Opinions divided over the Department of Conservation’s new strategy

Not all are impressed with the plan to save New Zealand’s threatened species. 

Forest and Bird say the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) ‘Draft Threatened Species Strategy’ is a fail, and will not lead to any long-term solutions

The strategy aims to promote the protection of threatened species while working towards the goal of making New Zealand predator free by 2050.

Strategies include the implementation of legislation, which will reduce human harm on the environment, and increased research around species conservation.

Spokesperson for Forest and Bird Kevin Hackwell rated the strategy a four out of ten and said it was underwhelming.

“It doesn’t actually address the root causes of the crisis we have with our threatened species,” said Mr Hackwell.

“These causes include things like the habitat destruction which happens when you do an opencast mine, causing the habitat to disappear and the species to go.”

Mr Hackwell criticised the behaviour of other Government departments saying they were counterproductive to the work of DOC.

“We have the Ministry of Primary Industries, Ministry of Business and Innovation, and Land Information New Zealand who are driving a lot of our species to extinction through either a lack of management or through policies that enable other organisations to bypass their environmental responsibilities,” said Mr Hackwell.

He also accused the Government of prioritising profit over environmental sustainability.

“For example, you’ve got the government providing $400 million dollar subsidies to farmers for irrigation schemes yet we have a crisis in freshwater species and quality.” Said Mr Mr Hackwell.

However, DOC threatened species ambassador Nicola Toki said the strategy was strong, and would bring focus to the protection of threatened species.

“It brings all of DOC’s threatened species work plus the work of our community partners and channels it through one strategy with clearly defined goals to ensure that everybody’s energy is heading in the same direction,” said Mrs Toki.

She said the strategy would allow for greater research and development into a large number of species that are considered “data deficient.”

“There are about 3000 species that are considered data deficient so we need to figure out whether or not they could be considered threatened,” said Mrs Toki.

Doug Armstrong who is a Professor in Conservation Biology at Massey University supported the strategy and said naysayers must remember what the strategy is meant to achieve.

“I think it’s a fantastic document and it is going to have a positive impact,” said Professor Armstrong.

“We do need to keep in mind what it’s designed for: It’s designed to show off what is going on and to engage people and also to show what is going to happen in the future.”

The ‘Draft Threatened Species Strategy’ will help to improve the lives of birds like the Kea, who face predators, habitat destruction and competition for food in the wild.  Photo: Supplied.  

 

 

 

‘Climbing strangler’ threatens native bush

Council urges residents to remain watchful of their properties to ensure new weed doesn’t spread.

Auckland Council has issued a call to arms following the discovery of a vicious new weed in the Rodney district.

Spindleberry, also known as ‘oriental bittersweet’ is an Asian climbing weed possessing the ability to completely suffocate native forests.

Shane McNeill works on Auckland Council’s biodiversity team and described the weed as a ‘climbing strangler’.

“It grows underneath native vegetation and takes over the trees until they are completely smothered,” said Mr McNeill.

Forest canopies have been known to collapse under the weight of spindleberry, which can grow up to 12 metres high, according to the Weed Busters New Zealand website.

Mr McNeill said the weed is spread by birds who feed on the brightly coloured berries.

“We do not know where these birds are going to fly, which is why we need help to find it,” said Mr McNeill.

“Luckily at the moment there isn’t a lot of it, so we really want to get on top of controlling it now.”

Auckland Councillor Penny Hulse said Auckland residents must remain vigilant if there is any hope of bringing the weed under control.

“The first thing we want people to do is go to the council website and look at photos of spindleberry,” said Councillor Hulse.

“Check your property, and if you find it, call the council who will come and remove it.”

The council have urged people not to attempt removal by themselves, as any mishandling of spindleberry may cause further spread.

Councillor Hulse said Auckland seemed to be facing a greater number of biodiversity attacks over recent months, such as myrtle rust, which was found on Raoul island earlier this year.

“I guess it comes down to the fact that there is so much more travel, and even though biosecurity is careful, stuff does get in.” Said Councillor Hulse.

 

 

Spindleberry can “rapidly colonise native forests” according to Mr McNeill. Photo: Auckland Council 

 

Piha rocked by second set of fires in two weeks

One house was evacuated while others came under threat as three fires burned along Piha beach.

Police and fire services have confirmed they are treating the set of fires that were lit in the West Auckland community of Piha as suspicious.

Fire crews were alerted to the three blazes early Sunday morning and continued to fight them until midday.

The first fire was at Adey’s Place fish and chip Shop, while the other two burnt through scrub at the South end of Piha beach.

Piha Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Ron Gorter said the crews reached Adey’s at 1:45 am- ten minutes after receiving the first call.

“The fire at the takeaway bar was well involved when we got there, so the roof was starting to collapse and there were flames about ten meters high,” said Mr Gorter.

“The risk we had there is that Adey’s is next to the surf club, so we had to get that out in a hurry.”

According to Mr Gorter, the fire was under control within twenty minutes and completely out within forty.

Mr Gorter described the second fire as medium sized and said fire crews battled for two hours to bring it under control.

The final fire was the largest of the three, and burnt through an area of scrub equal to the size of seven rugby fields.

“The sad thing about that is the fact that this is a bit of bush that people have been trying to regenerate, and now it is back to low-grade scrub,” said Mr Gorter.

Local resident Ruth Dunphy woke on Sunday morning to find grey ash covering both her house and car.

Later that afternoon Ms Dunphy and her partner passed Adey’s whilst walking down Piha beach.

