Rescue chopper funding for chop in Northland Regional Council plan

The rescue choppers at the Northland base in Whangarei.

Northland Regional Council wants to cut its contribution to emergency services – and deputy chair Tui Shortland says the money can be better spent bolstering the civil defence capability of marae and community centres.

Axing the $1.1 million emergency services rate would affect the rescue helicopter service, Coastguard, St John, surf lifesaving, search and rescue, and Far North Radio and Sea Rescue.

NRC chairwoman Tui Shortland.

Shortland says while the rescue helicopter is an essential service in what’s the most rural region in the country, the council questions whether emergency services are a local government or central government responsibility.

“They’re consistently handing us, as regional and local government, increased mandates, an increased list of things that we need to deliver in the regions and the districts and they’re squeezing everybody,” Shortland told Waatea.News.Com

“So we’re actually and you’ll find across the country, other regional councils and local government, pushing back.”

Shortland says many of the unfunded mandates aren’t a good fit with what’s happening on the ground.

Submissions on the Northland Long-term Plan are open until Friday, April 19.

Atereano Mateariki, Waatea.News.Com