a Young Elected Member Network representative for Auckland and Northland.