“It’s really horrible, the whole place is just gutted and there were just firemen and fire trucks everywhere…they had been working all through the night,” said Ms Dunphy.

After talking to locals, she described the feeling of unease that is spreading through the community.

“People are quite unsettled because of the fact that it is not just a one-off incident and no one knows what the motives are,” said Ms Dunphy.

“There seems to be a lot of premeditation about it, you know with the fact that it happened last weekend and then again this weekend.”

Ms Dunphy has also noticed an increase in the presence of police around Piha.

“When I drove down to get my coffee at about 10:30 this morning there were police down the end of my road who were talking to some motorists,” said Ms Dunphy.

“They waved me along, but the police are definitely talking to people.”

Adey’s place has suffered major damage and any chance of saving the building is marginal, according to Mr Gorter. Source: Piha Volunteer Fire Brigade. 

 

 

The Opportunities Party roadshow hits Auckland

A night out with one of New Zealand’s most controversial political leaders.

According to Gareth Morgan, he never wanted to be a politician, has little respect for the government, and thinks voters are selfish.

In fact, his only reason for entering the political arena was a frustration with the current system, which Mr Morgan stated is failing the New Zealand public.

“This frustration has got to crescendo levels,” said Mr Morgan.

“It alludes to the difference between what we as policy wonks think should be done and what actually gets done.”

He expressed these sentiments to a 100-strong group gathered at the Auckland University of Technology, as part of The Opportunities Party (TOP) roadshow that has been traveling around the country.

On Mr Morgans agenda were the usual suspects; immigration, housing, education, and swimmable rivers.

However, the largest talking point of the event was TOP’s ‘fairer tax system policy’ which Mr Morgan described as his most radical proposal.

The policy will widen the tax base, and decrease tax breaks for the top 20 per cent according to Mr Morgan.

“Not one extra dollar of tax is taken. Any money that is taken from citizen A is given back in another form to either citizen A or citizen B, so the whole package is very fiscally neutral,” said Mr Morgan.

He then went on to call wage and salary earners “suckers” under the current taxation system.

“You get guys like me who hardly pay any tax and I can tell you now I make a shit lot more a year than salary and wage earners do,” said Mr Morgan.

“In fact these days I make so much money I wake up each morning richer and I haven’t done anything.”

In keeping with TOP’s slogan, Mr Morgan said he wanted a fairer New Zealand, which could be achieved with his “rational set of policies.”

“There is a reasonable number of New Zealanders who are still waiting for trickledown economics to occur,” said Mr Morgan.

“They will be waiting a very long time unless we change some of these settings.”

Bill Jaques, 78, attended the event out of interest but was firmly in favour of TOP’s policies by the end.

“I’ve been interested in Gareth Morgan as a commentator over the years, and I guess I’m interested in the effect of the next election on the people of New Zealand,” said Mr Jaques.

However, despite an agreement with his policies, Mr Jaques does not believe Mr Morgan is currently electable.

“I don’t think he is necessarily electable but I think his party’s concepts are,” said Mr Jaques.

“There are a lot of people who do share a lot of these views, and they are voting right across the spectrum.”

Every attendee was encouraged to take a complimentary campaign pin bearing Mr Morgans face. Photo: Katie Doyle 

 

Emotions run high over ‘nightmare’ parking situation

West Aucklanders are calling for action over dangerous parking by ferry commuters.

Tensions are rising over a lack of parking spaces at the Hobsonville Marina and ferry terminal in west Auckland.

Currently, 43 car parks are offered to commuters on the Belaire Ferry service, leaving the remaining 627 daily passengers to find other alternatives.

Some have resorted to parking along both sides of Clearwater Cove, the road leading to the terminal.

Pauline Reid who lives in Clearwater Cove, describes the situation as worrying and dangerous.

“There is an ever-slight bend as you are coming out from the marina and up the road,” said Mrs Reid.

“You can’t see cars coming, especially when there are cars parked right up to your letter box.”

The lack of vision and small amount of road space has led to a raft of near misses, and now residents want action.

 

Poorly parked cars mean motorists must drive dangerously close to the centerline to check for oncoming traffic when turning. Photo/Katie Doyle

 

Owner of Belaire Ferries, Adam Tallentire, started the service in 2005 and has witnessed a significant rise in commuter numbers.

“We had less than 1000 passengers in the first month,” said Mr Tallentire.

“However In March 2017 we had 15,000.”

This increase means finding a solution to the parking situation has become Mr Tallentire’s top priority.

“We’ve been looking at various options to resolve it, however it is complicated because there is us, then there is Auckland Transport, and there is also the Hobsonville marina company itself,” said Mr Tallentire.

“We are all trying to work together but as separate parties.”

Mr Tallentire said the best option would be to find a separate plot of land to build a second parking lot.

“We have got close to it and then different problems have popped up so we haven’t solved it yet but we are working on it.” Said Mr Tallentire.

Upper Harbour Local Board Chairperson, Lisa Whyte has visited Clearwater Cove and spoken to employees from the Hobsonville Marina Company.

“The gentleman I met with said Auckland Transport had been offered a lot further up Clearwater Cove that could be turned into commuter parking, but that they had declined,” said Mrs Whyte.

While a solution is being found, Mrs Whyte wants people to stop their dangerous parking habits.

“People aren’t parking responsibly or considerately and that is what is causing the friction, because they are parking in front of driveways, around bends in the road and obstructing view,” said Mrs Whyte.

Mrs Whyte, Mr Tallentire and Mrs Reid are pressing the council for an urgent solution.